PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 228, 24 September 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Dγ Wallis's Bill, providing for triennial Parliaments has been rejected on a division by 24 to 18. The members of the Government who were present voted with the ayes. . A Bill empowering the Lyttelton Harbor Board to borrow an additional £100,000 was read a second time in the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening. On Thursday.the House was in committee on the. Electoral Bill. One iof the clauses proposes to alter the mode of nomination at present practised, and to substitute nomination papers signed by electors for the usual proceedings at the hustings. Mr Saunders moved an amendment, proposing to retain the present system of public nominations, but his amendment was negatived. On clause 126, which provides that the public-houses in the neighborhood of polling places shall be closed on the election days, a long and animated discussion ensued. We clip the following from the special telegraphic report of the Press: — "On clause 126 -of the Electoral Bill, requiring that public-houses shall be closed on election days, Mr Banff protested against an attempt to make men sober by Act ofParliament "The- Attorney-General said that hi countries where public-houses were closed' on election days the difference was most marked. What harm could be done by closing the houses oh an average once in three years ? The public-houses . were closed on Sundays. "[Several hon. members—'No; kept open. , ] Well then they weie open illegally, and to say that was casting a slur on the publicans, and they had no right to assume that they were noc a respectable body. By closing publichouses on election days they would elevate politics. " Mr Moss thought if public-houses were open on Sundays, they ought to keep churches open. They could not compel public-houses to be closed. [Mr Barff — ' Side doors.'] The sense of manliness of the people would revolt at the idea of being treated like children who could not be trusted. He had seen elections where public-houses were open, and everj T thing , was most orderly. He Avould move.that the clause be struck out. " Mr Gisbome did not think the closing of public-houses on election days would lead to sobriety. There would be only more drinking in private houses. "Mr Murray said if the people were worthy to exercise the franchise, they ought at least to "be able to abstain for one day. He.would suggest an amendment' allowing the bouses to -remain open, but prohibiting the sale of spirituous and fermented liquors. "MrPyke hoped the Attorney-General would withdraw the clause, and Hot allow his illustrious name to be handed down in connection with tyranny.. [Mr Stout--;'I , I will.'] He was sorry to hear it. Such a ! clause was a mere premium to hypocrisy. The Attorney-General professed high respect for the publicans. "The result would be that people would go in at the, side and back doo v rs, and would all become lodgers. The Attorney-General .had no*:* respect for the public, Did he mean to say they all got drunk at elections. [■•''* ]\ . " Mr Stout—They get drunk both before r and after election.. [Great laughter, and cries of ' Question,'] ■ - " . "Mr Saunders had seen Presidential elections, and the order that reigned, when the were closed. He felt aure that if the people of America were; asked to return to the former state of things, when men voted half drunk, they would decline. " Mr Beeves said it was casting a slur on the whole people of New Zealand to pay . they got drunk.on election days. "Mr Murray moved that the clause be ' postponed. [Cries of ' No,' 'Question.'] He had known publicans use all possible influence in elections [An Hon. Member: ' And quite right to.'] The; clause should • be postponed until the members were sober and in their right minds.

" Mr Barff desired to know whether these words were Parliamentary. " Mr O'R©rke~l presume he merely used them in a Scriptural sense. "Mr Murray — Yes, in "a Scriptaral sense. " Mr Rowe—He wants all to wear white ■waistcoats. (This referred to Mr Murray's get up for the Governor's ball). "Mr Turnbull said it would be absurd to stop business on election days. "Mrßarff said it would be a hard thing for the Attorney-General and teetotallers if the public-houses were closed, because they would not be able to get a glass of lemonade on election day. "Mr Swanson said it would be impossible to close the houses in Auckland on election days in the County of Eden. The Toters would only have to go a short distance from one district to another, " Sir B. Douglas eaid many persons rode in to vote, and if the houses were closed, they would get nothing to eat. "Mr Eowe said the clause would not abate the evil. It could not prevent drinking. There would be rooms off committee rooms where liquor would be ob tamed. He denied the necessity). All attempts to improve men in this way would fail, and the law would be broken. " Dr. Hodgkinson suggested an alteration in the clause which would not prevent the public obtaining refreshment. " The Attorney-General consented to an , amendment by inserting the words ' by Tetail' after sale of fermented and spirituous liquors,' and this was agreed to. " The House divided on the question that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill. The result was—Ayes, 22 ; Noes, 31; and the clause was struck out." On Friday the report of the Committee on the Akaroa Eailway Bill was brought up. The report stated that the estimates for the tunnel were £130,000 too low, and recommended that the operations of the Bill should be confined to the line from Lincoln to Little Biver. In clause 142 of the Electoral Bill, an amendment was made by which the numbers placed on the ballot papers can he sealed over so as not to be open to inspection except by breaking a seal. The annual " slaughter of the innocents " is about commencing, a sure sign that the Session is near its termination. A deputation of Ministerial supporters waited upon the Premier on Friday to ascertain what measures the Government would consent to dispense with, in order to bring the Session to a close as speedily as possible. We are not surprised to learn that a wide diversity of opinion prevailed among the deputation. A general desire appeared to be expressed that the Joint Stock Companies Bill should be abandoned for this Session. This is one of the small instalments of direct taxation introduced by this Government, and we hope they will stand firm, and decline to abandon this measure. The whole of the financial proposals have been amply discussed, and it .only remains for the house now to s&y aye or no to them. Better to have the battle fought out now- than postponed sine die. If the Government are defeated, a dissolution must ensue, and we fanoy the will serve to retain the wavering allegiance of many who might be disinclined to swallow the proposals themselves, but would look upon them as a lesser evil than the loss to the country involved in their involuntary retirement from its service.