GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14839, 3 December 1913, Page 11

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(ABRIDGE) PBESS -ASSOCIATION EEPOET.)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TcESDAY, December 2

EVENING SITTING. The House met at 7.30 p.m. COUNTIES' BILL. The House went into committee on the Counties Act Amendment BUI. In conr.esiou with the proposal giving County CountiJs power to erect, workmen's "homes, it was agreed i on_tne suction cf the PRIME M^ to extend the area on which tntM» houses could be l.uilt to five acres or tirst-elass land, ten acres of secondclass, and twenty acres of third-class land. Mr ELL suggested that some consideration should be given to workers m the shape of a rebate, as in the \VorKmen's Homes Act. for prompt payment of instalments, but the Minister pointed out that this could not bo done, as counties might not bo able to borrow money on terms sufficiently advantageous to enable this to oe done. The suggestion was therefore not pressed. POLICE OFFENCES BILL. The Police Otiences Act Amendment Bill was taken in committee. The Hon. A. L. IIEIUXUAN explained that under the existing law in JSuu- Zealand a person coulu not bo imprisoned for inciting anotiier to crime, until that crime Had been committed, 'liie Bill siLso dealt with tlio intimidation of persons desiring to lollow thoir ordinary lawful avocations, and provided punishment for those"interfering with thorn. Air itlND,UAlfcSfl urged that there wa.s no need to go further than the English Act did. To do so under existing circumstances would appear vindictive. -Mr VEITCfI characterised the Bill as panic leg-station, and said it would not-have a healthy efiect on the puolic

mind. . , , Sir HEKJXMAN: It was introduced before the present industrial trouble ■was thought of. .Ur VEITCH: It was not introduced be'foro the Wailii trouble. Mr HERIXMAN: 1 am not saying that. .Mr VEITCH, continuing, eaid so long as the unionist was giveu tho right to indulge in peaceful picketing, he was not so much concerned, but at the same time, he thought Parliament would bo better employed in seeking out tho causes of the present industrial unrest and finding a solution for them. He advocated bringing the Bill into line with 'the English law. Mr Vcitch said there were two types of anarchists in tho country. The Bill dealt with only one, and ho hoped legislation would bo promoted to cope with tho other. * They should see, for instance, that tho Merchants' Association did not profit by tho present industrial unrest by putting prices up to famine rates. Ho was convinced that when the trouble came to an end they would all see that they had gone too far in legislating Tor fhdustrial troubles.

Mr HERDMAN said it could not bo argued that the Bill was tho outcome of the present striko,' because it was before the House two months ago, and was simply a re-enactment of the law of 1875. Regarding supposed anarchists alleged to bo wandering at large. He stated that if Mr Veitch could supply him with information regarding extortionate prices or breaches of tho Commercial Trusts' Act. he would do prepared to deal with them. It was a cardinal principle of our social life that all people should be permitted to go about their business unmolested.

Mr WILFORD dwe}t upon the dwindling away of the jury svstero. Ho contended that it was a tlifii f it matter to get a guilty man acquitted by a jury. They were all fair, and the judges wore fair in their summing up. He stated that the Crown at present was not prepared to send gaining case before a jury, and he wondered why. Mr VEITCB said in Wanganui the prices of necessities of, life were advanced 5 per cent, during the recent strike and without any justification. He submitted that Parliament should provide for peaceful picketing. Strikes were permitted in law, and they had to provide for them. On resuming after supper, the word "persistently" as applying to strikers following others about, was struck out by 31 votes to 18. ■* The MINISTER moved the following new clause:—"Any person who incites any other person to commit any offenco punishable by imprisonment, whether on summary conviction or ; on indictment shall be guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding twenty pounds oj by imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, .nor exceeding the maximum term of imprisonment to which a person who commits the firstmentioned offence is liable"

Mr RUSSELL so id it was necessary that the word "incite" should he clearly defined, because it must be understood whether they were narrowing the liberties of the people. There was a difference between a person inciting another person to commit murder, and a person making a hot-headed speech, say against the Defence Act. ..

Mr HERDMAN "said it was not intended to interfere with the reasonable rights of free speech. The clause only provided for the case of ono person urging another to commit a serious crime.

Mr HTNDMARSH asked the Minister to accept an amendment giving the right to a person accused under this clause to be tried by a jury. The MINISTER said he could not accept the amendment. Tho new clause was carried. JUDICATURE BILL. The House went into Committee on tho Judicature Act Amendment Bill.

Sir JOSEPH WARD said that when the Bill was introduced tho Minister made out an exceedingly poor case in favour of the appointment of additional judges. The Chief Justice and two other judges considered that only one extra judge was necessary, and yet in the face of the opinion of those who know best, the Minister was asking the country to bear the cost of a member of the Supreme Court Bench who was not necessary. He proposed to reduce the number from eight to seven. The Hon. A. L. HERDMAX said he would move to reduce the number from eight to seven, although he did so with some doubt as to the wisdom of the step. The work was increasing enormously, and ho thought that before long the extra judge would have to bo appointed.

Mr HERDMAN said he could not accept an amendment by Mr Buddo, providing for a retiring age of 70 years. He explained that judges did not *ro on to the bench until after a considerable number of years at the bar, and it would hardly be fair to act as suggested.

Tho Bill was read a third time and passed. FINAL STAGES. The Counties Act Amendment Bill and the Police Offences Act Amendment Bills were pat tlirough their final stages. QUICK "WORK. The Hon. W. FRASER moved the second reading of the Education Reserves Act Amendment Bill, which allowed trustees of high schools to borrow money at 5J per cent, and also allowed the Government to terminate pastoral leases for tho purposes of closer settlement. The second reading was agreed to The Hon. A. L. HERDMAN moved the second reading of the Distress and Replevin Act Amendment Bill, which provides for raising the exemption on furniture, etc., in cases of distress warrants, to £50. The Bill was read a second time. The PRIME MINISTER moved the

second reading of tbo Mutual Fire Insurance Act Amendment Bill, which provides far tho insuring of workmen against accident. • The Bill went through without discussion. These three Bills \rere then p«t through tho Committee stage and read a third time and passed. Tho House rose at 11.30 p.m.