THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 7

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Parliament is now beginning to get >down to business, and yesterday it made an exceedingly early start for such an early period of the session. Monday sittings are not always popular innovations, but usually the. Government is considerate, and asks members to' assemble at 7.30 on Monday. Yesterday, however, it broke all. precedents, arid had the House paraded, at.half-past 2, a fact which drew .iorth . comment from the Leader of the Opposition, who stated that it was the' first time in his experience that a Monday sitting, had -commenced so early. However, the Government meant business, and notice "was given by Ministers of the introduction of half-a-dozen Bills. , These - were.',' the Local Legislation Bill and" Immigration Restriction Amendment (Mr. ; Downie' .Stewart), Native- Land Claims Adjustment (Mr. ; Coat.es), Noxious Weed» Amendment, and Companies Special Empowering (Mr., Nosworthy), Justices of the Peace Amendment . (Mr. Parr), and Industrial and Provident Societies Amendment (Mr. Bollard). . In the evening, the Prime Minister moved the- second reading of the,, State v Advances Amendment Bill, providing forthe State advancing 95 per cent, of the cost' of building Jiouses. This measure met with general approval, although' Liberal.'.'and Labour members, and one or two' Reformers, feared that speculation would still he possible,'4f the' Bill .'went through in the way it was drafted. -Pictures were drawn of saw-millers rushin" up. the price of timber aiiu- 'landowners the cost of sections directly the Bill became law. It, was suggested that-the Government should do something t"o! prevent this form of exploitation. The debate proceeded for four hours, and was adjourned'at 11.30 p.m. until 2.30 pm to-day. • The Juries .Amendment Bill went through its second reading durinthe afternoon, and during its passage the jury system was discussed, the feader of the Opposition stating/that in Committee he would move an amendment to a low of women serving on juries: The Minister of Justice (Mi-. Parr) did' no t .agree with this .proposal,- alnd doubted whether women would be favourably impressed, seeing that service would he compulsory He did not think that women would care about jury service for two or. three days at a time,.. especially if they were mothers .of ■ large familie.v because it wonld tend to disrupt domes'^ tic bliss. Mention, was made./uring'.the d.scussjo.l of the Crown's- unlimited "ght to eserase challenges,' and Crown Prosecutors were accused of stufiW Junes by this means. Mr. Parr defend d the Crown Prosecutors and the jury system as a whole, contending that prisoners always got a fair run