House of Representatives

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 153, 2 July 1904, Page 2

House of Representatives

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1904. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. ELECTOHAL REFORM IULL. Mr li. MeNAB (Matiaura) -gave nolice to introduce the Electoral Act Reform Biil. ADJOURNMENT. A short adjournment was here taken while the Speaker, in company with several members, proceeded to Government House to present, the Address-i.n-Reply to the Governor's Speech. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Three -days' leave of itoonce was granted to Mr (J. Fisher on account of indisposition, and lour weeks' to Hon. W. Ilall-Jones on account oi urgent private business. FIRST READINGS, The Eire Brigades Bill and Payment of Members Bill were introduced by Governor's message, and read a lirst time. The Lamps on Vehicles Bill (Major) and Farriers' Bill (Major) wore introduced ami read a .. . HOURS OF MEETING. It was unanimously agreed that for four weeks the llousc on Tuesdays and Wednesdays meet at 10.Uu a.m., ami list? at 10.MO p.m. with the usual .intervals for luncheon and dinner. MIDWIVES BILL. Mr SEDDON (Premier) moved the second reading of the Midwives Bill, to provide for tlie better training ol' midwives and to lvgulate the practice of midwifery, lie .said the bit; was a departure from anything the State had hitherto attempted in New Zealand. it was the first of a series of measures that would ho introduced by which he hoped to give legislative effect to the proposals for preservation of infant life that he had recently placid before the people. The manner in which these proposals wero received by Die press and public >hiside and outside the colony had encouraged him to proceed with them. The number of deaths at maternity in the colony was alarming, and he thought if these sii'ggvsitions were given effect to there would be a substantial decrease in the death rate. During the last ten years no less than 120,187 children of five years and nuder had died in New Zealand, and of this number 15,767 weie under the agv of one year. The number of cases of death of the mother at child-birth was also very laryv. Suc'h deaths .were particularly to be deplored, and something .should be done to diminish -the number. Various religious bodies had done something- by the establishment of maternity homes, but nothing had been done to provide for the training of midwives. It was almost lamentable to find the gross -ignorance that exis-ted in this matter, but by this-measure they would ensure a largu supply of nurses who had made a special study of this particular subject. It would cost £SO a year for tilie training of each nurse, and taking the capitalised value of the individual it would pay the State to incur that expense. The matter, however, should not be looktid at from tlie £ s d point of view, but from the point of view of their duly to humanity. The b ( 'ill L)>fore the House was on the lines of un net passul by the Imperial Parliament which comes into force this year. Ilis scheme contemplated having the nurses drafted to all parts of the colony, particularly in country districts, where they were more I retjuirod than in towns. In explaining tine details of Uie.b.ill Mr Sukion said no yualilied midwife would be Whut out under it. He felt sure the bill would tend to save life, and lie commended by all well-wishers of humanity.

Air MASSEY (Leader of llu- Opposition) said ho approved of tlu) bill rather than opposed it. Th.- registration and training of mirsra was quite right, but ho thought that an uppoal against. a decision of the registrar should ho to ma«i»trates and not the Supreme Court, which would ibe too e.vpensive. Jlo painted out also tliat no appropriation was made for;the establishment of State maternity homes referred to in the bill. Mr J. II WIT]IEFOHD (Auckland City) com.ihuned that while £15,000 was spout on a Queen's statue the flovernmeit would not (five a subsidy of .£IOO for a maternity home at Ancklaul. Mr J. IULLAItI) (Ede.m) supported the bill, but thought it would be if (.lie money to he spent was distribute! among- the hospitals in the largo centres for training nurses ill tho niiternity home*. Mr Tlbs. MACKENZIE (Waikoualti) in mppoi J ting the bill complained of tin lack of telephone facilities ill the'hack block districts, which had fruqumnly resulted in lost of Hfti owii« to imi/Hi!i(y (o semi for medical tid. Mr A. IV. lIOCIO (Master!on) suggested tint provision should made for live establishing : nt of maternity winds in connection with country hospitals. Mr T. E. TAYUMt (Cliristcliurch City) tliouglvt that the. public generally would approve of the proposals contained in tlie bill, but he hoped i; maternity homes were i>stablished the administration would bo tetter titan that at the Waituti Inebriates' Home. Messrs Dennett, Hitdtlo, Kutherfoi-d, Jcnniiijgs, llanan, Witty, Ilall, J. c. 'llhomson, KirkbrWe, and Mander also took part in th' debate, and oxpressed warm api'oval of the principles of the bill; The dofoaltc was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

EVES INO HITTING. The Hous.'; ri'f,uu- -<l at 7.11(1 ]>. m. .UJIAVIVKS BILL. The debate Dii the million lor tho second reading of the Midwives Kill was continued, Messrs Ditvey, Graham, Major, and Alison six-uKing ill support of the bill. In the course oi his rwply Sir SKIIIION said he was not opI posed to nsuist'iiiiH existing maternity homes, providing that they complied wilh nie condilioiis laiil down by tii' Government. 'I no extension of telephones in outlying districts, which had been uracil by several members, mis n |,j.icstion of national importance, but only a certain uniounl of money was available and the i'osl inaster-Oenei'al had been dolilted Willi applications. Where, however, people penalised themselves iby "out_ back" he Lltought the House would be wise in giving a special vote lor telephonic extension. .Mr '.!ASSEV ; The money would 'be voted. Mr SLlJiniN said tlic bill was especially designed to give country districts the bcnelit of the scheme as well as the towns. The .second rending was agreed to on the voices. FEDERAL STEAMSHIP CONTRACT. Sii Joseph WARD (Minister for Commerce) laid on the table the agreement entered into between the Government and the Federal Steamship Company for a steamer service between the colony ami west coast ports ol England. Ho said some members were under an entirely wrona impression regarding this service. Tenders were publiclv Invitedm -New Zealand and Australia, and the Agent-General in London was also communicated with. Four tenders were received, one of which waswithdrnun. The tender accepted con-' tained the best conditions obtainable ior the colony, in addition to which the cost to the colony was nil. It was stipulated in the contract that i.vights from west coast ports of Ellwand to ew Zealand should not ■'xceed ihe then current rales from London, and vice versa. l ; p to that time tlie rates to west coast ports k> f England were 25 |>er cent, higher ihan to London, The Government :iud been trying to get rid of the higher impost., and had now succeid- ( ed in doing so. The Minister went to say that the colony could not afford to pay the subsidy that would 'be required to prevent the steamers calling at Australian ports, and if .these were excluded from the iUnwary of the steamers N'ew Zealand would not get a South African service for four times £.'10,01)0 a .war. The colony could not afford to pay for a direct service', lie quoted figures to show the extent of trade to South Africa and the west coast of Englund, and pointed out that nearly a million pounds worth of produce hnd Ifcen sent from New Zealand by tho Federal service. It must be borne in mind that this produce had gone to ports that had never hitherto been open to our producers, and he was assured by an expert that the opening of additional 'outlctsj had putf lialf-a-crown per head on tho value of sheep in New Zealand. Sir .Joseph U'ard spoke at some length in Justification of tine action taken in regard to the steamship service. No favouritism had been shown to any shipping company holding a contract with the colony. Tho Federal Company had oiTerod to .carry out tho service on _ tho cheapest terms, and tho Government was, right in accepting it.

wition) said tile iieople oi Hie colony rognnlcd with great suspicion the agreement that had been entered into. 'i'he whole matter should lie probed to the bottom. He <li<i not think the South African service was worth nnything like JiHO.OUO. He moved Unit the agreement bo referred to the industries and Commerce Committee. Sir Joseph WARD said he had not tho slightest objection to that course 'bwiiig adopted. Mr .J. ItllTlllE (Wellington City) contondod that a service to tile west (.1 luitflaiid which landed our produce there in three or four months' lime was of littlo value to Hie producers.

Mr ,SEIU)ON objected to the suggestion tlmt the Government hart done unything improper. Tnere was not hint;' improper in accepting the .jest lender, and it was wrong* to make such a charge. 'l ite Federal Company had carried our troops tu South Africa ut 40 or .10 per cent, lew; than other companies, thus effecting a saving of about £200,000. In til is cuse, 100, tile company had offered tho best conditions, ami that was the reason why the contract was accepted. lie went on to show ihe advantage of the Federal Company's oiler over that made by tile Shaw SaviH Company, and said the (.lovffnmcnt was Uwml to accept the niosi advantageous terms offered. Il the condom;; wh'ieh he knew existed exploited the colony they, would .'iml that the State was the only combine sulliciently strong to resist I hem. . . ■ Mr 11. 1). BEDFORD (Dunei)in City) urged the necessity of inducing tile Federal Company to take its steamera I'i'-i'ht. up to Manchester, as requested by a large gathering of re tail butchers in that city in Marc) la:,t. Mr C. LEWIS (Courtonay) said there had been a lot of feeling in Canterbury about this service,,, and he complained that a reasonable lime was not given for responding to the call for tenders. Mr SEDUON denied that any arrangement had been niadu with the Kiuleral Company prior to calling for tenders. Messrs Mackenzie, Hogg an-d Lau-ri-nson also spoke. The agreement was ordered to lie on the table, awl to be referred tithe Industries and Commerce Committee. REFERENDUM BILL. j\lr SKDDON moved the second reading of the licfcremfiini Hill, to provide for certain bills and Legislative proposals being referrwl to a noil of the electors of New Zealand. Ho said the bill was practically the bill of last year, except tl'mt Clausv 1.6 provided that the act shall not apply (o any -bill or legislative proposal dealing with tho constitution or abolition of 'tho Legislative C'oun ■il. No iLrin'l.'.r would deny the soundness of the -bill. There were one or two ([urations which should he referred to tho people, one particularly being Bible reading ill schools. The bill especially provided for a conflict arising between the two branches of tho Legislature. More than one ['olllllol had arisen, ami he adirmod that all tho (rouble and turmoil of tho lionising (piesHon would have been avoided but for (he action of the Legislative Council in regard lo the Licensing Hill of 18!Ki.

Mi- T. M. WILFORII (llutt) said the House of Representatives haul to knuckle down to the Legislative Council in order to u<'l tho bill placid on tlm Statute Hook. Without the salV-KUaiilinpr Clauso 1(1 the bill would he relegated to the wastepaper basket, by the Upper House. Mir William RUSSELL (Ilnwke's l!ay) opposed the bill, as he believed it was altogether. wrenjr in principle. No democracy, however intelligent atul t'!iiu'all>'l, could have the knowledge oi i .-i'tiial .f;e:Hions that, was possessed iby men trained to leal with them. He ili-rl not believe ;wenty-live per cent. of the electors of the colony would take part in a reiVrendum. The House was now asked to change the representative system ot to he poverned by a majority of tlui people, who would not have any opportunity of studying the questio; s upon which they were ca'llod on to vote.| Ho contended thrt the bill contained several injudicious anomalies, and dele la red that the Legislative Council htwl never resisted the will of the people, when that will had been expressed at a recent general election. Mr T. IC. SI DRY (Cavershnm) supported tho bill, but would move one or two amendments in committee. The debute was proceeding when the telegraph office closed.