YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1572, 16 October 1912, Page 8

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT.

WIDOWS' PENSIONS DISCUSSED.

THE DEFENCE SCHEiE.

j .SHORE ABOUT THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR. BILL PASSED THROUGH COMMITTEE.

Formal business, 'and short dispussions lncidental'thereto, occupicd an. hour and a half of tho time of the Houso of Representatives yosterday afternoon. Perhaps tho most' important :of all the matters raised, was.iu a question addressed by the member for Avon to tho Prime Minister asking whether the Government had been communicated with"" regarding tho dismissal of tlib Miners'" Union officials at Hunt]y, and .whether tho Government would consult the Crown Law Office as to tho legality of the action of the owners. Mr. Jlassey said he would llave no olijectipLL'.to' referring .the question to the Crown Law Oflicers, but he preferred not to discuss the'merits of the question.

Tlio Kaiapoi Reserves Bill, and theWahgaiiui Harbour District and Empowering Bill -were read a first time. Tlied-harinacy Bill, or tho. amendments made to it .in;the Council, was considered. Mr.". Davey raised .the question of the necessity'-for'moh) ; stringent clauses to prevent collusion among chemists and" doctors, and - the Minister promised to lt-ok into Uie matter, with a view to bringing down further amendments. The ."Justices of -the Peace Amendment Bill, as amended by "tho .Council, was ac-copted-by-'tho House. The Widows' Tensions Bill was-recom-mitted arid ,'.amended''t&''mal;o. its terms ' more' liberal to, , pensioners.. The -Thouia? .Geojge Macarthy Bill passed itHhird ;readiug.. . 'T'ho'Befenco Bill was committed-at 5.15 p.ni. 11l tho hours' that '.followed maiiy amendments' were proposed., and numerousdetails of .tlio; Bill- were keenly debated, but, as in the second reading -.debate, tho discussion • was .of a noil-party character, and peaceable in . tone; Early :in the ■ evening'tho'.'Hon. Jas.\ Allen, accepted an amendment giving ; tiw -Jlinistdr.' for. -De- ' fence,' instead of; ,-tha ;Cfln«naiidantj' . 'discretionary .power. "tdjdiscluirgc .persons dep. taihe'd in military custody/ Someopppsi--tion was offered to. providing that fines may bo recovered by-means of attachment orderSj:biit,.-it was retained on a division by 3S", votes to 25. At 11.30 pjn.:,a,.division,..wiis taken on. a proposal by-Mr. Witty,.,to.reduce the-maximum ago for ; training in the'-Territorials from 25 t'o ; " 21';"'' This proposal .was' negatived by' 47..vq.tes to. 1,2. J, Mr. Isitt made wliat.. he ' described as

"one' liiol-b; appeal' on ; b?half of the conscientious objoctor," - but. an amendment which he moved to'empower Magistrates to exempt conscientious. objectors,, willing to non ; mi'litary jsorvico, from military dufite, was negatived,'.'after a.protracted discussion,-by '1-1 votes to 10. •'Tiie last new clause having been'.Vapprove'd", progress was reported, , and the House rose at'T.loa.rii.' "■

Legislative Council ' sat later than usual. , Most of. its. time was spent, ioi< .dealing.: with.: the Public. Service Reform' BillViu Committee.' . When the Council roVi!,at: half-pa.st eleven the Bill had been practically got through tho committee stage.... . ... ,