PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2258, 18 September 1914, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

EDUCATION ESTIMATES UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS DEPARTMENTAL DELAYS LAND FOR WORKERS' HOMES BIGGER SECTIONS PROPOSED The Legislative Council sat at 2.30 p.m., and the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill was taken into consideration. On the motion to commit the Bill, Ihe Hon. B. MOOIIE said that he thought that there was not the est need for the measure, as debtors were amply protected by the'present Act. He did not think that the Statute Book should be burdened witu anothor measure, which would give protection to dishonest people, and that was what the Bill appeared to do. He would vote against it. ' The Hon. J: DDTHIE said that it was an inhumane thing to put a man mto gaol for a civil debt, A man had certain rights, and among these wero the rights to labour' and provide for his family. At the same time.be objected to the present Bill because it would have the effect of putting creditors who sued for debts to extra expense.

The Hon. 0. SAMUEL said that- bycommon consent imprisonment for debt bad been abolished. The imprisonmenc now only applied to those who could pay, and would not do so. For such people there should be'no false sympathy, but the • poor should always be dealt with tenderly, and the object, of this Bill was to protect the poor. H was a natural corollary to the present law, and should be passed. The Hon. J. T. PAUL expressed surprise that there should be any objection to the Bill, which had been passed by the House unanimously. The purpose of the Bill was to grant the right of a rc-trial to anyone imprisoned for failure to pay a debt. A division was taken on the'motion to commit the Bill, ■ and the motion was carried by 18 votes to 7. The Bill was then put through Committee, and the third reading was fixed for to-day. The Council rose at 3.9 p.m.