PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1928, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

(By Telegraph--Press Association). THE COUNCIL ■WELLINGTON, September 20. The Legislative Council met at ‘2.50 p.m. yesterday. The London and New Zealand Bank Limited Hill was received from the Special Committee with amendments. The Agricultural and Pastoral Committee reported the Auctioneers’ Bill with amendments. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee'!' withoilt amendments, and was put' through the final stages and passed, j The Cinematograph Films Bill was received from the House and read a first time. 1

Inspection of. Machinery Bill was put through the final stages and passed, with amendments nijuie by the Labour Bills Committee. i‘ ’

New Zealand Citizens Bill was read a. second time, hut at the request of the Leader of the Council, Sir Robert Stout, the promoter of the measure, •agreed not to press it further this session, as Sir F. D. Bell saw certain objections in it. The Council adjourned at 3.40 p.m.

THE HOUSE. ALL-NIGHT SITTING. The House of Representatives spent the greater part of the afternoon sitting transacting foVmal ' business, including the introduction of several new bills. The Minister of Public Works la* on the table the Public Works Statement and Estimates, which will be discussed on Friday or Monday. A STONEWALL. Tho House then went into committee on tlie Mental Defectives Bill, to which strong opposition immediately developed, the opponents of the measure urging the Government to defer the bill till next session. The Prime Minister stated tlie hill was a policy measure and would have to he passed. j The opposition then took the form o 1! an undoubted “stonewall,” and - fit 7 •l.m. only fifteen clauses had been passed.' The House then adjourned till 9 a.m. when consideration of the hill will he resumed.

TO-DAY’S SITTING. WELLINGTON, Sep. 26. When the Committee resumed at 9 o’clock, Mr Sullivan asked what provision was made for assisting poor parents to appeal against registration of their children under clause 17. The Minister, in reply, saul it would he his duty to frame regulations governing these proceedings. It was his hlea that such cases he heard by a Judge in Chambers. Counsel would not he encouraged to go there as advocates, because it would he entirely a matter of arriving at the facts. It was Ins intention that parents would not have to bear any part ol the expense of such appeals. The-clause was passed. The Minister announced he proposed !:o withdraw clause 21, prohibiting the marriage of' persons registered undei the foregoing provisions of the Act. •uul this was agreed to, preliminary to the withdrawal of clause 25 dealing with sterilisation. Clause 25 was subsequently withdrawn. Discussing the final clause, the Minister said the class of society which Government proposed to recognise was that known as “ Alter Care Society, but nothing definite was decided yet. The societies selected would he high class social service societies. Several members urged the exclusion of the “busybody” from interference with those who came under the Act. Mr Lysnar moved a new clause to facilitate the discharge of patients from Mental Hospitals, and which the Minister would not accept, and this completed the Committee stage.