PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 169, 21 July 1904, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

House of Representatives j WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1904. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at) 10,30 a.m. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions. Ministers I stated— That this is not the time to enlarge the lending powers under the Locul Bodies Loans Act of 1901. Tho slringtmcy of the money market still continues, and our available funds for loans under that act and tho act of 11)03 must be carefully conserved.

That it is not the intention of the Government to bring in a bill raising the maximum liimit to £IO,OOO for waterworks within boroughs. That it would appear there are no big guns to be presented to tho colony .by llie Imperial Government as trophies from the South Alrican wur. The treatment of the self-governing colonies by the Imperial Government im respect to these trophies is very unsatisfactory. Trophies which would have been prized by the people of New Zealand had either been broken up in thousands or allowed to rot and rust.

That tlie difficulty of getting young men to enter tho service of the education boards us teachers haU given the Government great concern. That a hill dealing with the whole question of charitable aid has already been prepared. That there is at present no necessity for motor cycle® being provided for police purposes. The ordinary cycles in use are much preferable in every respect. NEW HILL. Sir William STEWARD (Waitaki) gave notico to introduce tile Lund lioaiHls IUII. FIRST HEADINGS.

The l'olice Offences Act Amewmeiit Will (Ward), and the Oxford and Oust Road Districts Alteration of Boundaries Bill (Buddo) were read a first time.

GOVERNMENT WHIP. Mr SEDDON (Premier,) announced that the vacant position of Government Whip had been olfered to Mr Hogg, who had accepted it. An adjournment of the House was moved and the usual discussion took place on a variety of subjectsi opened up by Ministerial replies given to questions.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. DENTISTS BILL. Mr T. K. SIDEY (Cavershum) moved the second reading of tho Dentist Bill, to provide for the registration of dentists quulified to practise and for (he regulation of the practice of dentistry in New Ziealand. He urged that in the interests of public health it was necessary that legislation in the direction proposed should bo passed. The present conditions attaching to the training of dentists in the colony were not at all satisfactory, and in this respect New Zealand was very much behind other countries. The main feature of his bill was that it would put the dental profession on the same footing as the medical profession, by placing it under the control of the New Zealana University. There should be a dental hospital established in each of the four large centres, at whioh students would receive practical experience. It might >be contended that this bill would malic the dental profession a closer corporation than it was at present, but he claimed that it would rather hav« the opposite effect. Clause 10 was the principal one ol tho bill, in that it provided that every adult person is entitled to be roj gisterod as a dentist who is the holder of a New Zealand degree in dental surgery, or has 'gone through such tt course of study and professional practice and training, or passed such examination and obtained from the Senate such certificate of proficiency in dental surgery or dentistry as the Senate by regulations prescribes. Sir Joseph WARD considered that legislation of some kind was nofpsary in this matter, but the House should know more about the fees that would be charged. After a short debate the second reading wasi agreed to on the voices, and the bill referred to a select committee.

I'KOI'OIITIONAL REPRESENTATION. Mr G. FOWLDS (Grey .Lynn) moved the second reading of the Proportional Representation and Effective Voting Hill, to constitute electoral districts and to secure i)roportional representation and effective voting. What the bill proposed was a modification of the Hare system of vot-* ing anid representation. Tho present method did not secure proper representation of a majority in many cases; and the scheme suggested In the bill would do away with most of tine necessity for taking a referendum. Ho urged that the bill would secure a Parliament which would be a microscopic representation of the whole of the people, and not merely of those who voted at the poll. It waa proposed to divide the colony into six electoral districts. The objection that tho system of voting would bo too complicated was unfounded, as also was tho contention that the large electorates would toll ill favour of tho wealthy candidate.

Hon. C. 11. MILLS contended that the large electorates would be inimical to the interests ol' the poor man, and ho opposed the bill and urged! that it would be better to let it remain in the archives of the past. Mr Bedford was speaking in support of the bill when the House took the dinner adjournment. EVENING SITTING. Tho House resumed at 7,30 p.m. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. The debate on the second reading of the Proportional Representation and Effective Voting Hill was continued. Hon. J. McGOWAN objected to the bitl on the ground that it would result in the return of delegates and not representatives to Parliament, and large electorates would play into the hands of the man with a fad. The time had not arrived for a radical change of the kind proposed. Mr E. M. SMITH (Taranaki) opposed the bill and movod an amendment that the bill be read a second time six months hence.

Messrs Uauine and Taylor supported the principles of tho hill, und Messrs Willis, Mel.aclilan, J. C. Thomson, Ilanan, T. Mackenzie, Bennet, Fkttnian, and Hogg spoke ugainst at.

Mr Smith's amendment wns rejected l>y aO votes to 29, und the second reading of the l>ill was negativod by 44 votes to 19. HABIIIT NUISANCE HILL. Sir William IiUSSELL moved the second reading of the Itabbit Nuisance Act Amendment Hill. There hud been, ho said, a considerable increase in rabbits in the Hawke's Ilay district, and the agricultural and pastoral societies had practically unanimously decided that legislation of the kind he now proposed should I>lgiven effect to. It would require a majority vote of the stock-owners to bring the bill into operation in anv district. Hon. T. Y. DUNCAN thought tho bill wont in tho right direction, and lie believed tho House would do well to allow tho second reading and get it into committee. Mr C HALL (Walpawa) opposed the lull. The second reading- was carried bv 40 votes to 15.