LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1537, 5 September 1912, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM.

THE BILL POSTPONED. HON. J. D. OWND'S AMENDMENT CARRIED CARRIAGE LAW: A CLOSE DIVISION. MEMBERS' QUESTIONS: MINISTERIAL REPLIES

Yesterday, in tho House of representatives, was devoted entirely to private business. Pirst came discussion of questions, and the Ministers' replies thereto. One topic of national interest spoken about was the waste of money on the erection of Parliament Buildings. In the evening tho member for Wairau (Mr. 11. M'Callum) moved the second reading of tho Marriage Validation Bill, to legalise marriages contracted illegally from 1006 until the present time, between persons of certain degrees of relationship not now allowed to marry under outlaws. The second reading was carried on the casting vote of Mr. Speaker, who was careful to explain that he voted for the second reading because he thougbt the Bill ought to become law. Next in order was the committal of Mr. Sidey's New Zealand Mean Time Bill, better known as the Daylight Saving Bill. The second reading of this Bill had been carried on the voices, Mr. Sidey being.tho only speaker. In Committee, however, it met with determined opposition from country members, who resisted the Bill on tho ground that they feared it would disorganise the farming industry. The opposition was strong enough to break down the resolution of the friends of the Bill, and progress was reported at 1.35 a.m. The House rose at 1.10 a.m. In the Legislative Council the motion to commit the Bill to reform tho constitution of the Second Chamber was defeated, and the Hon. J. D. Ormond's amendment, that consideration should be postponed until next session, was carried by 20 votes to 13. *