PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2231, 7 November 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. POLICE OFFENCES BILL. Tho House resumed at 7.30. • The Police OJfenccs Bill was further considered. Tho .principal provisions of tho Bill aro to prevent trades people stating without authority that their businesses are carried on by the appointment of the Governor, to prevent the unlawful use of personal names as trade names, etc. Clause 3 particularly refers to tlie using of it'll© name of any other person in New Zealand without permission as the numo or part of a name of any vessel, building, institution or article of merchandise or other thing. Considerable opposition was shown in regard to clause 3 and 'ultimately it was withdrawn. Clause 4 which makes it an offence for tally person issuing a document which is intended li» its wording or appearance, contrary to fact, ito 'indicate that such was issued by the authority of a Court of Justice, Magistrate or Justices, was agreed To without discussion. Clause 5 makes it an offence for any person who without authority publicly uses in connection with bis trade or calling any written words, initials, etc, likely to cause any person to believe tbat be holds a degree diploma or . certificate issued by any university or institution. Sub-clause 4 of clause 5 provides that ,in any prosecution for an offence against this or any oilier Act the use of the word “Doctor” bv a registered medical practitioner, shali not In .itself bo deemed :o indicate or to be likely to cause other i orsons to believe that such medical practitioner holds a degree of Doctor .in any university, j.rov.d'-a als ■ that no .prosecution shid take place under this section without :he .previous consent of tl.e Attorney-Gene-ral..

Air Tanner took exception to tlie clause. He moved to strike out the subsection. Th e amendment was negatived by 33 to 22. Clause 5 as a whole passed by 38 to 20. Mr Hunan moved a row clause to make it an offence to advertise fry good preparation or nostrum as being tho property of the preparation or having been prepared under tlie supervision of a legally qualified medical man. Mr McGowan sviupath'-ed with the proposal but did not tlr.rk the proper palace for it was this Bill. The new clause was rejected by c 4 to 22. , The Bill with amendments was then r °SUpitEME COURT PRACTICE. The Supremo Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill, which originated in the Council, wat taken in committee and passed without amendment. MARINE INSURANCE.

The Marine Insurance Bill, which also originated in the Council and has already been reported, was then taken in committee and passed without amendment. The Bill was then reported. ANIMALS PROTECTION BTLL. The Animals Protection Bill was received from the Council and read a first time.

FIRE {BRIGADES BILL. Amendments to tho Fire Brigade.' Bill were introduced by Governor’s message. Clause 5 provides that the Gover-nor-in-Council on application may declare districts to be fire districts when the population of a district .shall be more than 5000. Air. James Allen moved an amendment to substitute 10,000 for 5000. •Air. Field moved as a prior amendment that two or more bodies might combine together _ for the purpose of becoming a fire district. After several members had .urged a reduction in the population condition, Air. Carroll said it seemed to be a matter of choosing between 10,000 and 5000. He had (already offered to come down t-o 3000, and would be prepared to come down another 1000. Otherwise he would be disposed to pass a Bill for tho four centres .alone and leave the other districts out altogether. ( Air. Symes contended that they should legislate for the whole Dominion and not for xaortions only. He added that the large centres were able to look after themselves. Air. Carroll said 'lie would be prepared to give bis support to amendments in the direction of extending the Bill next year, .but not this year. .Air. Field’s amendment was carried lay 32 to 29. . Air. Carroll then moved to report pa'ogress, and this was agreed to on the voices. GENERAL. - .

The Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment 'Bill was taken into committee. Air. Miller moved an laineudment to provide for inspection of scaffolding under 16ft in freight from structural base on which scaffolding is erected. This was agreed to on the voices. The Bill with amendments was reported. The Coal Alines Act Amendment Bill -with amendments was reported, and the House adjourned at 11.50. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, Nov. 6. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. lAIAI.IGRATION SCHEAIES. Air. O’Rorke moved a motion affirming the desirableness of returning to a form of provincial government, the necessity of encouraging emigration to these shores by free grants of land or free passage money, and the need for arranging with the Imperial Government for the introduction of discharged soldiers who should be established on pensioners’ settlements, every settlement to consist of 600 acres.

Air. Baillie seconded the motion pro forma.

Air. Loughnan moved as an amendment that the attention of tho Government should ho directed to the scheme of the land settlement propounded by the motion, and that further consideration of the motion should be postponed in tlio meantime. Tho motion was put first, and lost on a division bv 22 votes to 8. GENERAL. Tho Infant Life Protection Bill was read a first time. The Waitara Harbor District and Empowering Bill was committed. Air. Anstey moved to strike out the following words in clause .3, “The Waitara Harbor District is hereby constituted.” After the amendment bad been iliscused for some time Air. Jones moved the closure. Tlio motion was carried by 14 votes to 13 and tlio clause passed unaltered. Air. Loughnan moved to amend clause 4 in .the direction of giving tlie New Plymouth Harbor Board unrestricted rating powers over the area comprised in the Bill.

Tho amendment was under discussion when tho Council adjourned at 5 till 7.30. Tho Waitara Harbor District Empowering Bill was put through committee without amendment, read a third time and passed. Air O’Rorke moved the second reading of the Divinity Degrees Bill, which came endorsed by the Senate of tlio N.Z. University, lb was argned that Parliament should do noi hir.g that would imperil secularity in the education system, and the motion for the second reading was defeated by 15 to 7.

The Hutt Railway and Savings Bank Investment Bills were passed through all their stages, and the Council rose at 9.30.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30. QUESTIONS. In reply 'to questions, Alimsters stated that tlie question of calling Parliament together in Alay in order that members may devote themselves to the country’s business during the

winter months, leaving them free to attend to their own business in spring and summer, will receivo consideration ; that the schooner Countess of Ranfurly has been sold, price, 113050; that the Government has already decided to give a pound for pound subsidy up to £SOO for the purpose of developing tlie Helensville mineral springs, but the question of making any further grants lias not yet been fully considered; that the value upon which duty is charged is tho fair market value when sold for homo consumption in the principal markets of the country, hence at) the time when goods were, exported the agent for a British export house importing for stock would ho charged with tho duty on that value. BILLS INTRODUCED. Tho following Bills were introduced and read a first* time: Purangi Landless Natives (Air. Carroll), Beer Duty Act Amendment (Air. Millar), Shops and Offices Act Amendment (Air. Millar), Rangitata Block Exchange (Mr. AlcNali), Butter Export (Air.McNab), Taieri Land Drainage (Air. McNab), Defence Act Amendment (Air. McNab). LEAVE OF ABSENCE. ... . Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to Air. Allison, on account of illness.

AIEIKLE BILL. Tlie Premier, referring to the Meiklo Bill, said ho could not make liis promised statement until next day. !{e had, when speaking on tho matter in tho House a day or so ago overlooked tbe fact that tbo Chief Justice had been written to in August last regarding proposed legislation on tlie case. lie desired an opportunity of conferring with the Chief Justico before deciding what course should 100 adopted. Tho Chief Justico wrote intimating that ho bad brought, the matter before tho Judges who were unanimously of opinion that, seeing the question of appeals in criminal cases was being legislated upon in ' Great Bi-itain, it avould bo wise to defer action until tho full text of tho English measure was received. Ho would later make an announcement to tho House. AVAIROA GUARDIAN LETTER. The Premier, replying to a question by Air. A. L. D. Fraser regarding an article published in the Wairoa Guardian of September 27th last, wherein grave charges were made rejecting upon a contract entered into between the Railway Department and a private citizen, stated that the ar- _ tide was untrue in its main particulars. One of the charges referred to was that a certain person had received £SOOO over and above what he was entitled to. The Premier stated that a claim was made by the trustees of the estate (the editor of tho Wairoa Guardian was one of the trustees) for over £7OOO. This claim, was settled for £3OOO, and the Department had not made an additional payment of £SOOO as alleged. CHILD LABOR IN TARANAKI. Arising out of a question by Air. .A. L. D. Fraser regarding tho statement made by the Chief Justice in respect of the high values of land in Taranaki, which he said is so high that farmers cannot pay for labor and have to depend on their children who are being worked to death, Mr. Laurenson urged that inquiry should he made into the subject of child labor in Taranaki. Alessrs Okey, Symes, Alaior, and ■Jennings strenuously refuted the statements that child slavery was carried on in Taranaki. Air. Alassey said that he knew the district, and was absolutely certain as far as health and education were concerned they would compare with children in other districts of the coloiiy. The children were well fed and clothed, and as far as enquiry went lie knew that the people of Taranaki would welcome any enquiry that might' be instituted.

The Premier said he was convinced that the parents of Taranaki were as anxious to look after the welfare of their children as anywhere else in the colony. He added that, the inspectors -would be instructed to look carefully after children in the district, and thought the suggested enquiry might bo deferred.

BILLS PASSED. Tho following Bills were read a third time and passed: Bills of Exchange Act Amendment, Agricultural Implement Alanufacture Importation and Sale Bill, Police Offences Bill, Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill, Alarkie Insurance Bill, Taumaranui Town. Council Election A r alidation Bill, Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment’ Bill, Coal Alines Act Amendment Bill-

SEA FISHERIES. Air. Alillar moved the second reading of the Sea Fisheries Bill/ which prohibits the picking of oypters by private individuals in some of tho beds in Hauraki Gulf and authorises tlie State to do the picking at so much per sack. If some such provision was not made, said the Minister, the beds would soon be depleted. Air. Atassey did not think Air. Alillar was very - proud of his Bill. Dealers in Auckland, said Air. Massey, complained that the trouble was not due to pickers but to the mismanagement of the Department. There was no necessity for the Bill. Air. AlcGowan contended that pickers had not been careful in removing oysters, and the Bill was necessary. The House adjourned at 5.30. The House resumed a.t 7.30. Air. Herries urged that it was below the dignity of th e Government to go in for the oyster trade and to compete with -fishermen, who even now had a hard task to mako a living.

Mr. Ngaiii claimed that, the Government should recognise the exclusive rights of Maoris to certain fishing 'grounds as provided for by the treaty of Waitangi. He urged that the Governor-in-Council should from time to time reserve certain fishing grounds for the benefit of Alaoris. He added that the Maori race did not desire to exploit the whole of tlie fisheries of -tlie Dominion. Air. Poole contended that if . unlimited liberty were given to individuals to -pick oysters there would soon lie not- an oyster left in Haurilci -Gulf. Mr. Bollard did not- agree with tlie Bill, but would support the better inspection of oyster ibeds and more stringent regulations. Air. -Millar said lie had decided to ask tlie House to give the Bill » trial, as it was absolutely necessary if it was desired to retain tlio. rock oyster. Under tlie Government’s supervision only mature oysters would be picked. The Premier said lie did .not want to take the rights of Maoris away, and was having inquiries .made. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. GENERAL. Tlie second reading of the Christchurch Drn.inago Bill and the -Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Amendment Bill was agreed ito. The Public Service Superannuation Bill was referred to tlie Public Accounts Committee. The House went into Committeo on the Agricultural Laborers’ Accommodation Bill, a-ud several amendments wero made. . Amendments made bv the Council to the Hutt Railway Bill wero agreed to. Are. AtcGowun moved -tlio second reading of the Tramways Amendment Bill. It was a consolidating measure. and contained provisions for seeing to the safety of the public 'by having qualified employees. D.isous-.. sion -is proceeding.