PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 294, 14 September 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

House of Representatives. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30 p.m. I The Premier announced that MajorGeneral Godley, Commandant of the New Zealand forces, would leave Liverpool on 7th October, en route to the Dominion. The Gaming Amendment Bill was read a first time. In moving the second reading of the Crimes Act Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Council, Hon. G. Fowlds explained the purpose and provisions of the measure as already published. fir was glad to be associated with the Bill, which was one of the most important introduced this session. Jf eemphasiscd the necessity for improved methods in treatment of criminals and said it was only when attempts at; reforming them failed that, purely repressive measures hitherto in use should be applied under t;hc Elmira system. Only 4 per cent, of tin? criminals had returned to crime, as against 53 per cent, under the New Zealand system, and if the new scheme approached such results it would be very satisfactory. He believed the Bill would not only lessen crime and danger to society, but reclaim many lives and save a great deal of expense. Mr Allen approved the principle of the Bill. It was, however, only an extension of the present system of indeterminate sentences, and not a new system. While he favoured giving a criminal a chance, it would be wrong to abolish the punishment of those who were not amenable to reformative treatment. Regarding Elmira it was evidently some process of selection applied to inmates in that reformatory. He wanted to know on what grounds a man would be given a ten years' reformative sentence by a judge. What evidence would be relied on in giving effect to it? He considered the power under clause 4, by which magistrates could impose th roe years' reformative imprisonment very great to place in the hands of some magistrates. He criticised the proposals to utilise prison labour in orchards and teach trades which might unfairly compete with other means of earning a living. However, the purposes of the Bill was a worthy one, and the defects pointed out might be removed in Committee. Mr Taylor (Thames) considered the main proposals of the Bill did not reach the root. ot. the evil. A oetter reason should he shown for including a iudge or prison hoard. A judge's close contact with the criminal classes rendered him unsympathetic. Mr Hannan combated Mr Taylor's view regarding judges, who with lawyers, have always been to the forefront of humanitarian and democratic movements. Much could be done to help the criminal to work out his own salvation. Mr Hogg did not consider fruit growing a most suitable occupation for criminals. Providence seemed to have specialised the criminal for legal professions. It was impossible to reform hereditary degenerates. He would like (o sec the House enquire into for what crime there was a solution The labour problem would do much to lessen the ranks of the criminals. He approved of the principle of the Bill. The House rose at p.m.

EVENING SITTING. The debate on iho Crimea Bill was resumed by Mr Boole, who com batted the object ion to using prison labour in the cultiv.itin;r of hinds for fruitgrowing purposes Im t was against employing pri;-oners in occupations that compete with ordinary labour. Mr Laurenson contended that every step towards the reformation of the criminal tended to lessen crime. He generally supported the liill. Mr T." E. Taylor spoke highly of the principle of the Hill but said the abolition of the drink trade would do more than any law to root; out, crime and other social evils. He characterised the provisions to allow magistrates to impose a three, years' reformative sentence on the top of a throe months sentence as savaee, cmd condemned the power given !.o constables, many of whom wore raw youths, t.o arrest a probationer on commit.ting a breach of his license. J1 e also condemned the clause making it an indictable ofTence for a probationer to attempt to leave the Dominion. Mr Slallworthy agreed with Mr Taylor in regard to the drink traffic, and approved the. Bill as sound in principle, being based on reformative and not punitive treatment. Mr Brown alluded to the conditions recently laid down for H probationer by the Chief Justice, that the probationer should not be out after 8 p.m., and should not smoke or drink, as showing that prisoners might fare better under judges than under magistrates. Mr Kussell urged that the House should lay down the lines upon which the reformative sentences should bo passeii, so that, as far as possible, the personal equation of the judge Bhould not enter into his decision. Mr Massey strongly objected to clause I, giving magistrates the. power to impose a three years' reformative sentence upon persons under a sentence of three months, lie also objected to the power proposed to be given to magistrates lie thought, there was ample scope for prison labour at foreft tree planting, without putting it to fruit tree planting. Hon. T. Mackenzie replied that it was proposed to employ prison labour on the lands in the North Auckland district, which will not repay the cost of ordinary labour. Messrs Luke. T. Duncan, McLaren and Forbes continued the discussion. On the motion of Mr Ell the debate was adjourned. The following Bills were introduced bv Governor's message, and read:— Taranaki Scholarships Endowment (a first time); Hospital and Charitable Institutions and Tobacco Amendment Bill (second time); and the Canterbury College Amendment Bill was read a third time. The House rose at 12.15 a.m.