PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81849, 22 September 1906, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.). The Council met at 2.30. Sir Maurice O'Rorko gave notice of motion for reversion to the provincial system of government, and also for an alteration in the present system of appointments to the Legis'ative Council.

1 lie Attorney.General moved the second reading of the Habitual Criminals Bill, to provido for the control of habitual criminals and habitual offenders. Whiie the Bill was one which did not go as far as many supporters of the principle of indeterminate sentences desired, it was, lie said, a movement in that direction. The Mijiistor having explained the provisions of the Bill as already set out by the Minister of Justice in moving the second reading in the House, a short discussion followed in which the principle of the Bill was generally approved, and the second reading was agreed to. The Horowhenua Block Act Amendment and the Payment of Jurors Bill passed through the final stages. The Council rose at 4.10 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House mot at 2.30. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr Massey drew the attention of the House to the fact that the proceed ngs of the Waste Lands Committee are being sent all over th' country. He read a paragraph from the New Zealand Times of that morning by way of illustration. He urged that this was contrary to the Standing Orders, and he thought either that the Standing Orders ought to be enforced, or the Committee proceedings opened to the Press. The_breach of the Standing Orders by some of the papers was very unfair to the papers which obeyed. The Hon. the Premier agreed with these conclusions, and would look I into the matter with a view to action. ESTIMATES.

The House, going into Supply, resumed consideration of the Estimates. Class X., Native Department .£18,867. The class was passed, with slight discussion and without amendment. During the discussion of the item, "Seed potatoes," £1550, Mr Fisher pointed out that there were white people who were just as badly in want of potatoes as the Maoris, and hoped the Government would devoto another £1550 to their wants. Votes for the Department of Justice .£2970, and Supreme Court .69431, passed unamended. On the vote, "Bankruptcy," Mr Wilford moved to reduce the first item by £l, for the purpose of instructing the Government to transfer the business to the Public Trustee's Department, which does some of ; t now, and could do it all much better. He gave instances. The Minister of Justice denied that\. the work would be better done, andaffirmed that it would not be so well done by the Public Trustee, and also quoted instances. Mr Izard supported the member for the Hutt. Mr Laurenson thought there should be a more full answer from the Minister. Mr Barber declared that the mercantile community has no confidence in the Bankruptcy Department, and therefore does all its bankruptcy work by private arrangements. The Hon. Mr McGowan denied this wholesale allegation. Mr Tanner would not go so far as to join cause and effect, but said it was a fact that the private assignment was now almost invariably the rule. He pointed out that this was fast rendering the Statutes of Bankruptcy valueless. Mr W. Eraser thought it was only a question of more fully equipping the bankruptcy machinery in outlying places. Mr Baume warned the Government not to accept ex-parte statements of want of confidence. He said that in Auckland the Bankruptcy Department was regarded with complete confidence. He attributed the increase of private assignments, not to any lack of confidnce in the Official Assignees, but to the decrease in the number of dishonest debtors, and the consequent increased disposition to spare honest misfortune the disgrace of bankruptcy proceedings. Mr Sidey pointed out that if the bankruptcy business were handed o.ver to the Public Trustee, more money would have to be found for salaries, etc., for that Department. Mr Major defended the assignees as hard-working, underpaid officials. He did not think the work would 60 done better 01 cheaper by anybody body else, at least as far as the country districts are concerned. Mr Hanan thought that in the future it might be an improvement to

appoint solicitors to the position of assignee. Mr VVilford thanked the Committee. He was pleased to see he had excited interest, and might therefore hope tcj conic nearer his object. He discraimi ed all personal animus. There was not, he would say, a more capable, enthusiastic general assignee and coroner than the gentleman filling these positions in the district. ' He objected to the system,'not to individuals. His amendment was lost on the voices, and the vote, £2753, passed. ■ • Vote for District Magistrates' and Wardens' Courts, .£52,500. ' Mr 11. Massey moved the reduction L'f £1 as an indication that the status of magistrates ought to.be assimilated to that of the judges t>f the Supreme Court. The point was under dicussson when the House adjourned for dinner at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. After further discussion; the Committee divided on Mr Massoy'S amendment. Ayes 18, noes 44. The amendment was lost and the vote passed unamended. ' • At the vote, Coroner's Act, £4600, Mr W'ilford moved the reduction by £1 as an indication of the need for abolishing coroners' juries. He contended that the coroners' juries did no* good, and much harm through verdicts on one-sided evidence, a mischief which he had often observed in

the course of his professional experience. lie pointed out the possibility of coroners' jurymen who had brought in verdicts, serving' afterwards on the common jury, trying the same person in the same case. He gave instances of strange verdicts. He objected besides to the present syf tern of publication of 'Preliminary trials. Mr Izard supported. Mr Fisher opposed, defending the jury principle. After further discussion, the Comhiittee divided : Ayes 14, noes 47, and the vote passed unalterd. On the vote for Cook Islands, £1725, Mr Massey thought that as the report of the Cook Islands had only just been circulated,, tile vo'te ought to be postponed. Mr Mil's explained many of the. items asked about. The Minister in charge pointed out that through the measures taken by his predecessor, there had been a large increaso in the fruit trees of the Islands, and pointed out the difficulty in the way of increasing Jhe guhir steamer communication. Mr Massey protested ' against keeping the Government schooner at a loss for the purpose of taking labour from a New Zealand possession to an island not in the British jurisdiction at all. Mr Arnold pointed out the necessity of teaching the fruitgrowers better methods. The vote passed unamended. ' Vote for miscellaneous services £5570. The vote passed una'.lert'd' after some discussion. The vote for prisons. £41,206. Mr Ell moved to reduce the item £6OOO for prison camps, by £1 to affirm the principle that all gaols ought to be outside of city boundaries. Ihe Committee divided • Aves 23. noes 37, and the amendment was lost. The prison vote, £41,296, then passed unaltered bringing ui the total of class XI. to £,„, 3 7 5 UB Progress was reported,' and the House rose at 11.20.