PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 223, 3 October 1901, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

PFR PRESS ASSOCIATION

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Weoni sda.y, 2nd October.

. The Council met at 2,30. p.m. The recommendation of the Public t Petitions Committee that the Government should favourably consider the j petition of Wellington and Christchurch grocers in favour of prohibiting the insertion of coupons in tei packets was agreed to on the voices. Hon. A. Pitt moved for a return showing money to credit of the land tßSurancefund account under the i Transfer Act, and showing how ac- . cumu'a'ions of the fund should be disposed of. He stated that there h'd bsen a few claims for errors in the administration of the Act against the j pfSL-rauce fund, money from which had been appropriated to colonial purposes; and as the land dealt with was taxed to support, the fund the tax should be reduced. Hon. W. C. Walker admitted the question was a pertinent one. The return was agreed ti. The Smoking by Youths Prohibition Bill and Law Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. The Counties Act Amendment Bill ipvsed through committee Without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. Discussion in committee ( on the Statutes Compilation Bill turned on the issue of compilation versus consolidation. Eventually a motion by Hon. C. C. Bowen, that the chairman leave the chair was carried by 15 to 13, the Bill thns being killed. Hon. A. Pitt moved the committal of tbe Shops and Offices Bill providing ! for the closing of chemist shops on halfholidays, etc. Hon. S. E. Shrimski opposed the Bill in the interest of humanity, and moved that it be committed this day three months. -The amendment was negatived by 24 to 11, and the Bill passed through committee. The Rabbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill was reid a second time' pro forma, and the Council rose at 4.50 p.m. ..H' : ; ij .■'• ' :: !:■ | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Evenins Sitting. Tuesday, Ist October. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The vote for Miecallaneous Servic s of the Justice Department passed unaltered. At the vote for Prisons, .£50,886, several members drew attention to increased cost of medicel comfort?, clothing, and bedding in the Wellington prison as compared with that in Auckland. Replying to several members Hon. J. McGowan considered that Mr had taken tbe wrong method of obtaining an inquiry into the management of Wellington Gaol. The Visiting Justices had never made any complaint as to the disparity between outlay on medicine aH medical [comforts in Auckland and Wellington Gaols. With regard to sending children, lunatics, and drunkards to ( gaol, it was a matter for the Magistrates, and legislation would be required if the practice was to be abolished. He was afraid it would be too expensive to utilise prison labour in vegetable growing. The Minister expressed very great satisfaction at the way in which prisoners were cirrying out the work of tree-planting near Rntorua. Mr Napier held it was nothing short of a national crime to commit children to prison. Government should establish proper reformatories as distinct from Industrial Schools. Mr Tanner suggested the establishment of an institution with functions half-way between those of a gaol and a hospital. Eventually, after nearly four hours discussion, the vote for ihe Prisons was passed unaltered, and the total vote for the Justice Department was agreed to without alteration. Post and Telegraph Department, £441,214. Mr G. J. Smith thought some reduction should be made in the cost of telephone connections to private sub crime's, which would tend to increase the usefulne e s of th« system. Sir Jofeph Ward said he would be very glad to look into tbe whole qu»stion of telephone rates, and see whether anything could be done in the way of reduction. It was the desire of the Government to make the rates as low as possible. At the item Convßvarce of Mails by sea, £51,732, Sir Joseph Ward urged that, the committee should not discuFS the San Francisco mail service vintil resolutions on the subject were submitted by Government It would only be beating the air to dipcu's it now. The amount of £I7OO appearing on the Estimates for the 'Frisco ser- ' vice was for expenditure already incurred. The existing contract expired on November 21st. ! Mr Mil'nrssid that those resolutions' should not be left over till the lost day of the session. Sir Jcsoph Wr-rl promised to bring them d«»n within the next fortnight. M r Mi lar said tha*; if this item was ' the Minister must not take i' ' that mera't ers weie committing them • feVfs to the 'Frisco service. ' The item was agreed to and the ' \to"nl vote for the Department wa« passed without alter-»t : onn. Progress was reported, and the ' House rosa at 0.25 a.m. 9 Wednesday, 2«d 00-obeb. t ■ r The House met at 2.30 p.m. 1 A Bill to consolidate and pmend the ' liw relating to shipping and seamen ' was introduced by Governor's message * end read a first time. r Mr. Atkinson pavo no'ici to move ' several amendments in the Licensing roa : dp, the more effective supervision J of s'y grog-selling in tbe King Conns' | try, ten o'clock closing of hotels, aboli--01 tion of the bar at Bellamy's, and th< y j giving to licensing committees of dis 0 cretionary power in the granting o' licenses. Tbe Crown Grants Act, IBBJ Am c ndment Bill (Mr Lawry), an Egmont County Bill (Mr McGuire' s wera resd a first time, r - In reply to questions Minister 't stated th?t nothing would be gained by offering a reward for tbe discovery oj -e persons supposed to have set fire W lt the Grand Hotel in Auckland; that N the question of more effectually dealing | e with vicious inebriates would b« fi brought under the notice of the Cabinet; that the Government had nc present intention of introdacing logiSj

lation adopting English Sunday closing j hours in respect to licensed houses; J that when the Lind Purchase Commissioner returned to Wellington hisattention would be directed to the ndvisableness of purchasing land on the shores of Auckland harbour for the purpose of workmen's homes; that there was a good deal if opposition to the Fair Rent Bill, and it had better stmd over until the people were educated up to it. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. Evening Sitting. | Toe House resumed fit 7.30 p.m. The Smoking by Youths Propibition Bill and the Law Amendment Bill were received from the Legislative Oounci', and read a first time. Amendments made in committee in the Money Lenders Bill were agreed to, and the Bill passed its final stages.