PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 976, 22 June 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Thursday, Tune 21. 1 ADDRESS IN REPLY. I The only business was the adjourned I debate on the address. I The Hon Mr Holmes congratulated the colony on got'ing such an excellent Go-I vernor. Ho denied that the whole colony I was prosperous ; the North Island, parti- I cularly Auckland, was so : but the South I Island, especially Otago, was much de- I pressed. He highly eulogised the pro- J posal with regard to the New Hebrides I and other islands. He also highly com- 1 mended Mr Bryce’s actions in native I affairs. He believed that in a short time I the perpetual leasing system will super-J Bede all other modes of dealing with the j land when it became better known. This I was show., by the great competition for I education reserve leases in the South. He was in favor of electing the Council with large electorates or under Hare’s system. The Hon Colonel Brett said he would oppose any change in the constitution of the Council as long as he had breath in his body. The Hon Mr Wilson was in favor of electing the Council. The Hon Mr Hart considered any change would be greatly for the worse. The Address was then agreed to, and the Council rose at 3.30.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, June 21. j Th# House met at 2.30 p.m. I LEAVE OF ABSENCE. I Leave of absence for a week was granted I to Mr Dargavillo, on urgent private affairs. ANNEXATION IN THE PACIFIC. The Hon Major Atkinson gave notice that he would move on the 26th inst.— “That this House approved of the steps taken by the Government in conjunction with others in the Australian Colonies to promote the establishment of British rule in certain islands of the Pacific ; that this House undertakes for its part to give effect to any assurance that may be required by the Imperial Government that this colony will, in common with the ] other colonies of Australasia, bear a fair share of the necessary expense. ” QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Steward, the Colonial Treasurer said that the Government did not intend to amend the law under the Rating Act in the case of forms and partnerships, witn the view of enabling each of the partners when the property is of sufficient value to be enrolled as burgesses. — Replying to Mr Johnston, the Colonial Secretary said the want of funds and other cauees prevented the Government giving any assurance that a new Government printing office would be built this year.—[The House adj ”'d at 3 p.m. to present the Address 1 .i - t /ly. On resuming at 3.30 the Speaker read the usual formal reply from the Governor.] — Replying to Mr Holmes, the Minister of Justice said that the Christchurch Resident Magistrate had only been absent two days from his duties since March, and these through illness, and during that time the work was performed by the resi--1 dent J.P.’s—Replying to Mr Watt, the , Colonial Treasurer said it was in- , tended to ask Parliament to vote a sum for the purpose of paying the municipal and other corporate bodies the rates on Crown and native lands for the year ending Slat March last, and a Bill to amend the Act so as to enable the various cor- | porate a bodies to receive the said rates when due, would be introduced.—Reply- - ing ’to SMr Levestam, the Minister of Public Works said he did not know what saving was effected by the HinemOa making two trips to Auckland to bring down the Northern members, but he knew that : the second trip was a great convenience to Auckland members, as it enabled them : to remain for a few days longer at their , business. —Replying to Mr Daniel, the Minister of Public Works said there was no need for any Bill for the purpose of compelling Government contractors and sub-contractors to pay their workmen . in cash at the end of each fourteen days, as a clause to that effect was inserted in aU 1 Government contracts. In order that the men might more fully understand their rights in the matter, the clause 1 would be notified in the public Press. A penalty of LSO was to be imposed for every violation of such a mode of payment.— Replying to Mr J. B. Whyte, the Minister of Public Works said the complaints against the management of the Auckland Railway were well founded. ! They arose mainly from a deficiency cf rolling stock, That deficiency would shortly be obviated, and by that means he hoped to be able to remove these complaints.—Replying to Mr J. B. Whyte, the Minister fob Lands said that provision would be made for endowing with lands within their boundaries town districts and boroughs incorporated since the Act of 1878.—Replying to Mr Moss, the Minister of Public Works said L 12,000 would bo required for laying down an additional line of rails between Newmarket and Penrose on the Auckland Railway—a sum which the traffic would not warrant.—Replying to Mr Barron, the Colonial Secretary said the Government bad no knowledge of dishonest bakers and others being permitted to defraud the public by selling bread of false weight through the carelessness of the police or through defect of. the law. Inquiries into the point would be made, and if the law proved defective it would be amended as desired. —Replying to Mr O’Oallaghan, the Colonial Secretary said it was not intended to bring in an Act making the Contagious Diseases Act compulsory in the larger towns. It was in force in Canterbury and Auckland. The district in Canterbury extended a great deal beyond the City of Christchurch. The expense to the colony of working it there was very slight.—Replying to Mr Holmes, the Minister of Public Works said that the “ booking off’’ of railway employes involved very little loss of time, and it was optional on their part if they liked to do a week’s work of sixty hours, or if they worked more overtime was paid. The Locomotive Superintendent, during the grain or busy seasons, was empowered to make firemen engine drivers, and after the emergency was served to reduce them back again to their former trade and pay. With that exception he had no power to advance or reduce such employees.—Replying to Mr Feldwiok, the Colonial Secretary said forms of petitions to both Houses of the Legislature would be provided at once for public convenience at the various post offices throughout the colony. bills. The following Bills were introduced and read fa first time Contempt of Oour* (Mr Tole); Sale of Goods by Retail (Mr Bathgate); To Amend the Election Peti- 1 tions Act, 1880 (Mr lyess); To Exempt ' Charitable Agents from the Payment of 1 Duty (Sir G. Grey). 1 caversham baths bill. < Mr Barron asked leave to introduce I the Caversham Baths Bill. I The Hon. Mr Rollbston asked that the < application should be adjourned. In reply i to a question from Mr Fish a few days < ago he had promised that steps would be | taken with the view of getting the sand- t hills contiguous to these proposed baths 1 placed under the control of a responsible c body. He proposed to consult the various s bodies interested, apd as soon as he had t done so he would confer with the mover 'I and other members interested. _ 1 Messrs Maoandbbw and Barron said c

that the Bill had quits a different object from the conservation of the sandhills. What was aimed at in the Baths Bill was to make such arrangements as would prevent bathers, as had been the case lately, from being washed away. Facilities for insuring safe bathing at a small charge was urgently required. The Hon. Mr Rolleston’s proposal was agreed to, and the introduction of the Bill delayed. BOAT LOWERING. Mr Daniel moved—“ That with a view to greater safety of life as sea it is expedient that legal provision should be made whereby in case of emergency boats may be lowered with greater celerity than can possibly be the case on board ship when the crew is not regularly exercised in the operation of boat lowering, and that the Government be requested to take the necessary action in the The Hon. Mr Conolly said the fault was not in the law, but in the fact that the persons interested were not made to obey the law. That fact did not lessen the risk, and it was necessary that harbormasters should be compelled to see that the regulations were carefully carried out.

Mr Maoanbhew said that it was evident to the most casual observer that the ships’ boats, as a rule, were in such a state as to be incapable of being lowered with any degree of despatch in emergency. Mr Montgomery concurred, and asked the Government to say that the attention of harbor authorities would be directed to the matter, and that they would see that existing regulations were carried into effect.

Mr Joyce said that the object of the motion was to make provision for practice in the work of lowering boats at sea in emergency. He apprehended that there was no provision for that, and that legislation would be needed..

Mr Hutchison said that the subject of the smaller class of steamers trading on this coast, had been inquired into by a Select Committee, and the result went to ahow that, as a rule, these vessels were grossly undermanned, (and that the men employed ware too’overworked, that there was positive danger to the safety of the e vessels and their passengers. The motion was slightly amended and passed. fiord county. Mr Daniel moved that there be laid before this House full report of Mr flay, District Surveyor of Wallace County, regarding his expedition in the Fiord County, and that it be printed. Agreed to by the Government and adopted, EIGHT HOURS BILL. Mr M. W. Green moved the second reading of the Eight Hours Bill. Motion put and carried. LIEN BILL. Mr Fbldwick moved the second reading of the Workmen’s Lien Bill. Mr Bathgate supported the Bill. The hardship of the Act of 1871 was that the plaintiff had to get judgment before he could enforce his lien. The result was that when a contractor absconded, as was very often the case, it was impossible to serve the summons, consequently no judgment could be got. This Act provided against such a difficulty. It provided that on the contractor getting notice from the workmen that operated as an arrest of all moneys in his hands belonging to the debtor until the debt had been satisfied. It was in fact what was done in the law of Scotland.

Mr Wynn-Williams pointed out that clause 5 would have the effect of tying up moneys in the hands of the contractor, and in the case of the contractor becoming bankrupt it would be difficult to get the money paid over. He suggested that the second reading should be delayed for further consideration. Motion carried. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL.

Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Law Practitioners Bill. Its object was to get rid of the examination clause in general knowledge p ovided for under the Act of last session. The Hon Mr Conolly said that the Bill of last session met an important part of the views so well known to be entertained by {Sir George Grey on this subject, and he ought to be satisfied. The qualification of general knowledge was of great importance, not only to the practitioners but likewise to the general public. Again it was proposed that under this Act the fees for admission should be reduced to L 3 3s, a sum much below that charged those who had passed under the general knowledge clause. The admission fee went for the law library purposes, and it was most important that these libraries should be well maintained, ans at present the funds at their disposal were felt to be quite email enough. The power of appointment of any person as advocate in a case would practically supersede everything in the shape of a Law Practitioners Act, and enable every man to commence the practice of law the same as he would open a retail shop. The House adjourned at 5.30.

EVENING SITTING,

The House resume! at 7.30, The debate on the second reading of the Law,Practitioners Act Bill was continued. Mr Bathgate said he could see a great deal in the Bill in favor of its passage. A legal and judicial turn of mind was a natural endowment, and could not be acquired by any standard of training. Training in a lawyer’s office might enable one to acquire the quibbles of law, but that, he apprehended, would not be accounted a public boon. The Bill would tend to a | wider study in law, and in time it would not improbably become a part of the scholasio study of youth. The legal advocate provided for by the 3rd section of the Bill was nothing new. Under section 30 of the R. M. Act any party not being a solicitor or barrister was empowered to appear under written authority of the litigant. Again, the Land Transfer Act enabled any man to conduct a most important branch of the profession. He asked the Minister of Justice to rise superior to provincial prejudices and prove himself to be a man of breadth of view and liberality. Mr Holmes objected to the Bill. It should be termed one to discourage the study of the law. In reference to the 30th section of the R.M. Act, he said that it only allowed non-professional men to appear for their principal in civil and not criminal cases.

Mr Pkaoock objected altogether to the principle of the Bill. Mr Dunoan spoke in support of it. Sir George Grey replied. He was sorry to find that this Bill, passed in a previous session with acclamation, was now to bo opposed. He had been told

that bo should be content with the concessions given hi n last session. So long as any bar existed he would agitate for its removal. He had been told that the exa

ruination was merely formal. Why, then, keep it at all. He would stake his existence that it was stringent enough to prevent the Minister himself passing it. He knew men who could not pass that examination who were better fitted to serve

their fellow men than he was. Why, then, shut out these from careers of usefulness. Was the lack of a few sentences of the Latin language to shut out their fellow men from such careers. Mr Peacock had told them if they could solve a problem in algebra, what guarantee 1 ad they that he was fitted to solve the mightier problems of the law. If he could not solve such problems wh<t guarantee was there that he was fitted to sit there and legislate and make these laws. The whole thing was sheer nonsense. The lowness of the admission fee had also been objected to. Were they to exclude a man

becauaejhe was pooflTThat was a most I monstrous doctrine. 1 The ancient Homans —the' greatest lawyers in th 6 world — | neves studied tne ancient tongue from which their language was derived Their great excellency consisted in their exclusive attention to their own language, and .loot that of any foreign tongue. He held that in a new country like this there should -bo-no close, profession, but ■ that' every avenue should be open to every ! member of the cornmniiity. This attempt [ to set up the genet al knowledge qualifies.;, tion was a sham, and all such' shams should be swept away. The motion for the second reading was I put and carried on the voices. I The House rose at 8 30.