PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2256, 25 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PBE3S ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Fbiday, June 24. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to the Hon. P. Dignan, The Hon. P. Whitakbb said that Colonel Scratchloy'e report on the defenoe of Auckland and other harbors was only a preliminary one. Colonel Scratchley would soon make a second visit and a final report, when the Government would consider what should be done.

In reply to the Hon. H. Chamberlain, The Hon. F. Whitakbb said that Government would bring in a general Cemeteries Bill if they saw any chance of passing it.

On the motion of the Hon. G. Buckley, a return was ordered of all who have entered the civil service since October Bth, 18G6, date of admission, and age of each, and their silary at admission and now ; also the number of special appointments made by the Governor since the same date.

In seconding the motion the Hon. G. M. Watebiiouse said that every Government had ignored and violated tho Civil Servioe Act of 1866, and he was astonished that the Legislature had permitted the continual treatment of the law as a dead letter by the Government. He had twice moved in the matter himself, and failed to effect a change. The second reading of the Gaming and Lotteries Suppression Bill was deferred till Thursday. A long list of papers was laid on the table, and a number of notices of motion given, and the Council adjournod at 2.45 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Fbiday, June 24. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES OP MOTION. Mr Fulton gave notice that he would ask if the Government intended to introduce a measure for the more effective suppression of wife desertion, and thereby prevent women so deserted becoming a burden on the colony. Sir G. Obey gave notice that he would, on Thursday, the 30th inst., ask for leave to introduce a Bill providing for the establishment of a better system of local self-govern-ment in New Zealand. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Taiaroa, The Hon. T. Dick said that the establishment of a school between Taumutu and Southbridge for the education of Native and European ohildren was a matter which rested with the Education Board and not with the Government, and the member was advised to make his application to that Board. Replying to Mr Taiaroa, The Hon. W, Rollbbton stated that the issue of Crown grants for awards made by Commissioner Young, on the West Coast of the Middle Island, could not be done until the land had been subdivided, which would be a work of some considerable time.

Beplying to Dr. Wallis, The Hon. J. Hall said that Government had under careful consideration the propriety of introducing this session an amended Qualification of Electors Act, 1879, in the direction of giving votes to leaseholders and ratepayers. Beplying to Mr DeLautour, The Hon. W. Bolleston said that the Aot gave full power to deal with opening land in Canterbury on lands now held under pastoral licenses or lease till May, 1882, for pastoral and deferred payment purposes. He had ordered plans and reports to be prepared of these lands, and when these were before him he would be enabled to Bay the extent of land that would be so opened, and also furnish other and more definito information on the subject. Beplying to Mr Jones, The Hon. W. Bolleston said that it was not their intention to introduce a Native Land Sale Bill this session. The question was a large one, and the Government would in all probability bring down legislation on the subject next session. HEW BILLS. Tho following Bills were introduced and read a first time: —To make provision for the Begulation and Conduct of Elections of Members of the House of Bepresentatives Corrupt Practices Prevention (Hon. W. Johnston); Masterton and Greytown Lands Management Act, 1872, Amendment (Hon. T. Diet). hew coaraaiTEß. The Hon. J. Hall moved—That a committee be appointed, to whioh shall stand referred all Bills after they shall have been read a first time, whioh shall be introduced into the House during the session, prepared by Statute Law Bevision Commission, with power to confer with any similar committee appointed by the Legislative Council, and to report. The committee to consist of Messrs Ballance, Bowen, Brandon, J. B. Fisher, Sir W. Fox, Messrs Gisborne, Pitt, Whitaker, and Stewart. The motion was put and carried. SECOND BEADING. On the motion of the Hon. W. Johnston, the Post Office Bill was read a second time. LICENSING BILL. The House went into committee on the Licensing Bill. Clause 109—Application of fees. Mr Tuhnbull moved that the clause be altered so as to make the fees colonial instead of local revenue.

The House divided on the question that the clause as printed pass ; ayes, 54 ; noes, 5. Mr Murb&y moved that packet license fees be treated as colonial revenue, and not as revenue derived from premises situated in the place where the application is granted. The clause as printed was passed. Clauses 110 to 125 were passed. Clause 126, on the motion of Sir W. Fox, was altered to read "No woman, other than the wife or daughter of the licensee, shall be employed in the bar of any licensed house for more than eight hours each day, &c." Mr Bowks moved, as a further amendment, that no female, except as aforesaid, shall with or without her consent be employed in the bar after 10 p.m. Agreed to. Clause 127 was altered so as to read prohibiting " women and young girls from drinking in rooms and places where liquor is sold, and deolaring any contract by which females are so hired null and void." Clause 129.

Sir W. Fox moved that it be altered to read " every licensed publican shall at all times, when the bar is open, be compelled to provide a supply of hot tea, coffee, and similar refreshments." Mr Bo wen drew attention to the fact that a class of houses were springing up in whioh they did not care for supplying lodgings, the bar trade being their principal aim. He hoped that steps would be taken for getting the police to exercise special supervision over all such cases. He knew of persons having been refused lodgings in such houses, and it was not reasonable to suppose that these parties could be expected to put off time in prosecuting. Mr Murray suggested that a book should be kept, in whioh travellers were allowed to enter their complaints, and that the same should be demanded for inspection by the licensing committee. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. LICENSING Bill. The Licensing Bill was further considered in committee, the amendment proposed to clause 129 being discussed and negatived. Mr Lkvestam moved as a further amendment that the clause be made to read " supply lodging, meals and 'liquors,'or accommodation to travellers." The House divided—Ayes, 25 ; Noes, 32. The clause as printed was then put and passed. Clause 134. Sir W. Fox moved that the clause be amended to read " that liquors, &c, shall only be paid for in current money or cheques drawn by the party supplied." In support of the amendment it was argued that persons of a certain class were in the habit of earning cheques for a large amount, and that they resorted to the nearest publiohouse and gave the cheques to the publican, who kept them in drink until the amount of the cheque had been, or at all events was alleged to be, exhausted, the process being known as " lambing down." The amendment was lost. Mr J. B. Fishbb, with the view of making provision for this reprehensible " lambing down " process, moved the following addition to the clause:—" No licensee shall receive payment in advance for liquor to be supplied, and any sum or monev so >said may be re»

J covered, notwithstanding the fact of the I liquor having been subsequently supplied." The amendment was adopted. Clause 154—Closing hours for licensed house. Mr Sutton moved that provision be made for opening houses between noon and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sundays j provided that the opening on that day will be at the option of the licensee, and no public bar opsning to any publio thoroughfare to be open on that day. Sir W. Fox strongly opposed the amendment, which was negatived on the voices. Clause 154 Mr Mubbay proposed a new sub-section, providing for the closing of all publio houses situated within a mile from polling boothß on election days (hiring the hours of polling. The Hon. J. Hail saii that the prohibition would be better if placed in the Election Corrupt Practices Bill. On that assurance the amendment was withdrawn. The clause was then put and carried without amendment. Clause 157 —Defining a bona fide traveller to be one residing at a distance of three miles. An amendment was proposed by Mr Bowbn that the distance be ten miles. The House divided on the question that the words remain as printed—Ayes 33, noes 18. In reply to a question put without notice by Mr Stewart, Tho Hon. J. Hall said that Government did not see its way to propose an adjournment of the House to enable members to visit the Dunedin Exhibition. If however any large number of members desired to go, Government would place the Hinemoa at their service. Clause 167—Supply of liquor to drunkards prohibited. Mr Speight moved that the words " open court be altered to court." He alluded to the injustice that exposure in open court might inflict. Mr Bastings said that these attempts to cut and carve the Bill were bound to defeat its purpose, and the Bill would never find its way at this fate into the statute book. He would, therefore, move that the chairman leave the chair. The Hon. J. Hall objected. The Bill had been before the country for the last two years, and there was a real necessity for it. He saw nothing in the proposals for amendment to lead to the belief that the prospect of passing the Bill was hopeless. Messrs Stbwabt, Pitt, and Mgntgombby could not support Mr Bastings, but at the same time they complained against the Government for not standing by their Bill, but allowing one or two members to cut it up as they liked, without the Government making any apparent resistance. Mr Babbon supposed the motion. He complained that a clause had been imported into the Bill of a most vicious nature. The Bill altogether lacked that broad basis which was so necessary for a uniform measure like the one under discussion.

The motion for leaving the chair was put and negatived. Mr J. B. Fisher moved, as a farther amendment on clause 167, that after the words in "open Court" the words "or before two justices of the peace," be added. The House divided—Ayes, 13; Noes, 35. The clause as printed was passed. The remainder of the clauses were passed without amendment.

Progress was reported, and at 12 50 the House adjourned.