THURSDAY.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 113, 1 August 1885, Page 3

THURSDAY.

In Committee. Most of the afternoon sitting was taken up in committee on private bills. Among the measures committed were the Otago Harbour Board Leasing Bill (Mr Ross) and the Dunedin Cattle Market Reserve Leasing Bill (Mr Stewart). In the first-nemed measure the following important new clause was introduced by Mr Downie Stewartand passed : "No tenant of the Otago Harbour Board is disqualified from being a member thereof, but any member voting on any subject in which he is personally interested will be liable to a penalty not exceeding £50, to be recovered in a summary way by anyone who shall sue for the same." Bpth bills were, reported, and passed the third readings.

! Wanganui Harbour Bill. ! Mr Bak.akce moved the second reading lof the Wangantii Harbour Bill, the object of which is to enable £40,000 to be borrowed on a special rate. He said it was believed .that by the expenditure asked for therd would be 20 feet of water on tha bar, and the harbour would be capable of taking in vessels trading to Home ports. ' The second reading was carried without division.

Patea Harbour Bill. . Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Patea Harbour Board Bill, explaining that it aimed at re- constructing the Board, and extending its operations. % ' The 'second reading was carried without discussion. Bills Reported.

The following measures were reported with amendments, read , a third, i time,, and passed :•— Presbyterian Church Property Bill (Hon. Mr Stout), Seamena' Represent*-

tion (Mr Brtjoe), Rating Aot Amendment (Mr TuBNBULji), Impounding Aot Amendment (Mr Stewart), „ ■ . , : - ••

, Evasion of Succession Dttty. < , Mr O'CALiAOHAN moved "for a return (1) of the names otjall persons who have since '20th July, 1883,' evaded succession 1 * duty by deeds of gift. (2) fiivthe net amount lost to the public revenue by such action specifically in each case. (3) Of the names of all persons "who have paid succession duty during the same period. (4) Of the net amount paid from this source tp the. public revenue for that time.'' " ' ," 'On Mr Montgomery's 'motion-' the' Word "escaped" was substituted for " evaded," and for, .the ."names of all •persoqs," t.he words "number of persons" was' substituted. The motion, as amended, was then carried by 32 to 28. ' . .

Hours of Polling. Mr Barron moved the second, moling of his Hour? of Polling Bill, the object of which is to extend 1 the hours of polling from, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. He explained that since. the bill] was before the House last session he had j made ite provisions more elastic b/ making | it meet thos ( e constituencies. who- were in favour of changing the hoarp of .polling.;- • Mr- Peacock f eaid hp 'thought half-an-hour's extension would be suflftcjens, and in committee he would' move that the hour of closing, be 6.30. -•-.', Mr' Buckland opposed th.c measure,, which was absolutely encouraging plural^ voting. Hours of polling should be uniform throughout the colony. He advocated that the polling day be proclaimed a public holiday, and that all the public-houses be closed on polling days. (Hear.) He concluded his remarks by proposing that the bill be read a Becond time that day six months. Messrs Thomson, Newman, Dargavillo, Fulton, and Buchanan supported the measure, and Messrs Samuel and Bevanj opposed it. I The second reading of the measure was carried by 38 to 33.

Licensing BUI. The secend reading of Mr Steward's Licensing Act Amendment Bill was carried by 36 to 26.

Juvenile Accidents Prevention. On proceeding to the next order, "Juvenile Accidents Prevention Bill," Mr Hatch asked that as the measure appeared to be impracticable it be discharged. Agreed to.

Hawkers and Pedlars Bill. In moving the second reading of his " Hawkers and Pedlars BilJ," Mr Sebron said that it proposed to make two classes of licenses, one to be issued by borough or county, and the other a general or district license. The fee would be £2 for a general license (£5 if without horse or conveyance), and £10 if with. The second reading was carried without division.

I Sale of Poisons. ! On the motion for going into Committee ! on the Sale of Poisons Bill, Sir Geo. Grey said at present the Pharmacy Board were possessed of powers which were most dangerous to the country, and most unfair. They might throw difficulties in the way of 1 allowing any person to sell drugs in the colony, and now they sought to increase those powers by asking permission to control the sale of drugs. After the House had gone into Com- - mittee, Sir George Gbey moved that the worda "On tho rocommondation of the Pharmacy Board of .New Zealand,", be" struck out of clause 1, which was carried on the voices. The effect of the amendment is that the power to regulate the sale of poisons con-, tinues to be vested in the Governor-in--Council as heretofore. . ■ > The Minister fob. Justice suggested to the member for Invercargill to report progress with the view of reconsidering the bill and having it drafted afresh, and Mr Hatch agreed to the suggestion.

Financial Arrangements The second reading of the Financial Arrangements Act Amendment Bill (Mr Johnston) was agreed to without debate.

Eight Hours Bill. Mr Bradsuaw moved the second reading of the Eight Hours Bill. It provided' that eight hours should be a day's work, and 48 hours a week's work. It also provided that in cases where there was a special contract in writing, thehours could be extended. Mr Kerr opposed the bill, and did not see how any vane man in the House could agree to it. He moved that the bill be read a second time six months hence. Mr TuRNBULii recognised in the bill an attempt to fix the price of labour, and in Committee he should move to that effect. The Minister for Works asked how the mover proposed to get over the large number of persons engaged in railway workshops, who could not possibly be brought within its provisions. The Premier hoped the House would recognise that eight hours was a proper day's work. In the country districts, where people worked in the open air, longer hours were not so objectionable as in towns, where the physical well-being, especially of young people, was likely to become very much injured unless the hours were restricted. Mr W. F. Buckland said that the employed in New Zealand wore better off than their employers. He deprecated .the cry raised by so many members in favour of the poor working man. On the question "that the till be nowread a second time>" the voting was : Ayes, 21 ; Noes, 34. ' The secorid reading was consequently lost, and the amendment carried on the voices.

Distress BUI. On Mr Garrick moving that the Speaker do leave the chair, Mr Ivess said he soon hoped to see distress for rent done away with altogether. Landlords should not be put on a different footing from traders. In Committee, the bill was considered, and Mr Ivess moved in the direction of the abolition of distress altogether. Only five others voted with him, while 45 were opposed to the proposed amendment. In Clause 6 an exemption from distress for rent of £25 was carried. An amendment was proposed in the clause, "No distress for more than six months' rent," to insert the, words, "one year" instead of "six months." Agreed to. Some new clauses were adopted, and the bill Was reported with amendments.

Licensing Act Amendment' Bill. Major Steward moved the second rea'd^ ing of the Licensing Act Amendment ' Bill." He explained that in proposing .that all adult residents were to have the righkto vote, he conceived there were.no .persona more concerned in the liquor traffic than women. It was undesirable that ohildren of tender yearß should be sent t6 publicihouaes to obtain liquor to cai:ry - Anotjhqr. im- j portant principle was "that when any] Licensing Committee proposed .to refuse a' renewal pi the license ori.th^ ground that \t, was not required, tne licensee might demand ' a poll of the ratepayers in the district.' 'This, he contended, was a fair" and reaßonable' thing. Triennial elections of Committee was another important alteration,

The 1 PafckiEß .opposed the bill, whioh^aj peared to bV : c6nc«ived in the interests c thej Licensed: „The -presen Licensing Aofcwas working very well, . Tern perance people were satisfied that it wa doinggodaVbirtCf and opposition came onl; from^u^cans;; -Nothing but a sjiern sens,i of duty ha&caused him to moye 1 that! th< bill be'reM a tirhejthat day' 6h months. "> * "*' > s wj ' ' ■ • * j Mr, Mpss denied 'thas' the .bill, wftfl, con ceived in fhe interest of the trad^,' and* said that as onfe defeirlng'to seo r fair' play-to ali Seoplej/hej should aupport it. f 'The-clauses ealing w f jth -the appeal required • careful consideration. ' ' ' . ' ' ■•- Mr FutrbN'-only agree'ti -with the measure in sq far- as. it extended the right to vote to women, Mt "Samuel said that the present Licensing. Act' inflicted the greatest injustice and hardship on certain individuals, who were liable to be ruined without a hearing before 'a fair and' impartial tribunal; • The mother 1 -" members who spoke, were 'MesBrs v pTJN<3A]SF, Thomson, Fisher, Bevaw, JPfiAoooK;'in support of the second reading, and MessW Hatch and Hobbs in favour of the^am'endto&ntl Qo the «diy|ejkin on the question that the bill bp now read, .the, voting was— Ayes, ■36; n6es, M '^s. " Subjoined is the division list.—' *" . Ayes, "'36: Ballance, Beetham, Bruce, Bupha^an, Ciidman, Cowan, Dargayille, Fitzherbert; Fraser, Gore, Grey, GMhnesB, Holmes, , tves§, Joyce, Larnach, LeveBtatW, -L6cke, MacandVew, ' McArthur, McKenzie, "Moss, O'Callaghan, Pyke, B. Richardson, G. F. Richardson, Samuel, Smith, W. J. Steward, T. Thompson, Tole, Turnbull, Walker, W. White, J. B. Whyte. Woes, 26 : Atkinson, Barron, Bevan, Bradshaighßradshaw, Bryce, W. F. Buckland, Fulton, Hakuone, Hatch, H. Hirat, Hobbs, W. J. Hurst, Lake, M. J. S. Mackenzie, Moat, Montgomery, Newman, Peacock, Pratt, Reese, Koss, Stout; Sutter, J". W. Thomson, Tole, Trimble, Wakefield. Pairs — Ayes : Allwright, Lance, Dodson, \ Johnston. Noes : Wilson, Rolleston, J. C. Buckland, Hamlin. The bill will be committed on Thursday, August 13th. The House rose at 1,40 a.m.