PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1860, 14 September 1906, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

PRESS ASSOCIATION Wellington, lasi night. Tbs Counoil met at 2 80 p m. Tho Napioi- Hospital Sito Extension Act (Hon. J. D. Ormond) was read a first time, and referred to tho local Bills Committee. Tho Town-Districts Bill was road a third time, and passed. The Registration of Births Bill and Opium Prohibition Act Amendment Bill,

received from tho other Chamber, were read a second time, on the motion of the Attorney General, without discussion.

The Attorney General moved the second reading of the Juvenile Offenders Bill. Tho Attorney General pointed out the importance of the measure, and hoped tho Couucil would atlirm the principle involved. After brief discussion tbo second reading was agreed to. Tho Training Ships Bill was amended in Committeo on the motion of the Minister of Defence by eliminating tho provision for fees to bo paid by youths admitted, and substituting a provision that the Regulations should fix tho amount to be paid to youths admitted.

The Sale of Explosives Bill was amended in Committee on the motion of the Hon F. Trask by fixing the age limit for the purchase of explosives at fifteen years instead of eighteen as provided in the Bill.

The Fisheries Conservation Bill was committed, and on the motion of Hon. S. T; George provision was made for regulating the sale of fish. The Bill was reported as amended, and tho Council rose at 4 45,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2 30 p.m, Mr Kaihu was sworn in.

PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE OF THE SPEAKER. Mr Speaker explained that in the case of Julia Walsh, to be heard at Hokitika on the 24th inst, he and another had been made defondants as trustees, and summoned to appear. He explained that all members of Parliament may obtain exemption from such processes by certificate of the Speaker of one;.or other of the House of the Assembly, but the Speakors had to obtain a certificate from their Houses. The Premier moved the necessary certificate of exemption, which tho House granted without discussion. LOCAL BILLS-SECOND READINGS The New Plymouth Borough and fib e Taranaki Sohool Commissioners’ Exchange Bill (Mr Soa'tb), Havelock Athenaeum, eto., Incorporation Act, 1877, Amendment Bill (Mr J. Allen), and Waimumu Stream Drainage Bill (Hon. R MoNab) were read a seoond t me on the voioee.

ADJOURNMENT.

Oa the motion of the Premier, in redemptioa of a promise made yesterday to enable the House to have an opportunity to consider the answers m idi to questions, the orders of the day were suspended for two boms.

Mr Hrke moved the adjournment, and varions members sptke

MARRIAGE VALIDATION ACT EXTENSION BILL.

Sir W. Ssewatd moved the seoond reading.

The Hon. Mr Millar opposed the further extension favored in the Bill,

Mr J. Allen wa3 glad to see the Minister taking up this attitude, and would support it. The House divided. Ayes 16, Noes 44. The Bill was lost.

The House adjourned for dinner at 6.30 p-m.

. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7 30. SATURDAY 'UNIVERSAL HALFr„ HOLIDAY BILL. MrLsurenson moved the second reading of this Bill. He urged thqjbenefiis to the community generally of the measure. He Binid he had evideeoa of experiences in various cities, which encourage the belief that tha shopkeepers will not suffer. Ho olaimed that the experience of the closing of the factories, banks, and other bouses of business proved that the publio would easily''get accustomed to the closing of the shops. Mr Arnold coaid not give a silent vote on suph an important measure, which ought )o be fully disoussod even if it had no chance of getting on the Statute Book this session. He would prefer a measure confining the universal Saturday halfholiday to the chief oant es and larger boroughs on the condition of a plebiscite. Nevertheless he would support the principle of a Saturday half holiday, voting for the seoond reading, He urged the importance at the same t ! ma of removing the anomalies in the existing law, instancing particularly the difficult and unfair position of what might be termed the combined trades, as oomplioated by reoent legal dooisions, He would like an expieelion of opinion from Ihe Country Party, not ooly about this Bill, but about the labor laws generally as affecting their constituencies,

The Hon. the Premier hoped the country would not embark on such an extensive subject. Referring to the Bill, he oritioised it as ignoring the local option principle, which suited all the various interests affected. The passing of the measure would only increase the present chaos so much complained of. He objected to any proposals confining the half holiday to the Borough without reference to the country districts whose interest would be affected. As to the universal half-.holiday, he thought for his part that if such a thing ever came to pass vYednesday would be found, judging by the present experience of that day, to be the favourite with the public. Before making any change hon. members, he strongly urged, ought to ascertain very ] carefully the result of the present system. Mr McLachlan opposed the Bill Mr Mander thought Wednesday suite' 1 town and country better than Saturday. t would be impossible for the working people in the colony to come in for their purchases any other day than Saturday. He spoke from experience of the combined district of Whangarei. Mr Ell denied that the peop'o are now consulted, the matter being settled by the local bodies. There ought, of course, to be local cptioD, arid the vote should bo taken

over a wide area, so as to secure a repre sentation of all in'eresls. Replying to the argument on behalf of the workers, be ssid that the workers wore the very people who were calling for the universul Situr day half holiday. That day ceriainly Buited the vast numbers of people addicted to sport of various kinds, and thoy were probably tbe bulk of the population. Much had been said about shopping need?, but tho average mire, ho held, could do all tLe Bhcpoing he wanted in cne or two hours ercry mon'b. Moreover, tho wives could do the family shopping at any time they liked, and probably did it now. He hoped tho Bill would be passed and certain areas of voling fixed. Mr Fisher, oommenling on the division among tbe city meD, said ho would vote against tho Bill. The Bill of last yoer bad dtalocatcd- trade from one end of the colony to the other. This Bill proposed to do that over again. H 9 proceeded to point out the differences between localities, but this Bill did not reoognisa any. Mr Ell : Add a provision. Mr Firber : If tbero were such a provision it would be a very different Bill. Mr E l: Committee objection. Mr Fisher said bis hon. friend asked tbo House to take the coat off the buttons and put a new coat on, and ho called that a oemmittee objection. With a proper provision for local option he would support the Bill. Mr Hogg opposed the B: 1. His impression was that tho people behind tbe Bill were going too far. Restriotioos were getting so numerous that attempts presently would be made to regulate everything in the universe, including the sunshine. It reminded him that he knew a man Whose fixed idea was that the world was wrong because it went round too fast by two hours in every revolution. He denounced those attempts at restriction as exceedingly selfish and r’dioulously drastio. The Hon. Mr Millar objeoted to the Bill , aa nol roDresentins nnblin nnininn The

varions decisions all ovor tho oolony proved that incontestably. It was not right to say that tho pooplo wore not ojusuited, bocauso they could always make tho half holiday a tost quostion at the election of their muuioipal representatives. Tho prosont system, ho proceeded to cxploio, was gradually straightening itself cut, Tho shop hours were being roduood to six in most plaoos on ordinary days, and 8.3 U ruled in many on Saturdays. It would bo a pity to iniorfero with a system I which was boooming automatically more and more bunofioial. Ho would adviso tbo number for Lyttelton to tako second reading if ho oouldgot it, and bring up tho Bill later on in an improved form. Mr Gray could nos remnnhrr a single I instaneo in an oxporienoo of 20 years of such a test question os mentioned by the Minister for Labor. Ho favored a direct

vote of tho electors ol each distriot. Mr Izard did not like tbo Bill, but would vote for the second reading, with the intention of making it more in aoourduico wi h tbo douiooratio principle of looal op'ion

Air Miii?, while preferring Saturday fo; bis own pait, thought it wisoto leave wol alone.

Mr Graham thought that as tho pooplo arc just settling down after a great disturbance, it would bo host to loavo things

as they aro Ho could say from experience of local Government that tho authorities always took tho greatest pains to find out tho wishes of their constituents on the subject of the half holiday. It was a good feature of the present system that it permitted exemption. Air Laurensou quite realised the difficulties. He could not help pointing out, however, that tho Saturday half-holiday i

was now compulsory for factories anu offices, and he could not see why it should

not be for shops. It had been said thcro was no desire for tho Bill outside, but

he thought a petition with 2500 signatures represented a substantial demand. In conclusion he expressed his readiness to

accept any reasonable amendment, Tho House divided. Ayes, 23; noes.

The Bill was lost, The following is the division list on tho Saturday Half holiday Bill. (No pair?) ; Ayes (23): Arnold, Barclay, Buddo, Colvin, Dillon, Ell, Fisher, Fowlds, H”nan, Hogan, Hornsby, Izard, Lauronso., R. McKenzie, Millar, Poland, Poolp, Reid, RomingtOD, Rutherford, Sidey, Tanner, and Milford. Noes (47) : AHsod, J. Allan, Barber,

Baum?, Bmnett, Bollard, Carroll, Davey,

Durcao, Field, Flattnan, A. L. Fraser, W. Fraser, Graham, Gray, Greenslade,

Hall, Hali-Jones, Hardy, Harries, Hogg,

Houston, JanniDgq Kidd, Kirkbride, Lawry, Lethbridge, McGowan, T. Mackenzie, MoLaohlan, MoNab, Major, Mills, Mander, Massey, Parata, Rhodes, Rosb, SeddoD, Smith, Stallworthy, Stevens, Steward, Symes, Ward, Wilty, and Wood. FARRIERS' BILL. Mr Major moved the seoond reading of this B 11. Messrs MoLaoblaD, Btevene, Bennett, Witty, and the Hon. J. Carroll approved cf tho Bill,

Mr Mander opposed the Bill, which provides for registration of farriers before January Ist next, the qualification being (1) not less than a year’s practice of farriers ; (2) the passing of auoh examinations ns may be presoiibed by the Chief Veterinarian.

The seoond reading was passed on tho vo:c3s.

LAMPS ON VEHICLES BILL

The seoond reading of this Bill was moved by Me M-jor. The House divided. Ayes, 17 ; noes, 30- The Bill was lost. NOXIOUS WEEDS BILL.

In Committee on this Bill, clauses I. and . were passed unaltered.

A long discussion arose on Mr Witty’s proposal to substitute “ may ” for “ ahali” in clause IV., 11 local authority to dear lande arid roads under its oontrol.”

Mr Buddo pointed out that in parts of he country the compulsion would tequire wioe the whole revenue of the local body.

On the " shall ” noes 28.

question of retaining the word (be House divided, Ayes 33, The words were retained,

Frogiess was reported, and the House adjourned at 11.40.