The fifteenth Parliament opened on 20th September following, and sat until Christmas. Among the measures passed was a comprehensive Dairy Produce Act providing for the appointment of inspectors; the registration of premises, a fee being charged proportioned to the number of cows kept; for compulsory grading of butter for export; and for the general regulation of dairies. The Income Tax was continued, but gave relief to persons with small incomes, though on the whole it yielded more revenue. Owing to the exigencies of the Treasury, the Public Service Special Retrenchment Act was continued for a further period of nine months, but the rate of retrenchment was reduced by one-half, and provision was made for devoting any surplus revenue at the close of the year to the repayment to public servants of the amounts so deducted from their salaries, and in this way they received a return equal to 8s. in the pound.[a] A Registration of Clubs Act and fourteen other measures were also passed. An extraordinary session of twenty days was held in January, 1905, to reconsider the Elections Bill, rejected by the Legislative Council in December previously. This having been done, and the Council having agreed to the bill, Parliament was prorogued, and met for the regular session of the year in July following, the sittings being continued till the Christmas holidays. The ordinary session of 1905 was a busy one, though the measures generally were short and of a practical nature. A distinguishing feature of the work of this Parliament was the humanitarian and social legislation which was placed on the Statute-book. The interests of workers generally were conserved by the Workers' Compensation Act, which made injuries or fatal accidents met with by employees a charge upon the industry in which they were engaged. The comfort of a very large number of workers in the pastoral and sugar industries was provided for by the Shearers and Sugar Workers Accommodation Act. A most valuable piece of legislation was the Infant Life Protection Act, the object of which was to prevent the alarming sacrifice of infant life in nursing homes from neglect, all such homes having to be registered and made subject to Government inspection. An Act imposing a penalty of L10 upon any person selling or giving tobacco or cigars to a young person under the age of sixteen years was passed, as was also an Act forbidding the sale or supply of firearms to a young person under fourteen years, and also forbidding such young person to use or carry firearms, the penalty for a breach of the Act being L20. Another measure of interest, which was passed in response to the request of a large number of workers, was an Act providing for railway employees a Board of Appeal against disciplinary decisions of superior officers. A short Act became law giving the right to women to admission and practice as barristers, solicitors, or conveyancers. Quite a number of other small Acts was passed, among them being a