PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2670, 27 November 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS A/w DEATHS. ri’Eit PitESS Association.! WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. In the Legislative Council this afternoon, on the motion of the Hon. W. E. Collins, a Select Committee was appointed to inquire into the matter of the registration of births and deaths, and to report to the Council on the same. The Council then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES BILL. After midnight on Thursday the Premier moved a new clause, 60A, providing that loans in process of being raised by local bodies before the coming into operation of the Act shall be dealt with as if the Act had been im operation. This was agreed to. The Bill was reported with amendments, and the House rose at 1 a.m. A QUESTION OF COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCE. At the afternoon sittings to-day, on a motion by Mr Hogan, that- the report of the Railways Committee on a petition for compassionate allowance by an Auckland railway man who had been injured in the execution of his duties be laid on the table, Mr. Glover moved that the report be referred back to the committee for reconsideration. Messrs Baume, Poland, Poole, and Bollard supported the amendment. Mr. Buick opposed the amendment. Mir. McLaren said that there was need for an independent tribunal to deal with individual cases of this kind. He had had experience of cases where injured men. had been willing to. accept 'small lump sums as compensation for injuries while they were entitled to much larger amounts. The Hon. J. A. Millar declared that if these claims for compassionate allowances, over and above compensation, wore to continue, ho would ask the House to strike crut the clause providing for payment in a lum ri sum. The petitioner'had been treated very well, and received what he would have been entitled to had he been in private employment. If the Department was to be turned into a charitable institution then the sooner the country knew it tho better. Mr. Hogan said that while he had every sympathy for the netitioneir. the committee had to he guided by tho law in the matter. .The netitioner had two options offered him, to accept £3OO, tb§ full amount of compensation under the Act, or 'to accept a weekly payment of 17s under the superannuation scheme. He chose the vformer, hut having done so had no further legal claim. The case showed the necessity for the setting up of a compassionate allowance committee, which, he hoped, would now ho established. Mr. T. E. Taylor* said it was remarkable how cheap life was held. The Government thought nothing of spending £IO.OOO on a road to the Governor s residence, but could not grant more than £2OO to a maimed worker. . This showed that our standards of life were false and artificial. Ho pointed out that the netitioner had an extra claim, in fact, that he had been injured while performing an act of bravery The- amendment was negatived on the voices. THE STATE COAL MINE STRIKE. Mr. Wilford asked what steps the Minister intended to take in regard to the strike of 400 men at the State coal mine at Port Elizabeth, and if the Governmont would take the House into its confidence as regards the steps to be taken to bring about harmony. _ On tho suggestion of the Premier, Mr. Wilford gave notice to ask. the question next sitting day, as the Minister of Mines was not in jxissession ■of the documents relating to the position of affairs. SECOND READINGS. The Shops and Offices Bill and Factories Amendment Bill were read a second time pro forma, and refcired to the Labor Bills Committee. The Coal Mines Amendmon Bill and Mining Amendment Bill were read a second time pro forma, and referred to tho Mines Committee. j STATIC GUARANTEED ADVANCES BILL. Sir Joseph Ward moved to recommit the State Guaranteed Advances Bill for the purpose of re-considering clause 72. This is the clause on which Mr. Sidey s amendment was carried last night to add the following words and provisions, “Section 25 of the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Act, 1908, shall only apply in case of loans to local authori* ties guaranteed by the Government under such last-mentioned Act/ The effect of the amendment is that the provision as to sinking funds being invested by the Public Trustee instead of being undor the control of the Sinking Fund Commissioner, shall only apply to loans guaranteed by the Government undor the Act of 1908. - Messrs Sidey, Herries, Buchanan and Allen objected to the motion on tho ground that no intimation,was given as to tho .reason why the clause should bo reconsidered. Mr. Malcolm moved, as an amendment, that clause 68 bo reconsidered in

addition to clause 72, so that the House shall have -am. opportunity to amend the former clause wth. the view to definn'itely providing what rate of interest local bodies have to pay. Mr Wright seconded the amendment, which was being discussed when the House rose at 5.30 p.m. At the evening sitting the division on Mr. Molcalm’s amendment resulted in its defeat by 29 to 24. The motion to recommit the Bill was carried by 31 to 26. In clause 72, Sir Joseph "Ward moved that all the words after ‘“Act” he omitted, thus deleting Mr. Sidey’s previous amendment. Alter a great deal of discussion, the Premier’s motion was lost bv 27 to 2b. Sir Joseph Ward moved that consul' oration of the report be deferred until next day, and this was carried. The following is the division list on Sir Joseph Ward’s motion:— For the motion (25): Buddo, Carroll, Oo’.vin, Davey, .Dillon, T. Duncan, Ell, Fisher, Fowlds, Graham, Hogan, Hogg, Laurenson Lawrv, It. McKenzie, Millar, Parata, Poland, Peed, Boss, Smith, Stallworthy, Ward, Witty, Wright. Against the motion (27): Allen, Anderson, Arnold, Ban me, Bollard, Buchanan, Buick, Buxton, Dive, Glover, Guthrie, Hardy, Herdman, Herries, Hine, Luke, McLaren, Malcolm, Mander, Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Phillips. Poole, (Scott, Sidey. G. M. Thomson. HOSPITALS BILL. The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill was read a third time and passed. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement Finance Bill, outlining the provision's of the measure, which, he said, would render large areas of land in both. Islands available for cutting up into freehold farms for individual occupation, on as easy terms as it was possible to grant. The Bill contained the necessary safeguards for protecting the interests of members of purchasing associations., and .also' those of vendors of land. Owing to the publicity provided for, there was little possibility of excessive prices being given for land bought under this measur®. Sir Joseph Ward was still speaking at midnight. (Left sitting.)