PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 77, 29 July 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PEB PRBBS AB3OOIATION.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

Tdesdav, July 28,

The Council met at 2.30,

The Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Nf w Zealand Trustees Bill was read a second time.

Rcpljing ti the Hon. T. K. Macdoaald, the At'orney-G neral siid the | Government had unier consideration the question of p'ovidiug for special, facilities for the cretttion nod storage cf lectrical etergy in c nn<ction with ',h" rivers and streams of New Z ahnd, ud thn issue of iice< s*s to p>: rents prepared to furnish capital for the establishment of electrical works for such purpose?. The Inebriates In6titutiooa Bill iisaed thr ugh-Uommittee unaccented, ind was read a third time.

Thi debate was resumed on the second reading of the Tied Houses Bill, tud the Hon. H. Feldwick's amendment to read the Bill six months hence. 'Jhe Hon. F, Trask condemned the Bill as a class meisure, which would operate ucjus'ly to brewers »nd wine merchants, and destroy the 1-rge in dustry oirried on in the cultivation of barley and hope. The Hon. H. F. Fraser tuppitt'd the Bill «s a protest against peisisten' orpaches of the Act cf 1895.

The debase was adj umed, and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, July 28. The House met at 2.30 p.m. 1 he Hon. J. Carroll presented a petition ft cm over 600 women of Poverty B>y district praying that legis'ation be pissed to facilitate immigration to the c dony of young women able and willing to become domestic servants. Mr Kit kbride gave notice to move to set up a spscial committee for can* aid ration of the Mutual Fire Insurance Bill.

A fortnight's leave of absence was granted to Mr Heke on urgent public business, kew Sills. The Trades Monopolies Prevention Bill (Seddor,), Oity Sirglo Electorates BUI (Ward), and Nelson Oity Lar.d Ves'ing Bi I (Qraharo) were introduced atd read a fi<st time.

ARBITBATIOX COURT.. Mr Arnold asked what steps the Government proposed Jba take to meat the delay which might be caused in the work of the Arbitration Court owing to the illness of Mr S.rauel Brown, the employers' representative.

Mr Stddon eaid that Mr Brown wa' now on a fair way to recovery. H» did not think Mr Brown's illness hid any ds-lay up to the present, as President Cooper had b:en engaged at the Appaal Court sit'icgs. He was cf opinion that tho law should be amendod to permit tr.e appointment of deputy m mbers of 'he Uour* who could Bet in eise of illness, and he intended this ses«i n to introduce legislation in that direction.

QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Sir Joseph Ward stated that the Government had under consideration the advisability of bringing the Sale of Poieions Aot, 1871, into line with the Eng'ish and Australian Uw; Thit it was cot iote'ded to amend the Government Railways Superannuition Fund Aot this session, or to interrere with the rates of p»y set ou 1 . io the Act; that when the Electoral Bill came up for consideration the fteling of the House could be ascertained on the question of granting seamen, commercial travfl]prß,and sheirers the powrr to vote at 1 .oil elecions by rm*ars of elec ora' rich's. The Housi rose at 5 30.

Evening Sitting. The Houss resumed at 7.30 p.m. Tbe Inebriates ftjstitutior s Act Amendment Bill was received trom the Legislative Council, and read a second time.

The Orchard and Gard n Pests Bill was rend a s cond a tinn pro formi land referred totheStock Committee. ' LOCAL GOVEUNMENT. Oi tbe motion for the third reiding of the Road and Town Districts 81l Mr Massey u-ged thai; there should ba m alteration in the present system cf paying mb3idifs to local b3d'e\ Mr Seddon that the time had arrived wh"<n there should be a graduate sys'era of subsidies, and the mat ter »(uld havfl the consideration of the Goveri m nt when he brought down a Lical Government Bill. Two bar*ions ago there s c emed to be a general de-, sice among members for the consolidation ani amendment of the hw, although great diversity of opinion existed ss to the details. If members would like him to mike arother attempt to pet a locil bill through, it ■would give him great plea'u r e to place! his best services b fori the Houfe in j hemUter. If they went no further this s3ssion than to give the necessary nnchir.ery for the sub-division of tho colony they would do good woik in Lying the foundation of a st-h m°>. Pomthing wis required to be done, as local bod'es under thi present system wtm spending »oo much money in the cos f jf administnition.

The Bill pissed its stages, METRIC 8 ?STEM. On tho motiou for the 'bird rradirg of the Weights and Measures Bill, Mr Seddon congratulated the House and Sir Josfph Ward upon the p ssagp of tte measure. The metric system was one of the proposals edop'ed at the Prfmiers' Corferencp, and it appeared is if New Zeiland would be the firstcolony to (.lace the system on Ihe statute Book.

The Bill passed its final stages. INSPECTION OF MACHINERY.

I The In ; pe>tion of Machinery Act I A.meortm3nt Bill wis read a third tim« <iod p iFs^d. CLUTHA FLOODS RKLIBF FUND. Mr Seddon moved the so.iond read ing of the Cluth* Fo>ds R'lif Funii ■ C us e s Empoweting Bill, which prov'Ar.p. for the paym-nt, »f the bi!anc«of t'.e relief find .£218) t 0 the Nnw Zj.knd Shipwreck Etolirf Society, Mr J. W. Thorapon thought the money should go to the widow r,t i: mm \vh.i was drowned in thn flood. The w.imn was iu pjor circumstances in Dunedin, Mr Sed.lon said bo would make inquiries into the matter. Tte was not uvaro that there were any uns*t 6<kd cliiimi', and he would acre to insert a claußo providing tint ", e I'tiMei-p -hou'd '■"■■ in c I'fiilfr :u d d:al with rmv c'aiiiiM -fi'i' st 'h fiu.;?. Tli.:' -co J to d'i:g w:>- (u •m tho v- i''.'i<. COITNTV HATING AND OTIV'P TOWKIIS. ■'h >'). ...t... h Ac Am- <lm nr. Hilv.ih ceni intt' d At cluisg 3 Mr Mi&M iao«ed to

reduca from 3d to 2d the maximum general rate leviable in outlying dittrios.

Mr Seddon said this was the crux of the Bill. A maximum of 2d would tne« onlv an ircreite of a hilfpenny, which would not oo of much usv. It tfouli be ii.cousiKturit to vote for Incroaked rating ii road or town dis rie'e, as rhe House had dene, and not do the c.me in counties.

After a lengthy discussion Mr Alison's amendment was lost by 34 to

Mr Houston, proposed a newclauae So enabl) a County Council to past bye-laws providing for the licensing of i.ub'.ie billiarl rooms, other than thoae ionnecte;l wi h hotels or clubs, and for prohibiM'ng unlice.' sed billiard roomX Mo said in his district there were unlicersed billiard-rooms which wero actual sly grog shops. Mr Seddon, in accepting theam-.nd-ci en*, said he agre.d that unlicensed ' lliatd-rooms were becoming a aomoe ,f danger, and local bodies shoull be jiv<?n piwer to control them. On tha motion of Mr Baume an mendment wjs carried by 33 votei to 22, to provide that the power, propoiei n his clause shall apply only to "pubiio" uolicnsftd billiard-room?, Mr Ke&don moved an addition to th» ;l*me to the eff et that no publio )il ; ard-room ehull be kept open after 11 p.m. This was agreed to, and the .vhoi" clause as amended was added to he Bill. Mr .field nr.ved a new cl<Use to edible a county oouncil to light street*; raids, bridges, and other publio placet tnd public buildings within the county. Considerable opposition was shown o the clause, chiefly on the ground that it enabkd cjunty cmicils to enter into jontrac'sfor lighting purpose*, It wat ilso urged that the pawer of county councils should not be extended. (Left fitting.)