PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1907, 17 October 1906, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

legislative council. PRESS ASSOCIATION Wellington, last night. Tho Council mot at 2 80 p m. Hors. T. Kelly, W. M Bolt, and H Feldwiok, whose term of effioo as Council lors had expired, but who were yesterday re appointed, wnro sworn in. Amendments made by tho Honso in the Sale of Explosives Bill woro agreed to. Tho following Bills from tho Houec were read a second time without discussion : Tbo Bank Shares Transfer 15 U, Savings Banks Profits Bill, Jubilee Institute tf the Blind Bill, Piivqto Hospitals Bill, and Workers’ Dwellii gs Bill were read a second timo af er a very brief discussion. The Tourist and Health Resorts Bill was partly ooosido: od in Committee, and progress reported. The South Island Landless Natives Bill passed through Committee with muobioery amendments. The Wellington Reclamation Empowering Bill (Hod. Mr McDonald) was read a second time. Tho CouDoil rose at 1.10 pm. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho House met at *2 30 p.m, THE JURISDICTION OF AOTS OF LEGISLATURE.

Mr Laurenson risked tbo Minuter without notice if bis attention had been drawn to a reoent deoision of tbo Supreme Court by which a division is drawn between awards of the Arbitration 0' art atTcCiirg ships registered within New Z: aland and awards utlcctirg ships not ?o registered. Tbo Mints’cr of Labor said bo had DOticed tho maiicr, and was considering ii wilh a view to mooting tho necessities of the situation. FIRST BEADINGS. The New Zealand International Exhibition Bill was introduced, and road a first time. Toe Custom Duties Adjustment Bill for enabling refunds to bo made under the abortive reciprocity treaty was read a first sime. The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement B'll was read a first timeThe Executive Counoil Bill, for enabling two numbers of the Maori race and two Europeans to be added to the Executive without salary, was read a first time. The Defecoo Aot Amendment Bd', providing lor tho appointment of a oouDoil of defence aod inspector general and other officer, and defioing their duties, was road a first time. REGISTERED SOCIETIES. The Unclassified Sooieties Registration Aot Amendment Bill was read a third 'time.

FISHERIES CONSERVATION AMENDMENT BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this Bill, Mr Massey hoped the Government would pause before otippling the Auckland Acclimatisation Sooialy by confiscating its revenue, as it bad done excellent work in the past, especially in the 'matter of introducing the rainbow trout to Rotorua.

Mr Herries hoped the Government would stand firmly hy their proposals. Ho denied that tho Auckland Stc'ely bad in tioduced the rainbow trout to Rotcrua, and hoped the regulations would net be too drastic. Mr Wilford Bustaioed tho Government. Speaking as odo who looked forward to the Rotorua fishing as the great treat for the end of the year, he would like tosre general licenses and vigorous local management. After further diaousaion the Bill was sead a third timeAGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. The Agricultural Implement Manufacture. Importation aod Sale Aot Extension Bill was read a third time. GOVERNMENT ADVANCE TO WORKERS BILL The Hoc. the Premier moved Ihe second reading, explaining the provisions of the measure. He said that the main fact was that the maobinery of the Advances to Settlors Aot was opened to all workers wanting to build houses for them aajvas, and insuoh a way as to progressive payments as would enable email men to contract to build them, Tdo repayment might be at any time the borrower pleased, or it might be spread over 36£ years, whioh means repayment by sums com paratively infinitesimal. Haying explained the maobinery clause he oonolud. d by pointing out the importanoo of tbo 1 beral thauaoier of the measure. Mr Massey agreed, poiniirg out that he had in a recenß dobats this sess’ou suggested nlmost every clauso of the Bill in n proposal wbiob bail been defeatid. Mr Buddo claimed that ho had suggested tho lines of (be Biil lest yea". Mr Freeman made a similar claim, and hoped the Bill would be extended to rural workers. Mr Baums congratulated all toe mon of suggestion, and thought tbo limit of ’earning ought to be raised to £4OO a year. . r -o Mr Sidey, Mr Laurcnaon, and Mr BanIznett, while cordially approving cf tho Bill, ./thought tho wage limit ought lo be higher. , . Mr Rhodes considered that provision should be made for enabling workers in the country lo acquire substantial lots cf land about their bouse?, so as to make over the slack times of the year. Mr Fisher and Mr Barber spoke, urging the raising of the limit of advance above £350, as tho Bill aimed at helping small men with large families, and on land bought out of their savings. Mr J. Allen applauded the Bill, but .suggested caution in adding to obligations. The Premier, in reply, pointed out that .-all tho points recommended by the various .speakers were all in the Government .Advances to Settlers Act, but lie was -pleased at the general appreciations the Bill had obtained. He was not in favor of extending tho provision of the measure, which is intended for people who cannol help themselves—to people who have every facility otherwise, Neither die ho like to raise the limit of advance, a; that might unduly press on the usefulness ' of a limited fund. The Bill was read a second time or the voices.

OFFENSIVE PUBLICATIONS BILL. The Hon. Minister of Justice explained the need for search before the commission of an offence and the destruction of improper publications. Such seaich and destruction were provided for in the English Act. The House adjourned at 5.0 U p.m. EVENING SITTING.

'’Tbs iEfoußa tesumod at 7.30. 'Mr Hcrries oritioised the provision for ■aiving power to a single J.P. to issue aoaroh warrants. He urged that the power, if such were to be granted mart be at the least in the hands of a slip niiary magistrate. He agreed that soma4hiog should be done to stop the publication of obscene publioations. but he urged the need of reason and moderation in icopiDg with tbe evil. ~ , Mr Wilford denounced tbe legt.uod fcurglary ” proposed to be started at tbe •diotums of every irresponsible person wbo might belong to a “ poke your nose into -every business sooiety.” He o^t that the Bill, after giving every facility to prejudiced or ignorant people, provided do punishment for malfeasance, and no remedy to the man whose property might be broken or destroyed. He could only nonoludo that tbe Bill was tho outoomo o Bomo local offiaeis’ desire to secure convictions against persons bo bad hitherto been unable to get ftt, The Bi 1 be ro garded as unnecessary, because the present Aot contained sufficient power to secure all the proteit on that ir dec :ssary. Mr Gray thought tho speech juet delivered wBB 11 full of sound aud fuev, •svgoifying nothing." Tho Blil was aimed solely at those who kept for sale or exhi Eition, aud therefore all tho dsnunciations •fell to tho ground. At tho same time hi (had no faith in tbe average J.P. Ho hai 'known one witnessing hi.s own declaration •He would vote againsi giving that clas >lbe powers proposed in ihe Bill. Mr Izard further poiuted out a safe • gnard in tho condition preoedent to th .issue of a warrant, namely, “ and that on , 0 r more articles of tbe like oharaoter hav been sold, distributed, exhibited, or othei

Mr Bsutno thought tho last five nf tho words quoted would mako a great deal of mischief. If tho Bill stopped at 11 sold ” it would bo right. He would volo for tho second reading, but reserve himself for swooping alterations in Oommiltoo. For instanoe, by cutting out tho übovo words, and by taking all powers out of the inept hands cf tbo J.P.'s. Mr Malcolm thought a J.P. farmiro likely, ns living on tho spot, to understand tho conditions surrounding tho information than a Magistrate. Mr A. L. D. Frasor opposed tho Bill,

which ho pronounced to bo just as dcplor--1 able as certain late prosecutions, Ho regretted that Iho Minister could not find something hotter to dovuto his timo to. Ho marvelled that tho question cf destroying what might bo high wo ks of art should ho put in tbo hands of tbo J.IVn. Tho Minister was wasting his timo and desecrating tho Houso. To bo logical tho Minister must stop tho Maori pah at tho Exhibition and oleso tho picture gallery. Ho hoped tbo Minister, in reply, would rxp’ain how ho had allowed tho lalo

prosecutions. Mr Tanner rignrdrd all these objections as bhmk cartridges, just tbo aneieut platitudes about citizens’ castles, and so forth. DcC-moy must be uiaiutaino 1 in our towns, where things had got very lax of late. Tboro was a good deal of evil, and as tbo Bill would hilp to keep it down ho would support it. Mr Aiiken supported tho Bill, in which he could only ?»e a slight ixt- nsioti of the power allowed in many directions now ; that extension ho hi-id lo be very nec-e----sary. A? forth.' ju-ic-s, the G.'vc n.men using tbo wind broadly, was responsible fjr them. Moreover they wore on tho sp 6, ami caul I uct promptly, whiflh tbn magistrate, being as much as 50 miles

away at times, could not- Ho enumendod the Government for --ho Jt-11. Tho Hon, the Mini- ter cited tbo analogy of the l.quor laws and other Acts both in this cotiutry and Australia. It was no css denying the fact that there were largo numbers of publications in every town, and thorn was not sufficient power to c-r-pc with them, especially as- the pros,eulious have driven the traffic into secret channels. He deprecated tbo stylo of spuccbes made on the other side, and he defended the late prosecution?, reminding the House that if tbs. magistrate took time to consider his judgmeut a policeman mightwell bo exoused if bo made a mistake. There bad been talk of art, but tho propor plaaes for att wore picture and sculpture galleries, net postoards. That was tho difficulty the Bill endeavored to meet. The justices ho defended as in tbo main fair-minded, sensible men, Mr Hornsby ; There are justices in England who do not know tbo difference between a lunar and a calendar month. The Minister was not spsskirg of their knowledge as muoh as of their common sense and fairness. The Biil was road a stooDd t’me on tho voices. POLICE OFFENCES AMENDMENT BILL. Tho Minister for Justioe, in moving tho second reading, explained it was a Bill to prevent Sunday trading. The Bill was read a seoend timo on the voices. DEEP LEVELS.

The Thames Deep Levels Enabling Bill vaa road a second time. FIREARMS BILL,

In moviDg the scoond reading of tbe B 11, tbo Hon. tbe Minister for Justioe explained that it was a Bill to suppress the pea rifls nuisance. Mr Reid suggested a compulsory license to check tho losses amoDg stock caused by tho pea rifles of mischievous youths. Mr Ell condemned the Bill as not containing sufficient power to interfere with wantonyoutbs who endanger people's lives on planes of pleasant public resort. It was useless simply to draw tho age limit at 15.

Mr Bym:s thought the Bill would hutt tho oadet movement. He, too, condemned the 15 year limit. The Bill was read a second timo on the voices. OTHER BILLS. The High Schools Ressrve Act Amendment Bill was read a sooond tims on the voices.

Tbe Queen Scholarship Bill was road a second time.

Waima'e Agricultural Reserve Bill,— Tbe Speaker could not allow this Bill to proceed, a-> ii had not oomplhd wiih tbe Standing Order requiring Bills dealing wish lauds to go b fere the Linds C:mmittee. —Bill discharged and referred to the Lands Committee.

A long discus-.-ion took p'-aee on the Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill in committee.

Tbe Public Rivoanos Aci Amendment nna Sceaoiy Preservation Act Amendment Biil were received by Governor's message and read a first time.

The Houso adjourned at 12.15 o.m,