PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2314, 6 October 1908, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ' MORNING SITTING. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. The Council met at 11 n.m. The Old Ago Pensions Amendment Bill, received from the House, was read the first and second times. The Attorney-General, in moving the second reading of the Infants Amendment Bill, explained that under the existing Act, where parents or relatives of children boarded out had failed to make payments, the expenses had been defrayed from the consolidated fund. This Bill would throw the responsibility in such cases on to the eliaritablo aid institutions. Hon. J. T. Paul, in seconding the motion, emphasised the desirability of granting every protection towards the preservation of infant life. He paid a high tribute to the work done in the preservation of ..infant lifo by the society of which Lady Plunkct is president. He urged that if the society received the support it deserved it would be one of the greatest and grandest things in our national lifo. The Attorney-General said the work done by the Karitano Homo in Dunedin. which supplied the Plunkct nurses for the Dominion, was a valuable national work. “Wo have to face the baffling problem of a declining birth-rate, the gravest we have to face just now. If wo are going to rise to the position of a great race some method of checking that evil has to be found. None, is better than reducing the mortality of infants.” Dr. Findlay went on to say that the Infants’ Life Protection Society of the Dominion was doing a great work which the Government appreciates. He quoted figures to show the work accomplished by the Plunkct nurses under the society in different parts of the Dominion. Last year 430 babies had been looked after, with only 10 deaths. In Auckland 120 babies h id been attended in six months, with only two deaths. At Christchurch in one year, 111 babies were attended, with only two deaths. In Napier 30 babies were attended in four months without a single death. In Wellington 70 erfses wore attended with the same successful results. It- was estimated by Lady Plunket that over 300 of these infants were seriously ill when the nurses called in, aud it was not too much to say that- without the aid of the nurses the majority of there would have died.

Notice was given by Hon. J. Rigg to_ move, on Wednesday, that, a committee be set up to consider and report on the best means of providing an efficient method of national defence, such committee to consist of Hons. Callan, Collins, Stevens, AleCardle, Jones. Anstev. Paul, the At-torney-General, and the mover.

The Council adjourned until 2.30 p.m.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council resumed at 2.30 p.m. On the motion to go into committee on the Arbitration Bill, which was reported from the Labor Bills Committee, Hon. J. Rigg said that clause 9 provided that a worker could be imprisoned for striking, and he could not support any measure which permitted the imprisonment of a worker or employer for non-payment of a fine for a strike or lock-out. He moved that the Bill be read this day six months. This lapsed for want of a seconder. The Attorney-General pointed out a worker could not be imprisoned for striking, but if he failed to obey an order of the Court in not paying a fine when able, lie was in exactly a similar position to a man who disobeyed an order of the Court to pay his grocer’s bill. The Council then went into committee on tlie bill. An amendment by Hon. J. Rigg to make the aggregate penalty payable by workers bound by an award striking not to exceed £SOO was negatived by 23 votes to 1. Hon. J. Rigg moved to amend clause 9 in order„to abolish a striker being liable to summary conviction before a magistrate. He explained he desired to avoid the chance of a worker guilty of merely striking being sent to gaol. The Council adjourned at's p.m. EVENING - SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. After a- lengthy discussioji Hon. J. Rigg’s amendment was negatived by 23" votes to T.

Clause 9, as returned from the Labor Bills 1 Committee, increases the penalty for an employer who locks out liis workers, and for an industrial association, trade union employer, or any person, other than a worker, who initiates, instigates, or assists in a broach of the section to £SOO. The clause was passed unamended. Clauses 10 to 28 were passed without material amendment. A new sub-clause wias added to clause 28, providing that every Commissioner can exercise his jurisdiction -within such industrial district, or districts, as may be from time to time assigned to him. A further new sub-clause was added preventing an attack being made on the validity of the appointment of Commissioners. Rapid progress was made to section 53. At clause 54 objections were pointed out by Hon. J. E. Jenlcinson, and after some discussion the AttorneyGeneral said he would agree to drop the clause, and this was done. . Hon. C. M. Luke called for a division at 6ub-section 3. clause 37, which provides that it shall be with the employer to prove that a worker was dismissed for a reason other than those mentioned in the section. Mr. Luke was the only one to vote against the clause. At clause-68, which provides that i the Court may refuse to make an award, Hon.J. Rigg moved an amendment to provide that, in any dispute, the Court shall make an award The amendment was rejected by -a votes to 4. The remainder of the clauses were passed without material amendment. Hon. S. T. George moved a new clause to provide that officers of industrials unions are to be engaged m the industry. The clause exempts unions in which the majority ot members are women, provides a penalty of £lO, and also that no person can be an officer of more than one union. The clause prohibiting a person holding office in more than one union was rejected by 43 votes to If.. The other sub-clauses were rejected on the voices. , , Hon J Rigg moved a now subclause that the nresident of the Court need not be a judge. This was negatived on the voices. The Bill, as amended, was reported, read a third time and passed The Council adjourned at L../u a.m.

house of representatives

AFTERNOON SITTING

The House met at 2.30 P.-m. Mr H J. Okey gave notice to ask the Minister of Lands a question regarding the Agricultural 1 roduce Saleft and Importation liill. _ Hon. R. McNab said that with respect to that measure,-'which was sent to ‘ another place/' ho understood the Bill hod been sent to the Agnctivtural Committee of that place, which Irvl made a recommendation, and, as a result .the Bill would not bo proC °Mr Okey considered that an unusual course, and. would move to set .. search committee. U, 40 Premier pointed out that it was m”nnusual course for a private mem ber to move, as suggested, in respect 0, 15r G Ok”;“«oS !.« motion to ask the Government to set up a scare i CO ThcPaJmcrstoH North Dairy School Saving Bill be not allowed to proceed. . Hon T Y. Duncan moved tlic & and 8 alleged that tjxe .Goyergment had

boon hoodwinked, and that a private individual had acquired Crown land without going to auction. If tho evidence given boforo tho committee had been given before n judicial trifiunal, there would have been a very different verdict to tho wishy-washy report of the committee. Hon. R. McNab, in replying said the Government was justified an its ■ KOC tion 117 of the Act. Tho Houso adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING BITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The report of the Woodward Street Committee, after further discussion, ' v< mi n f' .1° on the voices. Tho Premier moved that the report ot- the Joint Parliament Buildings Site Committee (the effect, of which oas already been published) be adoptpd. There was, ho paid, a responsion the Houso and, in turn, on the Government to give effect to the recommendations in the report. ’There was no particular hurry m deciding upon the design of the now Parliamentary Buildings, ns the business of 1 arJiament was now being carried on. with a tolerable degree of compart m tho present quarters, and the Government proposed that conipctitivo designs should he called for from architects in Now Zealand, including the Government architect. Alternative designs should bo called for in brick, ferro-concreto, stono and wood, „°f the building not to exceed £loo,ooo. With regard to extra acrGn.modatioji for tho Government Buildings, it was proposed to erect a three-storied building in hliek or concrete, costing £20,000, on the Jlolcsworth Street site. The limit for ‘"eo ~ rw',° rn 1 11 en House should ho T, a.OOO. A site must be found in Wellington and tho houso should he erected without delay. If the House agreed to the report, and they proceeded gradually by leasing the Lambton b u a.v site, they could provide interest on the cost- of the whole site, together with a sinking fund to repay the whole sum in 25 years. Air. AY. F. Massey protested at so much important matter that Parliament had to deal with being kept until the last days of the session. He complained that the committee had gone outside its order of reference, which required it- to report npon the most suitable site for the erection of 1 arliament Buildings. "When Parliament voted money to extend the buildings on the old site, there was not- a single word of objection to the site. He ventured to say that- by the time the whole building schemo was completed it would cost the country half-a-million o_f money. Air. Alassey, continuing, said the proposals were the maddest, wildest, and most- extravagant ever laid before Parliament. “Whilst we should erect a Parliamentary Building worthy of the Dominion. and be still worthy of it in a hundred years to come, we must he careful of our finance.” Air. G. Laurenson urged that the whole question should be left, over for consideration by the new Parliament. Air. C. H. Izard regretted that- the Parliamentary Buildings could not be erected on the old site, replete with historic traditions, but all evidence given before the committee was against that. He thought competitive designs should be called for from beyond the Dominion, as well as from the architects of the Dominion. Air. A. W. Hogg was glad the Premier intended to go cautiously. The report- was the most reckless one ever j brought before Parliament. This [ was certainly not- the time to spend j huge sums on buildings which would not he reproductive., He thought buildings could he erected on the old ; site at a much less cost- than it was ! now proposed to spend. Less should j be spent on buildings and more on public works'in the country. I Air. F. AV. Lang moved to amend the report in the direction of recommending the re-erection of Parliament Buildings on the old site in Alolesworth Street. Air AA 7 . Herrie§ seconded the amendment. Dr. Chappie said it was absurd to include wood 1 amongst the alternative materials in respect of which designs should be submitted.