PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 192, 23 August 1900, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

dkJDSE OF BEPRESENTATIVES.

[PBB RU9SS ASSOOIAT OK.

Whwesday, August 22. I The Home met at 2.30 p.m. LBAVB OF ABSENCE. Mr. A. L. D. Eraser has been! granted one week's leave of absence, QUESTIONS. Mr, Hogg asked whether the Government would take steps to have the Family Bible, said to have been looted bom the Transvaal, and new in the Wanganui Museum, returned to the owners.

Mr. Hall-Jones said the Government had no knowledge on the subject, but now that their attention had been called to the matter they would make enquiries with a view to the Bible being returned to the owner. Replying to further questions, the Ministers said that prisoners had not commenced work on Mount Cook with a view to the building there being converted into barracks, but that temporary arrangements were being made for the accommodation of members of the permanent artillery, and for the field battery shortly to arrive. Mr. Fisher asked if the Government •would give precedence to the motion for challenging the Speaker's ruling on the subject of the judges given during the debate on the second reading of the Sapreme Court Judge Appointment Bill. Mir Ward replied that fee reipognieed the importance of. the quesnKen, and upon the return of Mr Seddon he would give a dtfioite reply. In reply to Mr Meredith, who asked to what extent the Government was " responsible for the audit of accounts of the Bank of New Zealand, in reference to the case of embezzlement of MSS3 ""by officials of the Bank at Rangiora, Mr Ward said the Government was not responsible. That, apart from the Auditor, the Inspector's department was responsible for the detail audit of branch bank accounts. In any case the bank would not be a leser, as the guarantee fund would bear the defi-:-p<Beney.

- In reply to a series of questions, finishing by a request that the Government would hold a further enquiry into the management of the Stoke Industrial School, Mr. Hall-Jones said the '• evidence taken at the recent enquiry would shortly be in the hands of the Government, and it would be desirable to wait until then before giving a definite reply to the request. Replying to other questions, the Ministers said they did not intend to introduce legislation with the object of removing all civil and political disabilities of women, believing that women did not desire such a measure; that the Government did not propose to reimburse the Co-operatjve dairy companies for the income tax paid on last ) ear's return, but that the tax would not be I imposed in future; that the Government would enquire into the alleged offer by the late Horn John Ballance to I aefe aside 50,000 to 100,000 acres of land as an endowment to the New Flymouth Harbour. * CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY TAX. Mr. Hornsby moved the adjournment of the House, contending that the answer of Ministers to the question with regard to reimbursing Co-opera-tive Dairy Companies for the Income Tax on last year's return was unsatisfactory, g, Mr. Ward said that the Government tolly recognised the importance of the dairy industry, but such a thing as returning taxation was unprecedented. The taxation hitherto levied on Cooperative Dairy Factories would, he said, not be repeated. After further discussion, the motion for adjournment was lost. OLABBIFICATION OF PRISONERS. , Mr. Collins moved," That the House is of opinion that the absence of a proper system of classification' of prisoners in the gaols of the colony • h detrimental alike to the prisoners themselves, and the best interests of the colony; and tbat it is the duty of the Government to effect a change' in the present conditions by introducing an improved system of classification of . prisoners. ' Mr. McGowan said that to carry out * system of classification in all the email gaols of th« colony would entail an enormous expenditure. A system of classification was carried out as far as possible at present. The motion was agreed to. THE SPEAKEK'S RULING. Mr. Fisher moved a motion to the effect that the ruling of the Speaker during the debate on the Supreme Court Judge Appointment Bill, that a member of Parliament, or Parliament itself, may not discuss every phase of the conduct of a judge of the Supreme Court, is an abrogation of the Parlia- ' mentary and constitutional rights of members of the House. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

- EVENING BITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. ! \mabriage with deckased hus"v band's bkother. i THb Deceased Husband's Brother Marriafee Bill was committed. On Clause V5 —marriage with deceased brother permissible —Mr. W. Thomson thougftt the House should be careful about' making the Bill retrospecti»e. ) Mr. J. Alßen moved to strike out the rproviao" provided that this Act shall

not render valid any such marriage in any case where either of the parties to such marriage shall thereafter, before the passing of this Act have lawfully intermarried with any other person, nor shall the passing of this Act deprive or be held to have deprived any person of any property which such person may have lawfully inherited prior to the coming into operation of this Act, or effect any lis pendens. The motion was lost by 34 to 7. The Bill was reported without amendmtnt, DISTRIOT COURTS. The District Courts Act, 1858, Amendment Bill was committed. Mr. McGowan thought the Bill went too far and moved an amendment restricting the operation of the Bill to offences punishable by not more than seven years, which amendment the member in charge (Mr. Hogg) agreed to accept. Mr. Wilford considered the Bill a most dangerous one and hoped it would be consigned te oblivion. It did away with the grand jury system to which he) objected.

Mr. Laurenson condemned the system of legal procedure, its expense and slow progress, and looked upon the grand jury as an obsolete system. Mr. Napier said he would oppose the Bill as conferring too much power upon District Judges, while he sympathised with the proposal to, in some measure, extend the jurisdiction of District Courts. Mr. Lewis moved to report progress, which was carried by 34 to 23. COMPULSORY SCHOOL DRILL. The State School Children Compulsory Drill Bill was committed. Mr. Hall-Jones pointed out that the proposals of the Government indicated that they were taking such steps as would meet the object of the Bill. Mr. Gilfedder was of opinion that the increased capitation grant proposed to be given by the Government was required to keep teachers' salaries up to a fair standard. Unless the Government provided funds for the payment of drill instructors, the provisions of the Bill could not be carried out by Education Boards.

In clause 2, Mr. Willis moved to include girls to be taught military and physical drill. Mr. Symes pointed out that, to earry out the Bill, it would be necessary that teachers should be so trained in drill that tbey would be competent to impart instruction.

j Mr. Hogg objected to the inference in the Bill that Eduoation Boards were not doing their duty in failing to impart military drill, at any rate as far as Wellington was concerned.

Mr. Hone Heke contended that native children should also be taught drill.

Mr. Meredith said the operation of the Bill would cost £6500 annually, add asked the Government if they were prepared to grant that amount. The additional sum promised by the Government to the Education Boards would all be required to place teachers' salaries on a reasonable footing. (Left sitting.)