ANTI-GAMBLING BILL CRITICISED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 47, 19 November 1907, Page 6

ANTI-GAMBLING BILL CRITICISED.

PUBLIC SERYICE SUPERANNUATION.

LOCAL BILLS. DIVORCE/BILL IN THE COUNCIL. ' The Legislative Council ■ began work at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, and did not finish' 1 pntil after 10 at night. The Hon. J. R. ■Sinclair elicited ' from tho AttOrney-Goncral a statemc-int foreshadowing of the . libel' law.Tho High Commissioner's Office swas criticised by the Hon. T K. Macdonald »nd defended by tho Attornoy-General. The. ipublic Service Classification Bill' was put' through committee and ■ final stages, after ■Ctho Attorney-General had- stated the GoTorntmeht'B intention to place the salaries of tho iClerk and Clork-Assistant on a level 'witn AhosO of tho Lower House. Mr.-Laurenson's . .addition to tho Divorco Bill was only adopted jafter severe revision and a good l deal of 'disjeassion. The Bill reacted > its final stages, ,*and was passed. Tho Chinese Immigrants {Bill and' some measnres of less interest wero ■ {also - put through all their stage?. fi Meeting at 10 a.m. tlie Houso of RepreItentatiyei settled-iown to a morning's work Uof seventeen: local .Bills., At 1 o'clock, when" • ftho adjournment was taken, all qxcept four -feills were thningh ' the committee stages. ; fOf thei'fouE,-three'yet remain to be . dealt i .fjwjih ono morning this week.. When the Houso :iinet again at 2.30 o'clock, Bills that had ' Completed the committee stages were read J'"#, thiid. time. Among the. number was the I ..iHutt Park Bill. After this the Houss, passed jtd'! a , debatp, on ,tho report of the. Select j Connnifctee on the Gaming and Lotteries Act [Amendment JJill- Mr. Herries complained • jthat the.Bill Bad been put through the comjinittoo when ho and fellow-members wen; perforce . absent; and the Premier, i after -listemng' to theso. and other remarks, de--"blared ho would refer it to the committee again. After following the debato, - however, lie altered his intention, and withdrew the intendment. -Some feeling was introduced jnto tho arguments on both sides, and the imatter of the sentences imposed on. the, bookimakers by a Christchnrch magistrate was :also introduced and criticised. A breach ol •privilege/raised by Mr, A. L. D. Fraser -regarding the publication of the report of the /Select Committee in various newspapers had .pa short shrift. The Premier twice announced ihis, intention of having the.Bill put through [this, session. Finally,: the report was laid m jthe table. 1 In the evening three or four Measures were advanced stages, the'mort •important being the Public Service Superannuation Bill. Tho Premier announced that the Manawatu Railway employees,, on the 'taking over of the,, line, would be able to come under the scheme on a ( payment by the company of £5000. This, it is understood, : '.will bo paid.' The Bill finally was read p. .-third, time.' ...