PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 999, 19 July 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, July 18. The House met at 2.30. GUARDIANS AND EXECUTORS. On the motion of Mr Bathgate, the Guardian, Trust and Executors Companies Bill was read a second time. NATIVE LANDS. Sir George Grey gave notice that he would introduce a Bill to amend the Native Land Act. questions.

Replying to questions, Ministers said: That the Government would consider the propriety of introducing a Bill to give effect to a resolution passed at the Christchurch District Board of Health on the 7th June last.—That the Government would not this session introduce a Bill dealing with Sunday trading. In all probability it would be dealt with in the consolidation of statutes when time allowed. That the question ot overtime payable to engine drivers was left to be adjusted by the Traffic Manager, and he knowof no reason for changing theesisting arrangements. —That a penny postage system would entail a loss of L 20,000, and the Government coaid not face such a loss at present. —That the Government intended to introduce a Bill to consolidate the law relating to river conservation. BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—Mount Ida Water-race Trust, 1878, Amendment (Mr De Lautour); Invercargill Reserves Exchange Bill (Mr Feldwick); to amend the Sheep Act, 1878 (Mr Pearson). THE PARLIAMENTARY BUILDINGS. On Mr Turnbull’s motion, a return was ordered ot the amount expended on the Parliament Bui dings in Wellington up to date, and the expenses of lighting the Buildings by electricity. NEW ZEALAND FLAX. Mr 0. J. Johnston to move—‘‘That a Select Committee ba appointed for the purpose of enquiring whether prison labor can, with advantage to the State, be employed in the manufacture of New Zealand flax for export, to report in one month, with power to call persons and papers. Ttie Committee to consist of the Hon Mr Conolly, Messrs Kelly, Swanson, Hurathouse, Laveatarn, I. Wilson, J. G. Wilson, and the mover ; three to form a quorum.”—Agreed to. THE EDUCATION QUESTION. Mr Pike moved—“ That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and enquire into and report upon any petitions presented to this House alleging grievances resulting from the existing system of education, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report within one month; such Committee to consist of the

Hon Mr Dick, Messrs Barron, J. Buchanan, DeLautour, Feldwick, Moll wraith, Munro, Turnbull, J. G, Wilson, and the mover; three to forma quorum.”—Agreed to. hospitals. Mr Sutton moved—“ That it is necessary that permanent provision be made for the erection and maintenance of hospitals, and that provision be made for the. election of local Beards of Governors, who shall have the entire control of the hospitals and hospital buildings, and shall be empowered to invest any funds which may be placed at their disposal for the benefit of a local trust; that the Board shall be entirely independent of Government control except as regards medical inspection ; that the necessary funds for either building or maintenance be provided locally; that the Government be requested to bring in a Bill this session in accordance herewith.” Hawke’s Bay wa? quite willing to accept this responsibility if other places did the same. Mr Fish heartily agreed with that portion of the motion referring to local control, but he could not agree that all the cost of erection and maintenance should be raised locally. Mr Barron moved as an amendment — “ That the latter part of the motion after the word ‘ hospitals’ should read ‘ and that 1,000,000 acres of land be set aside as an endowment for the maintenance of these institutions in conformity with a Bill introduced during the session of 1880 by Mr Stevens.’ ” A long d scussion followed, the debate being interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7-30. elections amendment bill. Mr Ivbss moved the second reading of the Election Petitions Act, 1880, Amendment Bill. He spoke of the great hardships which had been entailed on candidates for election through the blundering of the Returning Officers. What the Bill aimed as was to render the Government liable for such blunders. The Bill farther provided that one Judge might hear and grant in Chambers an application for withdrawal of a petition instead of, as under the existing law, before two Judges in open court. By that means considerable expense would be saved. The recovery of costs only after a period of six months was also provided for under the existing law. This Bill provided for those costs being recoverable in the ordinary course of law. Mr Smith thought the Bill should go a step further, and enable the Government to proceed against the Returning Officer if he was worth powder and shot. Mr Sutton supported the Bill. The Hon Mr Dice said the Bill was worthy of the fair consideration of every member of the House. No 4 being a money clause, the Government ought to be consulted about it. The re d question was whether Government should pay for the laches of its officers.

Mr Harris argue I that if the Government were not prepared to face a responsibility of this kind, there was no security to candidates that the election would be entrusted to proper hands.

Mr Sheehan said that the excuse given by the Hon Mr Dick about having to employ non-efficient men was no excuse at all. As the law now stood, black mailing could be carried on to a very large extent, and, as a matter of fact, that was the case at the last election. The Government had behaved well in this matter, and they would do well to accept this responsibility. The Bill was read a second time. the c institution act.

Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Constitution Amendment Act Repeal Bill. He said that a long debate took place when the Bill was introduced. He would therefore confine his remarks to moving the motion. The Hon Major Atkinson said what they were asked to do was to repeal an Act of the Imperial Parliament, which ho contended they had no power to do. Then ho contended that the effect of this Bill would be to shear this Parliament of certain of its privileges. Some better reason should be given than they had heard for this measure. Colonel Trimble moved—“ That the

Bill be re id hat day sis months.” They had not had sufficient explanation of the purpose of the Bill on the previous occasion to justify tho course adopted by th# mover.

Mr Shephard opposed the Bill as bain' repugnant to the Acts of the Imperial Legislature. Sir G. Grey, speaking to the amendment, said if a repugnant measure was passed by the Imperial Government, was all our recourse cut ofFI What he aimed at was to get their rights and powers as a colony fixed upon some sura foundation. If the British Parliament passed a law lor the colony which woald work well, then they could pass another law to preserve the peace, order, and good government of the colony, and transmit that law Home for approval. What he aimed at was a course of joint legislation with the Legislature at Home, instead of allowing the latter to frame laws calculated to drive the colonies into revolt. He had no desire to waste their time. What he aimed at was to arouse members to a sense of the greatness of tois Legislature. The Hon Major Atkinson said the issue was not as raised by Sir George Grey. What was proposed would not assist the colony. It was true that they had power to do ah that was necessary for the peace, order, and good government of the colony. That was provided for by section 53 of the Constitution Act, but than followed this important proviso which Sir George Grey had overlooked—“ Provided always that nothing shall be done that is repugnant to the law of England.” The Imperial Act of 1865 defined any Act repugnant to be an Act passed against any law made by tho Imperial Parliament specially applicable to the colony. The Act sought to be repealed therefore could not be interfered with, as it was clearly a law of the Imperial Parliament made specially applicable to the colony. In face of these facts it was simply useless for them to go on with this 8.11, Mr Tole moved the adjournment of the debate.

Sir G. Grey said that what was meant by “ repugnant to the laws of England ” were such well known laws as the laws of slavery or torture. Mr Moss spoke in favor of the Bill. The lion. Mr Oonolly said that they had been told by Sir G. Grey that the Constitution Act was framed on wrong advice, and without due consideration on the part of the Imperial Parliament. Now, as a matter of fact, that Act was passed on a direct resolution of this tiouse passed in the year 185 G. The word “ repugnant” had been decided by the Courts of Law. Seeing that they could not pass this Bill, he hoped they would pause before they made the colony a laughing stock. If such a Bill were to go Home, they would simply say the sooner representative institutions were taken from such a class of men the better.

The motion for the adjournment of the debate was lost on the voices. Tha House divided on the motion that the Bill be now read a second time.— Ayes, 26 ; noes, 49. The Bill was ordered to be read that day six months. VACCINATION BILL. Mr Dodson moved the second reading of the Compulsory Vaccination Abolition Bill. He said that if vaccination was of any avail—and he was far from saying it was not —tha compulsory clause of the Act rendered it impossible to exercise that care which was absolutely necessary

in administering it. If there was good in vaccination the parents would do it. In England there was a growing opinion that vaccination was not a preventative to smallpox, and the same in other European countries. He quoted from the Regis-trar-General's report, te show that an opinion was gaining ground that vaccination conduced to smallpox, and from statistics he showed that despite vaccination the percentage of fatal cases of disease did not decrease. There is no such thing as pure lymph. After a long discussion, nearly every speech being against the Bill, Messrs M. W. Green, Pyke, and Postlethwaite being the only speakers in favor of it, the House divided —Ayes, 8 ; noes, 43. TRUST BOARDS. Mr Dargaville moved the second reading of the Religious, Charitable, and Education Trusts Boards Incorporation Bill. After some debate the Bill was read a second time. The House rose at 12.40.