PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1867, 22 September 1906, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE council.

TRUSS ASSOCIATION Wellington, Inst night. Tho Council met at 2 30 p m. Tho Motor-■RBguktbrr'Brlt ’"Ho. 2 (Attn.— was read a first time. 'SifMautioe O’Rurko gave notioo of a motion for revetsion to tho Provincial system of Government, and also for altarBiion cf the present system of appointment to the Legislative Council

Tho Attorney-General moved the second rendiug of the Habitual Criminal* Bill, to provide for ooulrol of habitual criminals and habitual effondors. While tbo Bill was one whioh did not go as far as tunny supporters of the pviooiplo of indeterminate senteLoes dosired, it was, ho said, a movement in that direction. Tho Alioister having explained the provisions of tho Bill as already sot out by tho Minister of Justioo in moving tho seoond reading in tho House, a short diioussiou followed, in whioh tbo principle of tho Bill was generally approved, and the second reading was agreed to. The Horowbenua Blook Aot Amendment Bill and Payment of Jurors Bill passed through the final stages. The Council rose at 4 10.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Tho House met at 2 30 p.ra. FIRST READINGS,

Tha Unclassified Sooieti'oi E gistration Amendment, New Zealand International Exhibition, Police Offencos, Martinborough Town Board, Elfcham County, R gistration Plumbers, Jubilao Homo Trusties (Auckland), Inspection and Registration of Privato Hospitals Bills wore read a first time.

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE,

Mr Massey drew the attention of tbo House to the fact that tbo proceedings of tbo Waste Lands CcmrniS'oe a>e being seni all over the country. Ho rrnd a paragraph from the New Z-aland Times by way of i lustration He urged that this was contrary to tbo standing orders, and ho tbooght either that the standing orders ought to be enforced or the oom mittee proceedings opened to the press. A breach of the standing orders by somo of the papers was very unfair to the papers which obeyed. The Hod. the Premier ogrted with thrse conclusions, and said he would look ioto tha matter with a view to action. ESTIMATES. Tho House, going into Supply, resumed oonsideratian of the Estimates. Class X Native Department, £18,867. — At tbe outset Mr Horries asked a question about an item in the previous year’s aooonnts not appearing in those of tbe present year, otherwise than ODder tbo explanation (in a note) “ obarged to Publio Works Fund.” Tbe Chairman ru’ol tho question oouid not be askad. Appeal being male to the Spesker, the Chairman stated tbe case, and cited various rulings of Speakers, j Toe Spraker pointed out that these .A .rnliDgs all referred to debates on the first item of the Estimates in Committeo of Supply, interdicting inolasicn of tbo previous year’s items in the debase He would repeat his ruling of Friday that these items may be tha subject of qoes tioDS, but not of debate. After resumiog in Committee, the clause was passed with alight discussion, and without amendment, During tho discussion of the item setd potatoes, £1550, Mr Fisher pointed out that there ware white perple who were jußt as badly in want of potatoes as the Maoris, and hoped tbe Government would devote another £1550 to tbeir wants. Glass XL, Justioo Department.—The votes Department of Juatioe, £2970, and Bupreme Court. £8431, passed unamended For the vote “ Bankruptcy,” Mr Wilford moved to reduce the first item by £1 for the purpose of instructing the Govern-, ment to transfer tho business to the Publio Trustees Department, which does some of it now, and could do it ail much better. He gave instances. ' Tbe Minister of Justice denied that tho work would be better dooe. He bffitmod that it would not be so well done by tbe Publio Trust Offi:e, and also quc-tsd inelßCoes. Mr Izard supported the member for the Hutt. Mr Lauceuson thought there should be a more full answer from the Minister. Mr Barber deolared that the mercantile community had not confidence in the Bankruptcy Department, and therefo e does all its baDkruptoy work by p.-ivatd assignment. The Hon. Mr McGowan denied thi3 wholesale allegation. Mr Tanner would not go as far as to join cause to effect, but said it was a fact that the private assignemont was now almost invariably the rule. He pointed out that this was fast rendering the statute of bankruptcy valueless. Mr W. Fraser thought it was only a question of more fully equipping tho bankruptcy machinery in outlying places. Mr Baume warned tho Government not to accept separate statements of want of J confidence. He said that in Auckland the P Bankruptcy Department was regarded with complete confidence. He attributed the increase of private assignments, not to any lack of confidence in the office of assignees, but to the decrease in tha number of dishonest debtors, and the consequent increased disposition to spare honest misfortune the disgrace of bankruptcy proceedings. Mr Sidey pointed out that if the bankruptcy business were handed over to the Public Trustee more money would have to be found for salaries etc., for that Department

Mr Msj.'r defended the Assignee as very hard workiog, underpaid offio’alf, Ho did not think the work could be doi e better or cheaper by anybody else, at least bo far as country districts are conotroed. Mr Hanan thought that for tho futu e it might be an improvement to appoint solicitors to the position of assignee, Mr Wilfo'd tbaoked the ooramUtae. He was, he said, pleased io see that he bad excited interest, and m’ght therefore hops to oome nearer his object He disclaimed all personal animus. There wbb not, he would say, a more capable, enihuaiastic general assigoee and coroner than the gentleman filling these positions in this district. He objected to the system not to individualise. Tbe amendment WBS lost on tb9 voice?, end the vote of L 3753 passed. On the vote district magistrates and warden courts, L 52 500, Mr Mas3&y moved the reduction of LI aa an indication that the status of magistrates might be assimilated to that of tho judges cf sbe Supreme Court. Tbe point was undir diecussion when tho House adjourned for dinner at 5.30, EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7 30. After fuitber diccussion :ha Comm'Uee divided OQ Mr Massey’s amendmentayes 18, nors 44. Ths emeedmeut was lost, and tbe vote passed unaltered. _ The following is the division list: Ayes, 18—Allen, Alieoo, Baums, Bollard, Fisher, F.a-er (W.), Guinn:si, Hornes, Izard, Kirkbride, Lethbridge, Malcolm, Mander, Massey, Reid, Rhodes, Riming-. tOD, Rutherford. ‘ Noes, 44—Barber, Barclay, Bennett, Buddo, Carroll, Colvin, Davey, D.llon, Duncan, ED, Field, Fiatman, Fowlds, Graham, Gray, GrEcnelade, Hall, Hall Jones, Hogg, Hornsby, Houston, Jennings Kidd, Laureusoo, Liwry, McGowan, Me Lachlan, McNab, MoPbersoD, M*jo». Mellar, Mills, Ngata, Parata, Poland, Poole, Ross, Soddon, Smith, Siallworthy, Tanner, Witty, Wood, The vote, criminal prosecutions 13,500 passed unaltered. Oa the vet 3 , Coroner’s Act £4600, Mr Wilford moved a reduction of £1 as an indication of the need for abolishing coroners’ juries. Ho contended that the ooroneru’ juries did no good snd much harm through verdiota on one sided evidence, a mischief which he had often observed in the oourse of his prtfiSiiooal experhneos. He pomted out the poesibility of corontr’s jurymen who had brought in verdiots serving aftsrv a dson the common jary trying the satr e person in the same oase. He gave instances of strange verdlois. He objected besides to the present system of publication of preliminary trials.

Mr Izard supported tho proposal. Mr Fishor opposed it, defending tho jury principle. Aftor further discussion tho committee dividol; ayes 14, noos 47. Tho amend mont was lost, and tho voto passed unaltered.

Regarding tho vote, Cook Islands £1725, Mr Massey thought that as the report on tbo Cook Islands had only just been circulated, tho vote ought to bo po3t

pound. Mr Mills explained many of tho items asked about. Ti-o Minister in charge pointed out that through tho ni -a-uros taken bv hs predecessors tbore had been a lot go increase in the fruit ir-c-cs of tho islands, and pointed out tho difficulty in tho way of increasing the regular sleatn communication. Mr Massey protested against keeping tho Got eminent schooner at a 10.-s for thn purposo of taking labor from n Netv Z aland possession to an island not in tha British jurisdiction at all, and tho most unhealthy tn tho world, for tho bouc-fit of a Mt lbeurne fi'iu. Ho thought if thore Wire nothing hotter for the boat to do sho ought to bo su’d. Mr Mills objected to thcoo views as distoited,

Mr Arnold pointed out tho necessity of loaobing the fruitgrowers better methods The voto passed as amended. Vote, miscellaneous sorvioos, £5570. —

In reply to Mr Massey, who thought that manner of the work of statute revision should bo done by Parliament, tho Hon. Air AlcGowan said he hoped the Revision Commission would finish its labors during the year. To other enquirers ho said that tho department is not bound by any eontrset, but oan buy any typewriters it pleases. Tho vot9 passed unaltered. Vote, prisons, £41,296. —Mr Ell moved to reduce tho item £6OOO for prison camps by £l, to fitlirm tho principle that all gaols ought to bo outsido of oity bounda ries. Tho eomurttao divided —ayes 23, noos 37. The amendment was lost.

Tho prison vote, £41,296, passed unal'ered, btiuging up tho total of Class Xto £134,345. Progress was reported, and tho House adjourned at 11 20.