PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 384, 5 August 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at (.1 p.m. The Hon. John Harr, after briefly referring to Imperial affairs admitted there were reasons why some ;uTsnns should object to universal military training, but considered that the youth of New Zealand required discipline. He referred to the necessity fo. c;iucmt i n f_r our girls in the mailer of domestic duties?. They should lie more useful than ornamental. He eomplniivd that of the girls assisted to come to the Dominion, many were not qualified for their work', arid some, he was sorry to say, were undesirable. Someone should be sent Home to supervise the immigration, an.i see that, the right class were sent out. Pealing witli the question of arbitration and conciliation, he did not think wholesale criticism of the Judge was justified. What was wanted was som>=-

| thing to strengthen the conciliation portions of the Act. He did not consider the Judge should have the powers he possessed. Where agreement had been arrived at by both parties these should be law. He thought the time had arrived when there should Lie radical alteration in the Arbitration Court. I-]xpert." should be appointed to deal yvith the special matters referred to the Court. The Hon. Jenkinson took strong exception to Mr Herd man's reference to the character of the Legislative- Council, dealing with the latter* speech at. Wunganui a few days ago, and said the words wired were not fit (o be repeated in the Council. He, with others, regretted the circumstances leading to the retirement of Mr Mac Donald from the Council, but thought that if his example was followed in regard to one other member, he thought the majority of the Council would be pleased. The Speaker here called the Hon. Jenkinson to order, on the ground that his remarks might be considered as a reflection upon a member of the Council.

The Hon. Jenkinson. referring to other subjects, objected to the appointment of foreign consuls or consular agents t:o the Council. Referring to the honours conferred by the Kin?:, generally speaking, he had no objection, where the honours were earned, but he took exception to the title conferred upon Sir John Findlay. He regretted having to speak in this strain. The Speaker again calied the Hon. member to order, and he promptly acquiesced in the ruling, remarking that he would deal with the matter when Sir John Findlay returned. Referring to the Governor's speech, he regretted the Government had not announced a bold policy. For unsatisfactory results be blamed the Imperial Conference, the only tangible result, of which was the setting up of a commission to enquire into the commercial relations between the oversee, dominions and the Motherland. The debate was adjourned and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIEYS.

Replying to Mr Massey, the Acting Premier said the Government h;ui noticed a cablegram in the papers concerning a proposal that France should concede Tahiti to Germany, in return for a free hand in Morocco. It had the matter under consideration, and would take such steps an were deemed advisable. Probably the other Colonial Governments would be communicated with, in order to ascertain what steps they proposed to take with a view to concerted action in the matter.

The debate on the address-in-reply was resumed by Mr llogg. who while congratulating Sir A. R. Guiness and Sir James Carroll upon the honours conferred upon them, said he preferred to reserve judgment, on the acceptance by Sir Joseph Ward <.' i a baronetcy. He pleaded for consideration by the Government of the Rimutaka deviation, which was im portant to the people- between Napier and We'lington. Mr Seddon complained of the. lack of railway enterprise on the West Coast, es])ccial!y towards the. rich forest country in the south. Mr Jennings having replied, the ad-dress-in-ieply was adopted. The Hon. Geo. Fowids moved the second reading of the Mental Defectives Rill, which he explained dealt not only with lunatics, but with mentally defective people. The danger of allowing these latter at largo was their fertility, which was greater than that of strong-minded members of the community. The Bill provided for an annual report on all case*. Mr Massey approved of the principle of the Bill. Referring to a newspaper paragraph regarding overcrowding at Avondale Asylum, he said if correct it disclosed a shocking state of affairs, amounting to a public, scandal. The House adjourned at fi.MO p.m. EVENING SITTING.

The "debate on the Mental Defectives Bill was resumed by Mr Massey, who considered the condition of Avondale Asylum a case for a Koyal Commission lie had received a letter from ail ex-patient now cured, stating that when patients were first admitted they were sent to the refractory ward, which was the closest imitation of Hell imaginable. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds declared this was not the practice.

Mr G. M. Thomson said it was very necessary to make provision for the proper care of" mentally defective children.

Mr Fisher urged that before, the Gill was put on the Statute s Book it. should be referred to a committee which would examine expert, witnesses

Mr Taylor suggested that Hospital Boards and school committees might, do something to draw the attention of the people to the necessity for early treatment of mental trouble s in children.

Mr Laurenson complimented the Minister on introducing another Bill for bettering the conditions of the unfortunates, and remarked upon the fact that thirty years ago the proper-

tion in mental institutions was 1 to 1530 and now it was 1 io I Mr Clark suggested (hat the Eugenic [ Society be cnijxnv. red to visit and rcj port, upon the feeble minded, i After further d'.'-cussiop, the Hon. ' Geo. Eowlds replied, poiulmg out the : circumstances n-spon: >nie lor tins preI sent position. I!'' admitted that, the Avondale. Asylum was I'.vivnmvdeil, and tiv 0 month:- age he mid taken step." to have a n w huiMmg elected, and within a few month:' the position would hi' relieved The Hill was ie:e! .1 second time, | and the 11 ouse rose at 11 p.m.