PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 43, 19 August 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

♦ - Legislative Council.

WOMEN'S FBANCHISE, (PFB PHESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, August 17. The Council met at 2 30. Sir I. Buckley moved the second reading of the Electoral Bill which he remembered was similar to the Bill on the same subject he introduced in the Council on previous years. As on previous occasions he was still opposed personally to j the clause conferring the franchise on j women, but as Parliament and the I country were undoubtedly in favor of it, he should regard himself as an exceedingly stubborn man if he presented any obstacle to what evidently was the will of the country. [ Sir George Whitmore opposed the Bill, partly because shearers and harvesters were sought to be deprived of the privilege of voting when absent from home, whilst the same concession was sought to be conferred upon commercial travellers. He utterly opposed the enfranchisement of women, chiefly as not being required by women, and also as calculated to unsex woman. He also said that the women, being more impressionable than men, would be dominated by the clergy in the direction of giving votes. Mr McCullough gave an unqualified support to the Bill. He believed women should exercise the franchise, and ridiculed the assertions that women as a whole did not desire to vote. He laughed to scorn the assertion that ministers of religion would banefully influence the votes of women. Mr W. C. Walker supported tho Bill. He rather favored the idea that every citizen should be allowed to Tote on the day of election, wherever he might be. If women were deemed capable of exercising the franchise, they were equally capable of occupying seats in Parliament. Mr Scotland opposed the Bill. Mr Bowen opposed the clause relating to the enfranchisment of women, and said if the clause was agreed to, respectable women would become unsexed, and only vote on special subjects, leaving the polls on general matters to women of the abandoned class. The Bill, if passed, would have the effect of causing incalculable misery in family circles. He moved the adjournment of the debate to Tuesday, to which day the Council adjourned.

House of Representatives.

NEW LICENSING BILL. SECOND BEADING CARRIED. The House met at 2.30. Replying to Capfc. Russell, Mr Seddon said he proposed to give the House an early opportunity of discussing Col. Fox's report, probably next week. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Bill. Although the Bill had only been circulated yesterday it must be remembered that the liquor question had been before the House nearly the whole session in one form or another, and he did not think the House had been taken by stirprise in bringing the second reading on so soon. All good colonists would be only too pleased to see this great question settled before the next appeal to the people. It was the duty of Government and Parliament, however, to place the liquor traffic under control, and to give the people an opportunity of controlling it. There was already as many licenses in the colony as [was good for the country, and Government had therefore provided in this Bill that no new licenses should be issued for the next ; three years. As to a reduction of licenses, he thought the general expression of opinion was that there were grounds for reducing the number in some parts of tho colony. With regard to the direct veto Government thought that they should do nothing hastily and that some safeguards should be provided. The principles of the Bill were moderation, reduction, regulation, and complete control. Mr Seddon then Sroceeded to explain the details of the iill. He justified the extension of the licensing districts as the means of securing the return of representative men on Licensing Committees, and said he thought that Government had done ita best to secure good Committees by disqualifying brewers, wine or spirit menchants, owners of licensed houses, &c, from holding a seat on a Committee. The provision preventing single women from holding licenses, and the closing of all houses at 11 o'clock, would, he felt sure, meet with the approval of the House. If after the expiration of the three years during which no new license would be granted, it was found there was an increase of 25 per cent, in population and after a poll being taken subject to tho controlling power of the licensing committee, he thought it reasonable that one license should be granted for every 750 of such increased population. Referring to the three-fifths majority contained in the Bill, he said pressure had been brought to bear on the Government to alter this to two* thirds of the total votes on the roll and a bare majority of the rote* polled, but the Government could not agree to this. He asked the extreme men in the House to be moderate and not attempt too much. The Government would no doubt be taken to task for placing clubs on the same footing as licensed houses as being an invasion of the rights of members of these clubs. He had never been able to see why clubs should have so many privileges that were denied to the general public, and he thought it was time these clubs wore brought under review in the same way as hotels. The Bill also provided that do new club license should be granted unless by recommendation of the licensing com* mittee for the district. He claimed that the Government had done its best in introducing this Bill for the public interest and he submitted the measure for the approval of the House. Sir John Hall admitted that the time had arrived for dealing with this question. Mr Fish thought the Premier was to be congratulated on endeavoring to remove this question from party politics and also on the fact that Government were not afraid to face the position. Sir Robert Stout Baid the real point of the Bill was the 15th clause, which states the majorities required to carry the wishes of the electors. If this was a matter for local control the people must govern by a majority, and any Liberal who voted for a three fifths majority, could not claim the title of Liberal. He warned the House that if clause 15 were left in the Bill, as it now stood, the principle contained in it would be a burning question at the next election, and would overshadow everything else. Mr Fergus thought the Bill was unnecessary and that if the present law were vigorously enforced it would meet all cases. Mr Duthie heartily supported the Bill Messrs Blake, Taylor, and Bnckland also spoke. Captain Russell held that if the law were properly enforced there would be no necessity for this Bill. It seemed to him that the crime of adulteration was at the bottom of all drunkenness they witnessed. He disapproved of the proposed inspection of ulubs as being entirely unnecessary. Dr Newman thought that if clause 15 were passed as it stood, the Bill would be a discredit to tho Legislature. Mr Reeves said no objections had been raised to the principle of the Bill, and it had been generally admitted the Govern* uieut had done its best to make it a good measure. He denied Dr N»wmfta'# •••

sertion the Government hmi put this question off week after week. In tho course of his reply, Mr Sedd<>n j referred to the kindly ninnner in which j the Bill was received by tlie House. j The second reading was agreid to on j the Toices. j Ou the sußKestion of the I'roniier, it wns nureeil to uo into committee on tin* Bill at once, in order to advance <l a singe. This was done, and the short title adopted, after which progress was reported, leave being civen to sit again on lue-day. The House then went into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of votes for lunacy, charitable aid, ami labour department, and Kotoruii Sani- j tarum, which were passed without altera- | tion Progress was reported, and the House rose nt 2. 10 a.m. ]