PARLIAMENTARY POINTS.

Otaki Mail, 3 September 1923, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY POINTS.

If we allow the Empire to go to pieces—and i do not think that will happen—but if we allowed the Empire to be disintegrated, it would be the worst thing that ever happened to humanity. We are only, comparatively speaking, getting over the late war, but not one of us will deny that the Great War, as we called it, wouu. \ be nothing to the war that would follow the ibreaking-up of the British J Empire. We have only to look at what would happen to the Indian Empire, with her population speaking two hundred languages. It would be chaos, and horrors and miseries such as this world has never seen would result. For that reason, it' for no other reason, it is our duty to keep the Empire together, and keep it in a proper state of defence. I do not ' want to suggest extremes, but 1 will say this: Sot far as the British Navy is concerned it ought to be able to hold Its own witli any other navy j I in the world.—lion. Mr Mussey. 'i

1 want lo urge, sir, that if Hie Prune Miiiisicr goes to the conference he should insist on nothing being Kepi secret from the people of the Dominion; he should also strive lor a revision of the Treaty of Versailles and for permanent "economic and political relationships with all other countries. There is no other way to escape from the present world menace except by the establishment oi such peaceful economic relationships, Wherever these relationships are established the peoples of the countries concerned are drawn closer together by their very identity of interests, arid a greater guarantee is furnished lor the maintenance of the world's peace—Mr Holland.

We hear things said In this House about the terrible laws, until one thinks New Zealand is not fit to live in Why do not the honourable gentlemen who think that get out and leave it to those who do think there is something worth while in New Zealand—lion. Sir M. Pomare.

The Crown can stand aside m a, rriminal trial as many juror's as it likes—that is to say that leg/ally and without breach oi the law counsel for the Crown can practically pack a jiirv. There is no question about that, 'l know wtial I am talking about, and 1 am not going to take back one word.-Mr Wilford.

J notice Ihat in Ihe change Ihe Minister is making he is raising the amount, of jurors' lees very considerably in proportion ; but even then t'he'amount <o be paid to a juror who will serve on a jury of twelve will oniv be 13/4 per day. whereas it will jjje 'Vol- to a juror who serves on a juiv of lour.' I cannot understand why there is a difference made between the rnian who serves on a jury of four and a man who serves on a jury of twelve.—Mr Wtlford.

f think there are certain cases in which women should have a seat on juries. . • I very much doubt whether one woman in six desires to have all women subjected to a summons to attend a Court to sit on juries in every case. There is a feeling that women should have a right to git on cases in which women are more likely to manifest sympathy and understanding than men are likely to do. . I have expressed my belief that. tlitere ought to ije some provision made for women sitting on jiffies of this special nature. Bust, undoubtedly if all women are 1o be in the same position as men, the very women we want to see sitting on juries—married women, women of experience—well, in nine cases out or ten, find it very inconvenient to leave their homes and their families and perform Ihe duties required of those who sit on juries Mr Isitti.

As a matter of fact, ii costs the Crown, or State—that is really the people who ntv friend is so concerned aibout— £U a clav to run the Supreme Court so far as the payment of jurors is ; en:.si red while i! is in session V; against, this expense we get from Hie li?iiraut. in cases where the highest amount Is involved—£soo and over—£4 per day towards that expenditure. In other words Ihe -State is losing; at the rate of £2O a day as a rosull of the jury system.—Hon. Mr Purr.

| We have to-day women filling ma?f oral chairs: women lawyers, others doctors, some even filling the chairs / in our universities, and they also have I the right to come into this House. It j has tieen said—and I believe it is ( (he feeling among the women of this country—that the law as we know it j has been made by men and is largely I administered by men and in giving I women a right to go On juries, we * are conferring upon them a right -which, to my 'mind, will to a great : extent do avi'av with this feeling (o ! which I have alluded.—Mr Monteith. The importations of tea from British possessions and from foreign countries during) last year were as follows :—We took from Ceylon 7,132,OfiO lbs of tea. and from India 836,000 lbs. or a total from the British domin- [ ions of over 7,980,000 lbs. From China we took 108,000 lbs. from Formosa I HUH) lbs, from Japan 505,000 lbs, mak- » up,' :i total from foreign countries of over G6i,000 lbs.—Hon. Mr Downie Stewart.