PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 68, 14 September 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENT ARY.

♦ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I Per Press Association 1 Wellington, September 13. The Legislative Council only transacted formal business. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.80. Replying to Captain Russell, the Premier said the Public Works Statement would be brought down as soon as tbe financial proposals of the Government were carried. Replying to Mr McGuire, tbe Premier said tbe Government did not intend to grant an inquiry into the reason why Major Charles Brown was deprived of bis license as interpreter. The House resumed at 7.30. In Committee on the Government Railways Bill a new clause was inserted giving the Governor power to make regulations for classification, and to regulate admission into the Railway service. It was also decided that a return be made at the commencement of each session showing the number of men in the service, with salaries. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Licensing Bill which he thought met the wishes of a very large majority of the people of tho country, and he would be very much surprised if there was any material alteration in it by the time it left the House for the other Chamber. After fully explaining the provisions of tbe Bill Mr Seddon went on to say no more grave accusation could be hurled against the Government than to say they were not sincere on the question, and did not want to see the Bill become law. He also said the Bill only lasted an hour, there being a general feeling that unless the Bill got through the second reading stage that night it was doubtful whether time would permit of its being brought forward again this session. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. The Bankrupt Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill was committal!. In clause 2 tbe age of consent was fixed at 16 years. Mr Mills moved a new clause, allowing any criminal tried for murder held since Ist January, 1889, to be reviewed. This, he explained, was designed to allow the case of Louis Chemis (who is at present undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for life for the Kaiwarra murder) to be taken to tbe Criminal Court of Appeal. Mr Seddon said if this new clause were carried, and objected to by the Legislative Council, he would not allow it to imperil tbe Bill. Eventually tbe clause was amended, with the consent of Mr Mills to read, that Chemi.s should have a right to apply to the Criminal Court of Appeal for a new trial, thus confining the clauso to the case of Chemis only. The Bill was reported, and ordered to be considered next day. Tbe House rose at 1.45 a.m.