THE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 3

THE COUNCIL.

COMPANIES AMENDMENT ACT. When the Legislative. Counoil met "at 2.30 p.m. .' . The Hon. Dr. FINDLAY moved for leave- to introduco tho Companies Amendment Act, which was. read a first time.. The second-reading'of the Bill was.set down for Wednesday next. PHOSPHORUS MATCHES ACT. The Phosphorus Matches Act was received from the House, of. Representatives, and was read a first.time. The second reading was set down for Wednesday next. '' : CRIMES AMENDMENT BILL. The debate on the Crimes Amendment Hill was continued by . The Hon. 0. SAMUEL (Taranaki) who gave a general;support to the 8i11..| The had in view one of the uoblesl objects it was. possible to ho arrived at by one in a position to direct legislation of this description, and he would do Ills best to assist in passing a measure which would, carry out tho great and noble objects tho Bill had 111 view, so fur as those objects could be safely curried into effect. A measure of the kind was essential. He was of opinion. Unit a startling' alteration of the existing law was -proposed in the clause which, empowered judges ' au'd'i magistrates to sentence prisoners for poriods 'of reformative detention, and judges and magistrates were liable to. err like;other men, aiid all periods/for winch prisoners' , were punished should be investigated in./the light of day.;, He could not, see how they were to determine in a case of first-. offuntlers, for mstauee, whether it would be advisable for the reformation of a prisoner that he should be subject to detention for another period in addition to his sentence. More opportunity should'bo. given prisoners to demonstrate that. reformative treatment- was not. necessary in their case.' ,A' grave, injustice might bo inflicted without such a safeguard. -.--.. ' . ; Dr. Fiiidlay; The same lan , has been' tried in Victoria for some' years.

Continuing, Mr. Samuel said that unless the difficulties, he foresaw could Uβ overcome the law would lie brought into contempt, the whole system would be endangered 1 , '.uul we would be.liable to revert to a' worse -state of things. Tho Hon. , Mr. Carncross had pointed out that there was m> limit ol agi under the Bill, but bo (the' speaker) did not think this, was material.: The Prison Board had been commented on. by' the Hon. Mr. M'Gowan, but the proposed .board was not at all on the same basis as the Kailway .Commissioners. . It was not possible for a ilih-. ister' of. the Crown to perform ■ tho 'luties without . the assistance of a 'joard or persons' who could investigate and advise. ■ The Minister should have the /assistance of men .who .would devote the whole of their time to the work. These men should be properly fitted for the work, and need not necessarily, in his opinion. • be/Selected from the Civil Service. He did not believo tho workers would grudge the sacriheo entailed in teaching the prisoners skilled trades. He knew too well the noble impulses of the worker. ' , The Hon. \V. BEEHAN' (Auckland) considered tho old system was obsolete and had become so principally because of the want of classification. In reply to a question, by the Attorney-General, Mr. Beehan said ■ the . Pakatoa Home was doing good work, but the- place was too small and some people took objection to_ the home on account of its semi-religious aspect. 1 The Hon. Mr. Jenkinson: Do they carry on wrong practices? The Hon.- Mr. Bee'han: Tho hon. gentleman will have an opportunity of making his own speech.later. '. Reverting to his subject Mr. Beehan thought the Government should establish its .own inebriates' homes. There were plenty of places available such as Pakatoa, . The' Attorney-General interjected that tho Army did not obt-rudo religion. . The Hon. Mr. Bee'han: No, they don't, but you can't get it out of the people's, mind. Tho Hon. Mr. Jenkinson: Tho Govornment could not do better than tho. Army: Mr. Beehan thought the best intellect in this shape of warders and gaolers should-be obtained and urged that prisoners conld.be taught trades such as plumbjng and carpentering. Young people might also be taught by the warders up to a.certain standard,. The Government, he thought, might help to. find employment for the prisoners as they came out. He-did not think that consumptives or prisoners suffering from contagious disease should , be allowed to bo with other prisoners. Dr. Findlay: Wo keep them apart as far as possible. The Hon: J. BAKR (Canterbury) said it spoko highly for the Government when it was found thinking away from the old beaten track as was done • in this Bill. Once the Government took I tho stand of curing, the disease they would go on and try to got to the cause. , Idkmess and'lad; of employment would have to bo looked to when an attempt was being made to find a euro for crime. ■ Objection had been taken to .-teaching the prisoners trades but he thought trades must be taught. There was uo get-awuy from t-hie. It'

had been said that tho trades unions would object to this, but ihey would not. . " ■ Tho debate was, adjourned at 5.10 p.m. on tke motion of the Hon. J. B. Callan.