PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2300, 19 September 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY EVENING’S SITTING; [Lems Association.] ■ WELLINGTON, Sept. 18. In tho House after midnight, aftor some further discussion, progress was roported to enablo amendments in tho Arbitration Bill proposed bv the Minister to bo printed, and tho House rose at 12.35 u.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. AFTEHNOON SITTING. V K i ' • ». The Council met at 2.30 p.m.--- ' TV.er second reading debato on tho Alanawatu Railway Purchase Bill was resumed and' concluded.' and tho second reading was carried on tho voices. . Tho Agricultural Produce‘Sale.anil Importation Bill was read a. second time pro forma, and referred to the Slock Committee to take evidence. The Christchurch City Sanitation. Bill was reported from committee with slight amendments. The Council rose at 4.50 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Tli'} report of the Lands Committee on the AVoodward Street land transac:ion between the Government, the Wellington City Council and the company of -T. TC. Afacdonald Ltd., was laid on the table, and. set down for consideration next sitting day. The -- main allegations made by Air. Fisher, which the committee were asked, to., investigate, were to -the effect that’ I 0.55 perches of derelict land, situated oil AVellington Terrace, had been sold for considerably 'ess than its real value by .the Crown, either to T. K-. Macdonald Ltd. or the AVellington/ .’ City Council, without competition' and" ■ outside tile provisions of the statute, whereas tho said lands should have been disposed of by public conipeti--tion. It- was further alleged that the. strip of land conveyed to the City'; Council by T. K- Macdonald Ltd. was only 0.47 of a nercli, and not 4. per-;' dies, as stated bv Afaodonaldy Wilson - and Co. ill a letter to the Undersecretary for Lands. The committee re-; ported that nobody reading Alacdonald, Wilson and Co.’s letter could' pome to any other conclusion than/ that it was written on behalf of the. Wellington City Council; that the Ministers had been justified by the circumstances of- the case -in selling 6.55 perches to the Council under section 117 of the Land Act, 1892,. and that the value placed on the land sold by the Department was fair value. The report proceeded: “It is a matter for regret that Afacdonald, AATlson and 00. should not have been more careful wiien stating the area of the strip. - of land they intended to convey to the City Council. Their letter of -the 2nd Afay, 1907, describes this area as being 4 perches, and, further on, refers to it as being as ‘about equal size arid value as the 6.55 perches,’ whereas. J” as a matter of fact, it only consisted,; of 0.47 of a perch. Air. Macdonald, ' when giving evidence on this point-, declared that oil 2nd Afay, .1907, he was firmly-of the opinion'that lie was to -concede the 4 perches of his own section to .the City. Council and-that later on, when he discovered that it was only 0.47 that- was required,., he/ gave the latter piece " for nothing. Still, this does not exonerate Mr. Afacdcnald from blame in not making himself acquainted with the real ..facts / of the case before writing to the. Undersecretary. There is little doubt that this mistake has given rise to much of the public comment oil the whole subject. Your committee is;,, however, satisfied by evidence in this-/ point that tho area of the strip, as stated in the letter of Afay 2nd, ms ~ not a determining factor with tho Alinister of Lands in deciding to agree to sell to the City Councir6:ss perches under section li7 of the Land Act-, 1892.” The House resumed consideration of the Conciliation and Arbitration Ami \ endment Bill in committee. Hon. J. A. Millar moved to redraft clause!, to 'read to the effect' that every worker under an industrial agreement or award, who becomes a party to strikes, shall be liable to a penalty of £lO, and every employer bound by any award or- industrial agreement,, who becomes a party to a lock-out-,.-shall be' liable to a penalty of £200,' no worker or employer to be liable to more than one penalty in respect of the same strike or lock-out. Mr. If. Poland moved a provision that the total amount levied against'' 1 all workers-involved shall not'in any case exceed £2OO. After a long discussion. Air Poland’s proviso was negatived by 44 to 25, and the. House adjourned ~at 5.30 pan.' EVENING - FITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.-:'>l'> The discussion on the new clause 5 moved by Hon. J. A. Afillar was continued. Afr. A. R.. Barclay moved the following provision, “Provided that such.strike takes place in respect of any - matter or .thing which is subjeot of or is dealt with by such award or agreement.” Hon. J. A. Afillar declined to accept the amendment, which' was negatived by 55 to 8. Air. F. E. Baume moved to amend sub-secrion 2, by striking out . the words ‘two hundred lioiinds” at the end of the clause with, a view to inserting the words “ten- pounds in respect of each worker locked out.” The Minister said lie was quite prepared, :.f Air. Baume withdrew liis amendment, to raise the penalty to £SOO, ■as under the old Act. if the House thought £2OO was too low. '-'J AJ r Baume wished to alter the wording of his amendment so that it should read “toil pounds in respect of every worker employed by him and locked out.” ' -

After considerable discussion* Mr. Baume’s amendment was defeated by.r 44 to 18, and‘an amendment by Hon, j J. A. Millar to increase the penalty from £:200 to £SOO was agreed to. Hon. J. A. Millar moved a new sub-.:-, section 4 as follows: “No proceeding shall be commenced or continued against any worker or employer- party to a strike or lock-out. where 'judgment has been obtained, under the next preceding sub-section, against any industrial union or industrial associa-„ tionv”"’ ' •*•••• ' --yv •' •

This was_ agreed to on ‘ the voices, and clause 5 was passed as amended'. Hon. J. A.' il.ill.ar moved to strike out clause 6 as contained in the'Bill , reported from the Labor Bills Com- a mittee in favor of a re-drafted clause*, " the elfect of which was (1) that a per- j. soii who incites or abet-s a strike or 'A lock-out or a continuance of either •isWi liable,- if a >worker, to a penalty of ; £lO,. or if an industrial union or traded union, or any person other thair a worker, to £2OO ; (2).every person-'who ' gives anything of value to any person party to a strike or lock-out, or to the - ' benefit of any industrial union or trade union of which such person is a member, is deemed to have abetted a strike unless lie proves lie had-no interest to do so; (3) while ah unlawful strike or loc'k-cut is taking place, any person who published in any newspaper ally expression of approval or disapproval of the unlawful action of any person in relation to that strike or lock-out is liable to a. penalty not exceeding £SO. When a majority of the members of an industrial union or industrial association are parties to a strike or lock-out, thejnuion or asso- . ciatiou in to be deemed to have insti- ' gated the (strike or lock-out. • -j ■ Mr. A. R. Barclay moved to omit sub-sections 2 and 3.. a After some discussion, in which sev- : eral members objected to tlie infringe- - ment of the liberty of the press, sub- >« section 3 was deleted. ■ With some further minor amendment, clause 6 was passed. An amendment- made in clause 7 by the Labor Bills Committee was deh'ted, - and the clause was passed’. ' Clause 3 was agreed to. .