PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 211, 12 September 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PEK PRESS ABSOCIATIOK. ♦ LEGISLATIYE COUNCIL. Wednesday, 11th September. The Council met at 2.30. Oa *fehe motion of the Minister for Education, the Council unanimously paiasd a ro.olution asserting its detestation nt the nt?emp'«d assassination of President KcKinley. The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand Bill passed its final shagse. Hon. 0. 0. Bowen asked the Minister fcr -Education whether railway carriages recently imported from America had been built according to specifica'ions sent from New Zealand, and whether faulty construction bad occasioned considerable expend to the Department. Tho Minister replied that the carriages were built absolutely according to specifications. There had been some expense in testing the fit of a'l the wheels on the axles, but this ex r» tes'ing expense was borne by the buildeis, not by the Department. The Pbysicial Drill in Publio and Native Schools Bill (which is the new title of a Bill which was introduced into tho Lower House by Mr Guinness, and passed under the title of the State Sch ol Children's Drill Bill), was considered in committer, and reported without material amendment

lii moving the second reading of hU Oigirette Smoking by Youths Prohibition Bill, the Hoo. A. Pitt Mid that cigarette smoking had greatly increased' of later ye«re, and whatever the effect might be on adults, it was their duty to prevent the evil effects of the praotioe on boys. The Minister for Education supported the Bill, and eiid the great danger to youthful smoker* was that they started with cigarettes in* stnad of pure tobacco. The Bill pro* Tided that the boy should to whipped af >er the third offence It would be more juet to whip the vecdor. In coarse of the debate whioh followed, several Councillors objected to the punishment of whipping being inflicted, and Hod* Feldwick, who taok • similar view, moved a hostile amend* ment that the Bill be (fad a atoond time that day three months. The debate was ndj turned, and the Oounofl rose at 4.55.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Wednesday, 11th Sira-ann. Tho Housi met at 2.30. Tbe breach of privilege committed by the Dunedin Star was further considered, Mr M< Oowan's mo'ion to amend the Premier's reso'ution by striking out tbe words declat ing that th» expression of regret made by Mr A. E. Oohen be accepted by tbe Houso "as fatisfao* tory " was agreed to on the voices. Hon. Hall-Jones then moved to ther amend the Premier's motion to provide that on payment of £ls, the House proceed no further in the matter. This gave rise to another long debate, in the course of which severe] members said that if s nominal fin* bad been proposed in the first insUnoe, all this great waste of time would have been avoided. Mr Seddon denied that there bad been any bungling on the part of the Leader of the House, and said if to much party and pereoatl feeling had not been imported into tbe matter, hit original motion would have been agr-ed to by a largo majority. Ojrotion wat also raised to Hon. Hall-Jones's motion that it did not make clear who was to pay the fine, and a complaint was made by several members that Mr Ojhen in his letter to the Speaker lectured the House, and did not expresa any feelings of regret. Mr Seddon said he regarded Mr Cohen's letter as an expression of regret. The d< bite was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

Evknibio firrrura.

The House resumed tt 7.80. ! Mr Lang moved an amendment that the words " accept the letter of Mr Cohen" be substituted for ta* words "accept the expression of regret. " in the Premier's motion.

The was carried on thw whole question on aim lar lines to its earlier stages. Mr Seddon said tho Hon. Hill-Jones's amendment, if oarrlet, would &ja effect to the desires of majority oF ntembei s, and he 4f pr'otted the waste of time, He said a certain section of member* hadstroogly objected to Mr Cohen's letter, on tho ground that in it he flaunted the. House, but the«e members were now supporting an amendment that tbJn s«me If tar be accepted. Eventually at 1110, Mr lao|'« atmwdment was negatived by 85 vote* to 21.

Hon. Hal -Jbn»e amendment wt> [then put and otrri<d by 34 to 19. I Mr G. J. Smith Mid he considered .the Premier's motion as nm«nded wu inoomplet , and do a credit to the Hous-. Re thetefore moved a further amendment th .t the fine be pa>d by Mr J. G. Moody, publisher of the Dtroedin Star, such payment to ba made within fl J ven .lays fiom rVe. He did not thjsik Mi t>t cal<eJupunto pay iliefin ■, usthe Premier's resolution referred to the publication of tha evidence.

Mr Seddon said he did not »grw wir h this aineodmeht. He twitted the Opposition and other members who having supported Mr Fisher's motion for the infliction of a fine, and tbea voting against Hon. Hal)-Jones's. motion for a fine of £ls, The person who should be looked to to pay tb» fine had been deliberately omitted frose the motion, as it was not sought t» cist a reflection on anyone in particular.