PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 19 July 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY, JULY 18. By Telegraph—Per Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tlie Council met at 2.30, and adjourned for the presentation of tlia Address-in-Kcply. Upon resuming, the Council ! immediately adjourned until Friday week.

HOUSE OF EEPEESENTATIVES. The House met at 2,30. DUTY ON KEROSENE. The PREMIER, in answer to a question, informed the House that no duty on kerosene was imposed by the new (a riff. Ml- -MTKEX slated that ll.e price of kerosene had liccn increased bv y.,<\ a gallon under the belief thtt it was dutiable. Sill JOSEPH WARD: It is not dutiable under the tariff. Mr AITKEX said the Customs authorities had told the owners of oil that on (he next shipment that arrived they would demand, under the new t.iriff, a duty of 1/j.d a gallon. The Minister for Customs said that any Customs officer «-ho said there was a duty on kerosene did not know what \\* was doing. The only duty wis on crude oil. Later on lie staled, in reply to an interjection, that the statement that the duty had been placed upon kerosene did not emanate from the Customs Department.

THE LAND HI U.S. Replying to Mr Massey, Hon. MrMcNa)(> said that the Land Bills would be brought down this week. MUSICIANS' BILL. Mr SIDE!' moved the Musicians' Bill, to provide for the registration of musicians and for the regulation of instruction in music in New Zealand and of admission of musicians to the society to be incorporated under the provisions ot the Act. Members of the various registered musical societies, he explained, were to be admitted, and all persons over 21 years of age who had been habitually engaged in composing, teaching, performing, or writing music for three years prior to the coming into operation of the Act should be entitled to have their names registered, together with all persons holding diplomas, degrees, or certificates showing qualifications. The remainder of the Bill wbb ! composed mainly of machinery clauses, including power to deal with offences against provisions of tho Act. Owing to the opposition exhibited to tho Bill in certain quarters he did not intend to proceed further with the measure this session than having it read a second time and referred to the Select Committee. Such a Bill ivas in the interest of the standing of the musical profession of the colony. Mr T. McKENZIE moved that the Bill be read a second time this day six months. He scathingly criticised tie provisions of the measure, especially the penal clauses. Mr BARBER supported i\ amendment. He considered the Bill premature. There were sufficient examining bodies without establishing another one- That was what the Bill sought to do. Mr FISHER opposed the Bill, and pointed but it proposed losetup a monopoly as to the age of persons to he admitted. He. said there were a great many persons under 21 who had the faculty of teaching music, and they were debarred from membership. Mr BARCAY thought the Bill should be allowed to go so far as to be c|on-' sidored by the Committee proposed to be set up. Mr BUDDO said that while musicians in the colony deserved sympathy, he objected lb making a. close corporation of them. There were, however, some good features in the Bill, and he would not like to sec it killed outright. Mr AITKEN said Wellington musicians opposed the Bill on the grWn[d' that it was unsuitably drafted, and they wished to obtain a general conf re'n'cic. of musicians of the colony during the year to decide what was tho best step to take. Mr HANAiN fa\Wd the second reading of the Bill. Mr IZARD stated he had received information from musichns from all parts of the colony that they did not want the Bill. Tho amendment was negatived by 38 to 22, and the Bill read a second time. Mr SIDEY moved that the Bill be referred t'o a Select Committee.—Carried by 35 to 32. ( . ACCOUNTANTS' BILL.

Mr A. L. D. FIUSER, in moving the second reading of the Accountants'Bill, said it was a measure which ought to have been introduced by a Minister of the Crown. Lengthy as the Bill was, its ((l)ject could be explained in n. few wiords; It was that the accountants and actuaries of the colony should lie registered and that the 500 or 000 accountants aud actuaries in the colony should be embodied into one s'olidbody. He bad tho approval of the majority of those interested in the measure in

asking for this Bill, and he hoped tae House w'ould assist in making the Bill a workable measure. He desired to see none excluded who should be included, and that none should be admitted to registration who ought not to be admitted.

Mr WIUXJRD agreed that the Hill was necessary and that these men should li ( . given a proper status. Iteferring to the penal clause, he urged'that it should be modified so as to prevent harshness which would bear upon certain pevs'ons earning their livelihood as accountants.

Mr AITKEX contended that a Bill containing such important principles as this one ought to bear the itnprimatnre of the Government. He criticised the machinery clauses, and expressed tho opinion that the <!<.'. >r was opened too wide for safety. On the other hand, h.' objected to the clause providing that no one should be permitted to audit aoc'ounts of companies utiles he was a puMic accountant, as it would be formd embarrassing in country districts where there were no public accountants. Be approved of the principle of the Bill, but as framed it would be unworkable. He hoped the principle would be affirmed, and that then the Government would tike the matter in hand.

The second reading was agreed to on the voices. , > ,r : . TRUSTEES' ACT. -''"'"' The Trustees Act Amendment Bill passed through the Committees without amendment. . j FAKRIERS' BILL. The Farriers' Bill was committed. The discussion was interrupted by th<' ">;JO adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7..'!0. The Farriers Hill wis continued in eummtU.ee. and reported with verbal amendments. PURE FOODS BILL.

'The Pure Foods Bill was further considered in Committee. Commencing at clause 14, which provides that reliance fon a written warrant is a good defence for sale of goods, Mr Ailkcn pointcd| out that this jvas right enough as far as it went, but it did not meet the ease of a retailer who, after putting hist. gViods on a shelf, could not say after', wards which of the goods we're warranted. " j

The minister said tint Hie. same remarks had been made when a similar provision was before the Victorian Parliament, but had n'ot been verified in prietice. Unless there was some such' provision they might just as well say they did not want a Pure Food Bill. Mr T. MoKENZIE said that the trouble would be for the retailer to prove any particular goods bought from any pirlicular merchant.

The Hon. FOWLDB said that the retailer wanted something to go back on, and that was the manufacturer. That was what this clause provided for. Sub-section 2 of the clause (no warranty shill be any defence unless given in New Zealand by or on behalf of a resident or incorporated company en Irving on business there.) was, 'on the motion of Hon. Fowlds, struck out. iind? the following substituted: "No warranty or lother written statement given or made by a person resident outside New Zealand shall be any defence under this section, unless defendant proves

that ho has taken reasonable stops to ascertain and did in fact believe in the truth of matters set forth in such warranty or statement.*'—The clause! as amended was agreed t ! o. At Clause 15 (what constitutes adulteration) considerable discussion ensued, |l,ut it was passed unamended. At clause 33 (sources of Information or reports) tho Minister moved to make reports confidential. The clause passed in Committee. Resuming after supper there was a bare quorum present. At clause 20 (Governor to make regulations) tho Minister moved this new sub-section: ''The Governor may make regulations making it lawful for any person at any time within 12 months of the gazetting of the regulations to sell any food or drug the sale ot which is otherwise

lawful, if he prove? that at the said date such food or drug was part of tho existing stock-in-trade in New Zealand of a person carrying on business there, and that since the gazetting no act has been done by which such food or drug fails to comply with regulation." The clauso was agreed to. The Minister also moved a now clause to replace clause 13, which bad been struck out at a. previous sitting, providing that in any prosecution for selling any food or drug contrary to the provisions of the Act, it shall be no defence that defend mt did not act wilfully unless he also proves that ho took all reasonable steps to ascertain the nature, quality, quantity, composition and weight, an the case may be, of articles sold by him."—This was carried.

A new clause was also added providing that copies of the regulations shall be laid before Parliament within 21 days of the commencement of next ensuing session. Mr BARCLAY moved a new clause, making it compulsory for any constable to purchase a sample of food or drug" for analysis when required to do so.— This was agreed to. The Bill was reported as amended. PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE BILL.

The Public Trust Office Bill was fujr-; ther considered in Committee. A new clause was added at the suggestion of Mr Masaey, providing that where the PulMic Trustee proposes to take ovdr*. property of an absentee under powers conferred by the Bill, notice.so to do is to be published in a gazette and a paiper

circulating in the district where the ; property is situated, or where absentee owner Inst resided. The Billwaa reported as araen3e3. The House rose at 11.20.