Huntly Parliament.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 48, 25 July 1913, Page 2

Huntly Parliament.

| The house again met on ! Monday lust at 7.30, a good j number of members being I present. i After the records of the last J meeting were read and confirmed, questions put and answered, the house proceeded with the debate on the 3rd reading cf the “ Amendment t > the Licensing Act” brought in by the Hon Minister for Justice. The Premier pointed out that this was a private member’s bill, ! and the Government did not | acknowledge it as a party j measure. The members for Fiunklin, ! Ohinewai and R ingiriri spoke ; against the bill as not being ! beneficial to the country, while ; the Minister for Customs claimed it should pass on the principal of equality of votes. The arguments were much on the same lines as given by the 1 members at the first and second readings of the bill, but from the the outset of tli9 sitting the motion seemed doomed to failure. The Hon member who intro- , duced this bill in his final speech , ; g vve bis arguments clearly, and ; | is to be congratulated on his able I handling of the measure, which ' was marked with sound and 1 instructive argument, as also the > criticisms from the members. The division resulted, for the ■ bill 9—against 27 the motion therefore being lost. The Address in Reply to the Governor's speech was moved by the Hon Minister for Railways, ■ who put the policy of the Govern- , ment clearly beforo the house, : and was ably seconded by the Hon Minister for I.abour. The proposed reforms (or otherwise) on the Land question and Railways were much criticize 1 by the Member for Franklin and the M unber for | Orotia, the latter member also speaking strongly on the need for ' an urgent and full enquiry, and decisive action on the part of the Government in the matter of the ’ epidemic that is at present abroad in the country. The Hen. Member also d eprecated the strict adherence that members on both sides of the 1 house had hitherto given to their respective parties, whe»e deci- ' sions, he suggested had been given against their convict ons, and he trusted that this would be less markedly shewn in the future discussions in the House, and that while rec >gnising their ■ obligation to stand by the policy 1 to which they had pledged them- ' selves, they would give their support to all sound measures brought before the House. He congratulated the Premier i on his choice of Ministry in which the Hon Member for Waikato also concurred, j The adj Hirnment was moved i by the Hon Member for Waikato I and seconded by the Premier. The meeting was marked by its sound arguments and pithy remarks, every member who spoke being accorded a patient hearing, while the interjections were given and taken in true parliamentary spirit.