PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2297, 3 November 1914, Page 6

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

REFORM OF THE COUNCIL. THE GOVERNMENT BILL PASSED HUNTLY DISASTER. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR MINES.

The Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m., put the Imprest and Supply Bill' through all stages, and rose till 2.30 p.m.

A Message was received from the House agreeing to the amendment to the Iron and Steel Industry Bill.

COUNCIL REFORM. WOMEN'S RIGHTS. The Hon. H. D. BELL explained the report of th 9 managers on the conference regarding the amendments to the Legislative. Council Amendment Bill.; The position they took up with regard to .whether women should sit in Parliament was that it was a question for Parliament, and the question was whether they should sit in Parliament and not whether they should sit in one part or not. Personally, ho did not think that the alterations had made the slightest difference in the Bill as it stood. ; All they 1 had done waß to make it, plain that when it was determined that women should sit in. Parliament, by a. Bill passed by both Houses of Parliament, then they should be eligible for the Council as well. He hoped the Council would see that the managers had been able to resist the insidious attempt to defeat the Bill. "I may b6 permitted," said Mr. Bell, "when moving this, probably the last motion I shall move on the subject, to remind the House that sixty years, ago,, in the first session of the Parliament of New Zealand, Mr. Dillon Bell seconded a motion, the first motion that came before the Council, that the Council should be elected. I am sorry he has not lived to see hie son carry theBill through this' Parliament, and his grandson work for it in another 'place'." The Hon. J. BARR thought that the managers were to bo congratulated' on entirely defeating the proposal put before them. He wanted to know if tho proviso put in meant that when the other House passed a Bill that, women should sit in Parliament, that the Council were bound to pass it? or did it mean that the Council would be free to reject such, a measure if they so desired? If that was the position, and he hoped it was, it seemed that the'whole weight of the argument was gained by the managers for the Council. The question as to whether womon should'sit in Parliament was' one which should never have beer, sprung upon the Council, or any branch of tho Legislature. So much could bo said on tho subjcct, but" it iva's thrust forward for propaganda work, and not from any sincere desire that it should be placed on the Statute Book. There seemed to have been a minimum of earnestness about the proposal, and he was pleased that it was thrown out.

The Hon, J. T. PAUL'said that ho had a little .regret that tho amendment put in by the House had not been carried, but he' felt that the managers had done their best by the Council/and the country. There could bo. no reason .why/,if women could sit'in one branch, •they should not sit in another. He favoured the people having the right to say whether they should be. elected to both Houses, and the question would have to be settled, at some future date. Women.were now found in all.the professions, and the time had come when tho disability they were under should be done away with. What tlie House had tried to do, however, .was "to try something on tlie dog." If the other' House was sincere it would not be long before women had the right to sit in both Houses. ' .' '

; The Hon. H. P. WIGRAM said that the question of whether women should be admitted to either ' branch of the Legislature, was, one that; should have beon brought in by tlie Government. ' It had been brought in'by a private member as a "catch-vote" at the end of the session, and ha'd never been prominently before the country. No such constitutional change Bhould be made in. the dying hours of the session. ' , The, Hon., H. D. BELL, in answer to Mr. Barr, pointed outthat the law as it 1 stood provided that every nomination paper of a woman, as a candidate should be absolutely void, and should be -rejected by the returning officer. Until that was repealed no resolution of either House could affect the position. It could only bo repealed by a law passed by Parliament. He referred to a remark that the managers of the Council had gained the best of tifc bargain'. He. did no ', want it to be thought that they had j;ot the best of any bargain. They considered the question .without any reference to party. • The report of the managers was adopted. The Council rose at 8 p.m. till 11 o'clock this morning.