PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2576, 25 September 1915, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

FARMS FOR SOLDIERS

SETTLEMENT'SCHEME v EXPLAINED. A HEARTY RECEPTION Hie Legislative Council mot at 2.SS p.m. The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL introduced the Local Elections (Proportional Representation) Amendment Bill. The Bill was read a.first time. The National Registration Bill was introduced from tjio House and reada first time. The second reading was made au order of the day for Tuesday.

NEW MUSEUM BUILDINCS. The Hon. A. T. MAGINNITY moved that the report of the Joint Library Committee, that the functions of tliat committeo should be extended so that it miglrt act as a Board of Advice in. connection with the Dominion Museum, should be agreed to. ~ Ho explained 1 that the motion was put on the recommendation of the Minister in Charge of the Museum. _. The question of a • new Museum building was 'one of the mattors on which tho Minister sought the assistance of a Board of Advice. The motion was agreed to.

BILLS PASSED. The Hutt Road Bill, the Local Railways Amendment Bill; and the Sale of Food arid Drugs Act Amendment Bill were' put through ■remaining v-stages'■ without amendment,"and passed. 0a the motion to commit the Cook >' Islands Bill, Tho Eton. 0. SAMUEL spoke at length: in opposition to -the ' measure. ' lie alleged that the cost of administra- : tionto New Zealand was now• £7000 per year, and under the proposed Till this cost would be increased threefold. They, were trying to force a new code of laws on 'the people without giving them any say. in the matter. The Council resumed in the evening, The Hon. C. ■ H. MILLS contended that one of the great wants of the is-, lands was. a fast steamer for inter-island trading.

The Hon. W. C. F. CARNCROSS said that tho time was not yet' ripe for bring, ing the whole of the Bill into operation. Ho questioned the wisdom of bringing the islands under, the strict code of laws outlined in tho Bill; and wished to know whether the natives were aware of the nature of tho legislation intended, to be passed. .... The Hon. G. JONES commented on. the smallness of the attendance to discuss such an important measure, and he ventured to think that members who would vote for the Bill that night would Dot really understand its provisions.He did not approve of the clauses deal-' ing with the liquor/ traffic. : " The Hon. G. CARSON said, that the Bill was a humanitarian measure, and by it we were going to try . and protect tho people from: the effects of the use bf intoxicating liquor. . , .

A Protest Against Delay. The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL protested against members denouncing the Government for allowing the Bill to proceed when not one'wora of protest was made when the Bill was considered by the Statutes Revision ' Committee, to which it was referred. He felt that he had reason to complain when a member of the Committee to which the Bill was referred did not give any reasons to that committee against the Bill being allowed to proceed, but came to the Council and said that his recommendation to the Council was hypocrisy. ■ The Hon. G. Joues, the member referred to, 1 protested against tho use- of tho word "hypocrisy." .'-

The Hon. Sir Francis Bell withdrew the term, but said that the members of the committee agreed:to allowing the J3ill to proceed. He did think tlmt any, objections should have , been voiced in that committee, when they wero considering the whole principles and details of the Bill. Ho- appealed to the other members not to be led astray by tho . "froth" of the natives not understanding the Bill, and the* protests' that/ the; Bill had not beeii translated. Tho lawof the, Cook Islands to-day was the law of England. New Zealand had taken over the responsibility of managing the-. islands, and the' Cabinet had a sense of their responsibilities. The SolicitorGeneral was asked to take everything . into, consideration when -drafting the measure. Ho had jio sympathy with the men who cried "Taihoa" : ; when the business of 1 the day was before then),' and idle.delay was only delaying their responsibilities. , - . . .

The HonJ. 6. Jones: 1 said that 1 tvbuld not be a party to the Bill unless I understood it.- :"a The motion to 'commit the Bill was agreed to, and the amendments madefy, tho Statutes Bevisioa Committee were agreed to, pro forma, in order to allow; tho Bill to be consjdjred clauso clause. Clause 1 was amended to make the Bill'come into operation by an Order-in-Couucil. Tllo Bill was -reported with amendments. ... _ ' Oh tho third reading motion the Hon.Gr. Jones called for a. division, to protest against, the liquor clauses. The third reading was carried by 18 votes to '9, tho noes being tho Hons. T. M'Gibbou and G. Jones. Tho; Bill was passed. ■ ■

A COMPILATION ACT. • The Laud Transfer Acts Compilation Bill,was put .through, Committee with formal' amendments made by the Statutes Revision Committee, read: a third time,; and-passed. • The Council rose at 11 p.m., till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.