PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 946, 13 October 1910, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

THE COUNCIL. OAMARU HARBOUR BOARD ; ENABLING BILL. The Legislative Council met at 8 o'clock yesterday ovening, when. the eecond reading of the Oamaru : Harbour Board Enabling Bill was moved by the Hon. Geo. Jones (Otago), who explained the objects of the Bill at some length. Under this legislation, said Mr. Jones, a cause of deep regret and obloquy would be removed, aiid the hopes of the board and the community would be revived. He viewed with satisfaction tho generous and sympathetic references made in the House of ■ Representatives to the Oamaru Harbour Board's action in the position in. which it had been placed. The Bill was read a second time, and was referred to the Committee of Selection. : '..... ■'■'■■;■; HAWKE'S BAY RIVERS. ' Speaking in reference to the Hawke's. Bay Rivers Bill, ••■'' .: The ATTOBNEY-GENEEAL remarked that instructions had been, given to have 50 copies of the Bill printed that day, .and had it not been a partial holiday at the Government Printing Office the Bill would have been-'circulated. However, the Bill would be available on Thursday, and it was suggested that copies should, be submitted to local bodies-who. Kadi jurisdiction in respect to lands coming within the scope of the Bill. This, said Dγ:- Kndlay, was a Bill in which, it was anticipated/there- would be. agree-, ment, and obviously if not there would be great difficulty,in passing it this session. ■;■''■;■■ ,'..--:- , " '" '■-■■•'- '. .' .;. •' ' ;:; .!:; CRIMES AMENDMENT. -: ;' lA message was received from the, House, of Representatives covering . the Crimes.Amendment Bill '.'.with- amendments.' On Uio : motion '.of the Attorney-General'! con- ! sideration - of ; the. amendment!! was i set down for.to-day. ■•":;■■.■, '",','■',■ ,■;■:' '. ■ -." -/ v FIRST READINGS.- ~ ■ ':"<; '-■ The Animals*' Protection Amendment Bill, 1 Native Townships Bill,-and . Stona Quarries .Bill were: received from the . House of Eepresentatives, and were read a first time. The .second reading of the. two .first-mentioned: Bills was_set for to-day, , and the secondi reaaing of the Stone.Quarries Bill was made. an. order of, the day'for Friday. ;,..;.: ' '/ ■v; DEFENCE AMENDMENT/ ;V .The second reading of. the .'Defence Amendment Bill was,moved by - .' : :.The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, who - - , explained in detail -the ,main ■ provisions of the Billj which, he, said,, was an; attempt to give expression to 'the , recommendations of Lord Kitchener. 1 ' The niost difficult point' was the selection of the territorial force, but.if.the proposal was worked witli discretion -and : fairness there not, ; he; thought, l be;any difficulty.' The main: purpose would,--'be;-to';-get the best men'so.far as that.could be done without '.'Hardship' on,anyj family::or; any inconvenience to. tho public- at- large; .The, Bill was:no doubt»a further extensirin of the sphere of compulsory training, and had it not been stated in this Conncilonly a few' days, ago'; that the man. wlio was iiot: prepared to. fight in defence, of. hjs country did-not. deserve, to-have this, county to live,in?.,'lf not protect ourselves against a foreign foe what,;he asked,..would be !the!use-of 'our, beneficent; legislation and all onr : ideals in tlie;:eveiit of attack.: If we :did % not train our peoplo to.moot a'foe we"might ,6ome day find ourselves, under' tho heel of an invadei , ;. Our .first, duty wasib-see that we; were' defended against 'a foreign invasion.•■ This Bill' would 'place:us beyond any; serious risk of being 'crushed .by .an. invader. ■ . ■ The Hon.-CAPTAIN; BAILLIE' (Marlborough) expressediSome, doubt as to, whether : tho ~periods, -"of .-.'.'training _ were long. enough to be thoroughly effective. .; . , The•' Hon. J, T.^PAUL ; (Otago)■ spoke' a.-word of warning .in regai-d to the need for guarding ogainstthe predominance of the military j spirit.■'' It would-. be: a bad thing-if .'we ever, .-tie ..milita.ry. spirit: to' dominate tne political. side of ■the,: defence, of this ' country. /Generally, speaking,- the ,BiU" : - was ;6ne worthy ; of ; support;. Ono of the .greatest exceptions that-'-, could be; taken to'the Bill was rnregard to exemptions.. 'Immediately .the exemption ■of classes: or individuals'. ;was 'undertaken immediately 'was dissatisfactioa created. ..'!■ In. his:opinion,''a; longer trial should: ■havo.been:,giyen to.the -Act of ■'-last- session..: He agreed that, proper steps 'must be .talceii': for (the defence of .the.-country,; but., the,'time : niust "come when , every" man must "condemn, standing armies and. the .spirit,of militarism.,. He trusted that the Government would see tnat .the uniforms, -small arras,.etc.,: incidental to the scheme, would be made-in ;New: : Zea,la-rid as. Kas Being done "in,; the: Commonwealth. ( ' '..-.. : , ,'. .-..■ . , V. ; '."■■ ; 'The: debate ..was' adjourned, and 'the Council rose at.9.30.!p.m. '".'■ '..'