PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 57, 23 October 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

,. ,3* LECISLAiiV COUNCIL. JTflB PRKBS ABBr>OIAIWIV.J Wellington, October 22. ( Die Council met at 2.30 p.m. The R .ad boards Amendment, Muni. cipal Corporation Amendment, and \\ orkers' Dwellings Act Amendment bills were read a first time. Hon. H. i). Bell moved the third reading cf th.> .National Provident Fund Amendment Bill. Hon Samuel said tiie Bill would be a benefit until the friendly societies were satisfied that the work thsy had undertaken could be better done by the State.—The debate was adjourned.

The Road' Boards Amendment Bill and the Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill were lead a third time, am! passed. The Council rose at 4.40 p.m.

house of representa:<ve&

The House met at 2.30 p.m

In reply to Sir .Joseph Ward, the Premier stated that the Government had not yet considered the necessity of instructing the . Huntly Disaster Commission to inquire into charges oi intimidation. A decision would b< come to hefore the Commission reported, i

The amendments made in the Local Railways Bill by the Legislative, Council were agreed to.

The House went into committee on the Legislature Amendment Bill Xo. 2. Hon. Fisher issued.an.Order Paper, containing an alteration in the voting of seamen, who, it is now proposed, shall vote in the electorate in which they signed their articles. EVENING SESSION! , In the evening in committee, the House continued the discussion of the Legislature Amendment Bill. No. 2. The Opposition severely criticised the proposal to alter the method of recording seamen's votes, the burden of the argument being that the change was made entirely in the interests of the -Minister of Marine and the member for Auckland West. Si; - Joseph Ward contended that the Bill connived at depriving the seamen of a privilege which they had enjoyed since 1893. He moved, as an amendment to the title, "that this is an Act to deprive the seamen of New Zealand from exercising their votes with the same freedom that has existed since the passing of the Act in 1893."

Hon. Fisher said the proposed amendment was made for the purpose of preventing seamen improperly using the privileges which they enjoyed.

After Messrs Wilford, Bradney. and Miller had spoken, a divison was taken upon the amendment, which was defeated by 3G.to 28.

Clause 3 was amended to provide for one month's residence for qualification to exercise a vote.

A new clause, 7a, was added, providing that seamen shall 'be deemed to be an elector of the district comprising the port at which he signed .arfccles, and that any seaman not engaged upon a ship be deemed to be an elector of the district comprising the port at which he was last discharged. Mr McCombs moved ah amendment providing for the election of women to . the House.

The Premier objected to the claxise and said it was- quite a different thing from the clause passed last night giving women the right to sit in the Legislative Council. Mr Isitt said: "When we gave the women the franchise it carried with it the right to represent their fellow citizens."

The Premier repled that Sir George Grey was regarded as the great apostle of.- Liberalism, I>ut while he was in favor of womw becoming good and useful members of the revising chamber "he was never in favor of their becoming members of the Lower House.

Mr Witty strongly supported the amendment, saying that it was an honest' and logical sequence of the franchse.

On a division being taken, the clause was rejected by 29 to 27. The Bill was then reported from committee.

The Premier proposed to take the third reading. Sir Joseph Ward protested against the dogmatic proceeding of the Government in driving tho Bill through, saying that no one had asked for the measure, which was a pure reprisal against the seamen and was being promoted for party reasons. , The Premier replied that it was unfair to allow seamen to concentrate their votes in any one electorate for the purpose of crushing a particular candidate. « The debate was continued by Messrs Witty and McCombs. After the Telegraph Office closed this morning, the Hon. Mr Fisher repjied in debate on the thyd reading of the Legislature Amendment Bill Xo. 2, and the Bill passed without division. The Native Land Act Amendment Bill, Kauri Gum Act Amendment, and tho Inspection of Machinery Act Amendment were introduced by Governor's Message and read a first tun*. The House rose at 2.22 a.m.