GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1965, 11 June 1880, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[PEB PBBBB ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WIRE.] LEGISLATIVE COUNOIL. Thursday, June 10. After the formal business, The Hon. N. Wilson gavejnotice to ask if the commission of tho peace would bo purged of insolvents and other unsuitable persons. A Bill for the Suppression of Gaming and Betting Houses, and for the more effectual Abolition of Lotteries (Hon. E. Whitaker) was read a first time. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore was igiven a fortnight’s leave of absence. The Deceased’s Wife’s Sister’s Marriage Bill lapsed on the second reading. The Rabbit Nuisance Bill was read a second time after a short debate, in which the Hon. G. M. Watbbhouse said that the wool exports of Southland had fallen from three shiploads to one through the rabbits eating the pasture, and other parts of the colony were likely to bo soon in the same position. In the Fisheries Bill a new clause, that no Maori should be sued under the Act without the permission of the Native Minister, was inserted after a brief discussion. The Hon. F. Whitaker said without it zealous people would be found prosecuting Natives whom the courts could not reach, thereby bringing the law into contempt. All the other business was routine, and the Council adjourned at 3 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, June 10. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Murray gave notice that ho would ask that a sum of money be placed on the estimates to defray the costs of conferring the order of knighthood on the Speaker. The Hon. J. Hall said that it was almost an unseemly thing to ask a gentleman on whom the honor of knighthood had been conferred to pay the costs thereof. The Government proposed, therefore, to place on the estimates the amount of fees payable for the patent of the order of knighthood conferred on the Speaker. Mr Reeb gave notice that he would move that an import duty be levied on all imports into the colony.

QUESTIONS, Replying to Major Harris, The Hon. W. Eolleston said the Government saw no reason for extending the time where volunteers had not complied with the conditions of the Act, as in the petitions of Volunteers Lynn, Adams, Preston and Maxwell, also that of Hugh Cairns. Mr Finn asked what control the Government are in the habit of exercising over the administration of waste lands in the colony, as at present exercised by tho Waste Lands Boards.

The Hon. W. Eolleston said that their powers were in many respects concurrent, but in the absence of a specific case he had great difficulty in answering the question. Replying to Mr Finn, The Hon. W. Eolleston said the Government had no objection to postpone the issue of agricultural leases to Messrs Kinross, Noilson and others in tho Shotover district, until the complaints of Messrs James Travis and Thomas Gibson, claiming a portion of all tho lands included in such leases, be inquired into, [and reported on by tho select committee of the House. Replying to Mr Seymour,

The Hon. J. Hall said that every endeavour would be made for enabling tho English Mail for Marlborough to he delivered there soon after its arrival in tho colony.

Replying to Mr Barron as to how long the sum of £50,000 referred to in his financial statement as being duo to the Bank of New Zealand for the balance of an overdraft of the late Provincial Government of Otago has remained a separate debt to the bank, and what rate of interest had been and is now being paid for such overdraft, The Hon, Major Atkinson said on the 14th March, 1877, tho amount was £78,000. In June, 1878, it was reduced to £28,000, and on the 19th of April last the remainder was paid. No interest had been paid since March, 1877.

Replying to the Hon. B. Richardson, The Hon. R. Outeb said that there is no truth in the report circulated in the Press that Government are considering the advisability of changing tho route of the main line of the railway at Timaru. Mr Shbimbki asked why the privilege hitherto extended during the session of Parliament to the Press correspondents to despatch telegrams up to 10 p.m., has this session been denied them.

The Hon. J. Hall in reply said that it involved an outlay of £7O per annum, and in the present state of the colony they were loth to continue that cost. The matter was, however, under the consideration of the Government, and it the Press would guarantee the cost, there would be no difficulty in getting the privilege restored. In reply to Mr Stewart, The Hon. W. Eolt.eston said the Government had asked the Imperial Government to remonstrate with the French Government in reference to the dcportes or political prisoners who lately came to this colony from Now Caledonia. KEW BILLS, The following Bills were introduced and read a first time—Malvern Water Race Transfer Act 1878 Amendment Act, Ashburton County Council Water-works Act, 1879, Amendment (Mr Wright) ; Invercargill Drill Shed Site Commissioners (Mr Bain); Land Act, 1877, Further Amendment (Mr DeLautour); to Impose Special Stamp Duties on the Alienation of Native Lands (in committee) (Hon. Major Atkinson), THE NATIVE COMMITTEE, Mr Lunhon moved —“ That the Select Committee on Native affairs do consist of nineteen members, and Mr DeLautour, Mr Thompson, Mr McDonald, Mr White, and the mover be added to the committee.”

The Hon. J. Betcb opposed the motion, and cautioned the House that the adoption of this motion would practically be a re-opening of the whole question, and a probable return to the objectionable state of matters connected with the constitution of committees which the Government had been at great trouble to rectify. Mr Moss said that many of the Auckland members had come down determined to do their duty, independent altogether of party consideration. The first thing they were met with was a disposition on the part of the Government to carry their purpose by every possible device within their power. He cautioned the Native Minister against a proceeding of this kind in regard to this committee. He believed that the Government was strong enough, to carry their purpose, but every report that came from that committee would be looked upon with grave suspicion, and those on his side of the House would be prepared to admit nothing. He was very much pained at the course adopted by the Native Minister in this respect. He strongly condemned the course followed in electing the Chairman of the Committee, and he cautioned the Government that it would be a means of landing them in difficulties. Mr Speight spoke in support of the motion. He contended that the Native race had not confidence in this committee as constituted, and that it was very necessary for the interests of all concerned that this failing should be removed. Ho hoped that the Government would see its way to allow the motion to pass. Mr Turnbull also supported the motion, agreeing with the remarks of the previous speaker. Mr Seddon did not think that the circumstances of the committee were so very exceptional as to warrant a departure from the rule laid down regarding the number of members to be placed on committees. Major Tb Wiieobo condemned the constitution of the committee, and supported the motion.

Mr Thomson suggested that the motion should bo withdrawn, seeing that there were fourteen members on the committee already. Mr Geoboe suggested that the gentlemen on the committee should withdraw their names, with a view of getting it re-organised. Mr DbLautoub said that the committee, as constituted, was not likely to work efficiently. The practical effect of this mode of procedure on the part of the Government would be that the minority would refrain from committee work altogether. It was nonsense to expect that any man of average intelligence would consent day after day to sit on a committee and to go through a form of deliberation, when it was well known that foregone conclusions would be carried. He appealed to the Government to consider this matter apart from any

hard thing that may have been said by either him or others of the party to which ho belonged. The jlon. Major Atkinson said that the arguments of the previous speaker were simply presuming on the credulity of the House. As things : were constituted, the Government supporters must of necessity predominate on the committee. He denied that there was any disparity between the members of this committee as regards political parties. As a matter of fact, the committee was composed of members equally divided. He contended that no just case had been made out for altering the committee as constituted.

Tho Hon. W. Gisbohnb said that it was deeply to be deplored that these committees should be regulated in their constitution by party spirit. The evils arising from this state of matters could not now be foreseen, but they would be developed in time. The result of this would be that questions would not be judged on their own merits, but with regard to the favor or otherwise of those who had sent members there. The time was when members of committees were appointed in virtue of their individual fitness,*and any imputation that they would be influenced by party feelings would have been sharply resented Those days had now passed away, and a very different style of selection was adopted. He could not vote for the motion, simply because ho felt that adopting it would aggravate rather mitigate the evil complained of. Mr Tole spoke in favor of tho motion. Ho felt the Natives might just as well at once send their petitions to tho Native Minister as send them to tho committee constituted as it was.

Sir W. Fox said that he was on that committee some years ago, when the Government was in other hands, and he could remember that there was a majority of then Government supporters on it. He was afraid that all this kick-up was simply an illustration of the old doctrine of “ when the devil was sick the devil a monk would be; when the devil got well, the devil a monk was he,”. It looked to him to be a judicious, go id working committee as constituted, and he hoped that it would not be disturbed, A good deal had been said about tho necessity of members from particular Native districts being on the Committee. Now, he thought that that was anything rather than a recommendation. Such men not unfrcquently had an individual bias, or perhaps an axe of their own to grind. The election of such men on a committee of this kind was very much to be deprecated. He also denounced tho reference made to the election of tho chairman as a gross abuse of Parliamentary practice. Mr Lundon replied, and A division resulted in—Ayes, 29 ; noes, 40. The motion was accordingly negatived. Sir G. Obey then gave notice that he would move that his name be expunged from the Native Affairs Committee. Mr Hamlin gave notice that he would move that his name bo expunged from tho same committee. bleubo pneumonia. Mr Hubsthouse moved 11 That, in the opinion of this House, all transportation of caltlo from tho North to the South Island should bo suspended until the Government are satisfied that pleuro-pneumonia, now known to exist in the provincial district of Auckland is eradicated, and that all cattle arriving from Australia be quarantined for at least three months, and that the Government should at once issue an Order in Council in accordance with the provisions of tho Diseased Cattle Act, 1871, to give effect to the foregoing resolution.” Mr J. T. Fishee seconded, and spoke in support of the motion. The Hon. J. Hall could not agree with the motion. The fact was that tho disease was confined to a very small district of Auckland, a district from which cattle were never taken south. It was on the decrease, and there was no danger of the disease spreading. If it should increase, the Government would exercise its powers to avert danger. At present there was no danger of its spreading. They were watching carefully over the matter and ho hoped that the motion would not be pressed. Mr Pitt supported the motion, maintaining that it would bo too late to attempt to cheek the disease after it had spread, as suggested by the Premier. Mr Ballance said that he had been assured on good authority that many of the cattle slaughtered had not pleuro-pneumonia at all, and that tho alarm was to a large extent groundless. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. LICENSING BILL, Sir W. Fox resumed the debate on tho Licensing Bill. He was glad to find the Government direct its attention to the moral and social improvement of the masses. It was undoubtedly tho duty of the Government to use its influence to check the growth of gigantic social evils. This was a movement in that direction. A cry had been raised throughout tho world of the great attendant evils on the drink traffic. It had been said truly that, if all the evils of war, famine, &0., had been put together, they would bo nothing compared with the evils entailed by drunkenness. This Bill went in the right direction. It gave the power of protection against the sale of intoxicating drink. A movement in that direction had his entire sympathy and the sympathy of those with whom he was leagued. It would therefore have his and their boat efforts in getting it passed into law. What they demanded was not only power to divert threatened evils, but also power to check existing ones. They had the evil existing now, and they wanted to cure it. This Bill was not complete in that respect, and ho trusted that tho Government would see its way to remodel tho Bill in that respect. In 1870 ho brought in a Bill having this object, and at first he could not get it beyond a second reading. The principle of allowing the people to quash a license without paying compensation was there assorted. What they as temperance reformers desired was power of this kind. Without such power they would never be able to put down drinking habits. As sure as drink shops were established so sure would gaols, lunatic asylums, and other kindred evils exist. Until that right was conceded, they would continue year after year to demand it, and not rest content until it was obtained. They had had petitions demanding that right. These petitions were first signed by 5000, then 9000, and last of all 17,000, so that there was evidence of the desire on the part of the people to obtain such a right. Subsequently the Bill referred to above was passed into law, and now stands on the statute books so that this Bill practically speaking aimed at withdrawing that power. What they wanted was tho local option principle embodied in the Licensing Bill in tho form in which it now stood on the statute books. He denounced the clubs as virtually sly-grog dens, aud although it was proposed to charge them a license fee, they were not to be subjected to police supervision—a more monstrous proposal could not be imagined. What he proposed in reference to these establishments was that they should be subjected to the same police supervision as the ordinary public house. They were calculated to do more harm than the regular “ shebeen.” The latter had to carry on their practices under certain restraints but tho so called clubs were altogether free from such restraints. He next alluded to the proposed Native licensing system. Some of these districts were scenes of tho utmost degradation. When New Zealand was first taken possession of by Europeans, the Natives numbered 114,000. Now they had dwindled down to 40,000, this diminution being in a great measure attributable to tho introduction of strong drink. Not only h..d they given the Natives drink, but they had given them what was called Native rum. That was a specially vile decoction, one calculated to drive the consumer to madness and tho grave. Ho was sorry to see by this Bill that au attempt was being made to lessen the power of tho Native assessor in questions of granting licenses. He counselled them not to attempt to weaken the Act passed two years ago in connection with Native licenses. If they did the Maori race would be stamped out. It was a matter for congratulation that licenses could only be issued once a year. The system of quarterly licensing days had done a great deal to defeat the efforts of the temperance party to stem the evil. If a man did not get his license on one day it was sure to be granted at the next quarterly sitting. He considered tho bottle licensing system as one of the most demoralising features of the trade. They had been told that under proper regulations this system was good, but there was no good regulation in a matter of this kind. The profits of the trade consisted of excessive drinking, and so long as that was the case there could be no good regulation.

These were a few of the defects of the Bill, and when it got into committee he would use hie endeavours for their removal.

Dr. Wallis agreed with the previous speaker in thinking that total prohibition was the right cure for this evil. The, Government however could not afford to'‘dispense with the revenue arising out of the traffic, and the vested interests which had grown out of it were very considerable. Ho would support a measure for the total prohibition of traffic in spirits. Turning to the Bill before the House, he noticed that it proposed local option in a modified form. What he contended was that the full measure of local option should be given. Ho knew why it had not been given. It was the question of compensation that frightened them. He did not contend for great compensation. If they gave the profits of the past year as compensation to any house that might be suppressed, that should bo sufficient. He agreed, however, with the general principles of the Bill, and would give it his support, reserving to himself the privilege of making a few suggestions when it got into committee. Mr Saundebs regretted that the subject was not felt to be one of more importance to the Houiee. He disputed a theory put forward by the previous speaker that alcohol was beneficial under certain conditions.

The Hon. T. Dice replied. ‘He was not surprised that exception was taken to parts of the Bill.' His only surprise was that in a Bill so large these exceptions had not been more numeroi|s. Some of the suggestions made were good, and he hoped to see them given effect to; others he believed would not be an improvement. Tho two parties—the publican and tho temperance party—had each their representatives in the House) and no doubt ample justice would, be dona'to both causes. Ho only’hoped that when it came out of committee it would be found a Bill calculated to promote the best interests of the community as a whole. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Tuesday, SECOND HEADINGS. . Mr Stewabt moved the second reading of the Lodgers Protection Bill. The Bill was substantially a transcript of the English law on the subject. Its object was to protect the goods and chattels of lodgers paying their own rent, against any claim 1 the landlord of the premises may have against tho tenant. The Hon. J. Hall thought the Bill a desirable one. The motion was put and carried.! Mr Sxewabt moved the second reading of the Female Redress Bill. It was a measure which had the sanction of tho judges at home. In 1867 a case was tried in. the courts in England. A member of a Church had a charge preferred of unchastity. She appealed to the law courts, and it was found that tho law could not give her redress. He quoted from the law books to show that such imputations were not actionable Unless it could be shown that she had sustained special damages. The opinions of tho judges were also read, to the effect that such a state of law was considered to be a great hardship. The subject had been legislated upon in New York, and the Bill before tho House was an adaptation of the law. He knew cases in which persons wore anxious to vindicate their character in this way, but the question could not be entertained at law. At present, a woman might be disgraced and her usefulness impaired all because tho law afforded her no protection.

The Hon. J. Hall had heard no reason for legislation at the present time. The subject had not been taken up iu tho home country, and he did not see the necessity for it yet. It was proposed that a married woman might sue without the consent of her husband. If she lost, her husband would be liable for the costs, and if she got damages these damages were to become he.r own personal estate. That created an anomaly which ho did not approve of, and for that and other reasons he would oppose the motion. Mr Shephaed J said that when he read the Bill it struck him that, properly speaking, :Vt should be called a Bill for the Protection of Abandoned Women. A woman living a loose life might bring an action against every one who said a word about her,"and the' result would bo that she might ruin her husband with costs. If the Bill were amended in that respect he should like to,see it,passed. Mr Macandeew thought the Second reading, at all events, should be glinted. The Hon, G. Maclean thought that the Bill might lead to great hardship. •_ Suppose a man saw his friend in what he deemed questionable female society, and he cautioned him accordingly, how would he be able to prove tho unohastity of the female. It jyonlfl he a difficult as well us a' delicate matter. He moved as an amendment—“ That the Bill be read that day six months.” Mr Babbon supported the Bill. Mr Bowen said it.vfas; a new matter, in which the mover should' be content with having drawn attention to the subject, aud should now withdraw it.

Mr Stewaet replied. He would be willing to insert a clause about the costs, so as to meet the only real objection tjhat had been stated. If the House allowed the motion to pass, he would not press t&W matter further this session,

The amendment being withdrawn, the motion was put and parried. : ~ Mr Shkimski moved the second reading of the Oatnaru Harbor Board Act, 1876, Amendment Bill. , , The Hon. W. Eolleston would raise no opposition, as it would go to' the Waste Lands Committee, but there-were serious objections to the course proposed by the Bill. Mr Sheimsei,. in reply, pointed out at ,me length tho necessity for the Bill. The Bill was read a second time.