PARLIAMENTARY

Kumara Times, Issue 2754, 20 July 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

SCHOOL COMMITTEES ELECTION! BILL. The House went into Committee on the 15th inst., on the School Committees Election Bill, which was passed without amendment. Mr Downie Stewart moved the following new clauses :—" On the hearing of any information or complaint under the Education Act, 1877, for an order to send children or a child to a public school, or for the recovery ot a penalty in respect thereof, the onus shall be on the parent or guardian of such children or child, of showing that such children or child have or has attended, or are or is attending a public school, in accordance with the requirements of the said Act, or that such children or child are or is exempt from such attendance thereunder."—Agreed to. " A certificate under the hand of the Chairman, or person acting as Chairman, of a School Committee setting forth the name of the clerk or member of the Committee by whom the proceedings in the last preceding section shall have been commenced shall be conclusive evidence that such clerk was duly appointed, and that such member was duly elected, and it shall not be competent in any such proceedings to inquire into or dispute the election of the person acting as member ot' the School Committee."—Agreed to. Mr Downie Stewart moved a further new clause providing that each child should attend school on thirty days in each quarter term.—Agreed to. POLICE OFFENCES AMENDMENT BILL. The Wellington correspondent of the Press reports, on the 15th inst. : " Mr Fisher's Police Offences Amendment Bill is of a drastic character, and proposes to inflict a penalty of six months' imprisonment with hard labor upon any person who is the occupier of any house or place which is frequented by reputed thieves, prostitutes, or persons who have no visible lawful means of support, who shall be deemed an idle and disorderly person, and to be keeping a disorderly house. The Bill further provides that any person found in any such house, room, or place as aforesaid in company with any such reputed thieves, prostitutes, or persons who does not give a good account of his lawful means of support, and also of his being in such house, room, or place upon some lawful occasion, shall be deemed an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of said Act, and shall be liable to imprisonment for any time not exceeding three months. Any person who appears to be the master or mistress of such house so frequented is liable to punishment, and any offence herein described may be dealt with summarily by two Justices of the Peace or Resident Magistrate."