NOTES FROM THE HOUSE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 40, 2 October 1902, Page 15

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

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On Monday evening the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones moved the second reading of the Australasian Naval Defence Bill, and explained that, contrary to what had been stated, the Bill had no reference to the question as discussed at the late Imperial Conference, but was merely a renewal of the agreement that had existed for years paßt, involving a cost to this Colony of £20,000. He read a statement showing that for the past ten years the subsidy bad but slightly exceeded the amount agreed upon, but that last year the sum amounted to £21,304. Several speakers considered that the amount asked was rather email, and contended that the Colony should pay its fair share of the cost of the fleet. The motion for the Becond reading was agreed to. The Public Works Estimates were taken in committee on Wednesday afternoon. Attempts were made by various members to reduce votes for other districts than their own, but their good intentions did not succeed. On Wednesday afternoon the Acting-Premier moved the second reading of the Referendum Bill, to provide for certain Bills and legislative proposals being referred to a poll of the electors of the Colony. He explained that the Bill bad pasted the Lower House by a large majority last session, but it did not get through the other Chamber. There could be no two opinionß, he considered, as to the necessity for giving the people an opportunity on many questions on which there was great diversity of opinion of declaring whether or not legislative effect should be given to them. The machinery of the measure was similar to that of last year's Bill. He thought it would be advisable for the House to consider, when the Bill waß in committee, the necessity of inserting a proviso to exclude from questions to be submitted to the referendum all matters relating to the constitution of the General Assembly, If an amendment was made in this direction the Bill would have a better chance of passing both Houses this session. After discussion the Bill was read a secoiid time by 45 to 10. Immediately after the Houfe meeting on Thursday the ActingPremier intimated that the session would probably be brought to a close about the end of the following week, provided that memberß did not waßte time in delivering unnecessary speeches. Of course Sir J. G. Ward did not put it in these words, as he is too tactful, but his remarks amounted to the same thing. The Acting-Premier's suggestions were evidently put into practical effect for during the ftf ternoon and evening sitting several measures were put through their final stages. Several local bills were passed through their final stages on Friday afternoon. The Factories Amendment Bill was taken in committee. The Hon. W. J. Steward moved a new clause empowering the looal authorities in boroughs and town districts to declare another day than Saturday for the weekly half-holiday for factories. Sir J. G. Ward thought this proposal went too far, as it would mean the splitting up of the holiday among trades. Instead of it, he moved a new clause to provide that in any borough or town distriot having a population of leas than 10,000, if Saturday ie found inoonvenient for the weekly half-holiday under the Factories Act, the looal authority may substitute another day for it. The Hon. Mr Steward accepted the clause in place of his own. Several speakt-rs urged that the House should not take any step that would tend to detrimentally affect the Saturday half-holi-day system, while others urged that allowance should be made in the caße of emaU country factories. After further discussion, Sir J. G. Ward's new clause was read a tecond time by 32 to 26. Mr Millar then moved that the chairman leave the chair, the effect of which would be to kill the Bill. He complained that the Government had sprung a surprise on the House in that the clause of last year's Act making Saturday the half-holiday for factories had been agreed to after seven years' trial of the old system, and after hearing the opinions of all parties concerned, and with the unanimous consent of the workers and employers. Eventually progress was reported, and the House proceeded to deal with other measures.