THE NUMBER OF BARMAIDS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 10, 7 October 1920, Page 6

THE NUMBER OF BARMAIDS

A DELAYED RETURN. Tho Minister of Labour was asked yesterday afternoon by Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christ-church North) when the return giving the number of barmaids employed ' in the Dominion would be laid on tho table of the House. Sir William Herriea said that ; he would be very glad to lay the paper on the table if he was assured that thoro would not follow its production a debate upon the wheile of tho licensing issue. Mr. Isitt said he did not think that would happen. Sir William Herrics: Will the hon. member debate it himself? Mr. Isitt: I do not want to debate it. Sir William Herries: If I am assured of that I shall be glad to lay the paper on tho table at an opportune moment. TENTS FORToLDIER'S . MR. WITTY'fj SUGGESTION. While the Minister of Lands was answering a question yesterday afternoon concerning the purchase of homes for soldiers, Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) interjected a suggestion that the men might be supplied with tents. .He explained later that he was quite serious in his suggestion, which was that tho Department might supply tents to men who had taken up land under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act. The Defence Department owned plenty of tents, and these would be -very useful to the men until they were able to find homes for themselves. Mr. Guthrie: I took the interjection to mean' the men who were wishing to buy lionsea in the cities. Mr. Witty: No, the men who have taken up land in the country and aro without homes. • The Minister 6aid that it would be easy to do what hid been suggested in the matter. He did not know whether the Audit Department would pass oharges for the purchase of tents, but the arrangement* could easily be made through tho Repatriation Departmojit. He would look into the question. MARRIAGE AMEMIENXBILL, NO. 2 SECOND READING POSTPONED. The Hon. J. MacGregor's Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) was on the Order Paper of the Legislative Council yesterday. Oiie of the- provisions of the Bill is that 'the Registrar-General shail not enter in the list of officiating -ministers the name of any Roman Catholic priest so' long as the "Ne Temerc" decree remains in force in New Zealand. Mr. MacGregor asked for permission to postpone till Wednesday next tho motion for a second reading. Leave was granted accordingly, and the Bill was dis- ■ i Charged from' the Order Paper. MARRIAGE "SIdMENT BILL A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE. A question of privilege was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday aftornoon by Dr. Thncker (Christchurch - East), who asked tho Prime Minister whether the holding of meetings concerning the Marriage Bill- was not a breach sinco a committee of the House was deliberating upon the measure. He instanced a meeting at Christchurch, where ho said the lecturer threatened Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) with expulsion from the House nt the next election unless he voted in the direction desired by that meeting.' Mr. Massoy said that he know nothing of this matter beyond what had boen told him at the moment, but in any caso ho reminded his questioner that matters of privilege must be dealt with by tho Speaker. The question was accordingly readdressed to the Speaker, who said that if it was thought that a breach of privilege had been committed, the procedure was to bring it beforo the House. The statement would then be rend by the Clerk . of the House, and the House would proceed to decide whether or not there had been a breach of privilege, and, if so, what action should be taken. The conimittco appointed by the House of Representatives to consider the Marriage Amendment Bill is to sit in the Parliamentary Buildings this morning. A proposal that evidonce shall bo taken in public will be considered at the meeting. OTAGO'SIiPITALS MUCH TALK ABOUT A BILL. The House spent last night on the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill, which proposes to create in South Otago a hospital district separate from the Otago. hospital district. Tho Bill had previously met with strenuous opposition, chiefly from Dunedin members, who contended that the proposed separation would cause serious injury to tho main hospital and to the Medical School in Dunedin. The opposition was re- ' newed last night. Mr. A. fc. Malcolm • i(Cluthn) made a lengthy statement of the case for separation. He referred to Dunedin as a stepmother from whom 1 South Otago could expect nothing but Btarvation and maltreatment. Much needless suffering, he said, had been • caused by the .present necessity for transporting patients sixty or -seventy miles to the nearest base hospital. Ihe South Otngo district wn.} exceptional, for • a placo of its size, in not possessing.- a base hospital of its own. The opponents of tho Bill had the • floor most of tho evening, and they were still talking at midnight on tho pro- ■ posal that the House should go. into ■ committee on the Bill. Various amendments were to have consideration when : the committee stage had been reached. i ' TE AROHA~CROWN LEASES Tho second reading of tho To Aroha 1 Crown Leases Bill, which proposes that I tho resident? of Te AToha shall have the right to acquire the freehold of the ! land they nt present hold under mining ' license, was moved in tho Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. Tho monsuro had a Btormy passage in the Lower Houso, where the old battle of leasehold v. freehold was fought out rnthor vigorously. The opponents of the Bill in tho Council did not, however, occupy very ■ much timo with their speeches. In tho ■ courao of his reply, Sir Francis Bell said 1 that no licensee on whoso land there was ■ a mineral spring would be able to obtain the freehold.- There was thus no danger of the State's losing tho springs at Te Aroha. The second reading was carried by 24 vctes to 6, and tho committal was sob down for to-day.