PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 212, 28 August 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.--Press Association Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30. Tlio lion. Baillie moved: That the : Government consider tile advisability of amending uii e law relating to the registration of deaths so that every death Elhould he certilied by a medical man after having tasted the radial ■ artery. The mover pointed out that statistics showed there had beua a considerable number of burials alive in England, and there were two instances in Wellington of persons wfto had been revived after having been certilied as dead, also one in I'almerston Nortii. 1 In; Attorney-Ueneral .said it was desirable that medical men should onlv give certificates of the death ot Ule patient after a personal examination of the body.

lion. Dr. Collins supported the motion, as medical men frequently found people who were afraid of being buried alive. lie, 'liowerer, had never come across a case where a person c«rtified as dead had come to life, nor did lie ever know a medical man who did. Still, as there might be some slight chances of a person being buried iflivt;, he would be glad to see an amendment in the Act in the direction indicated. In the case of still-born children li; thought burial should not take place until the body ) ad been seen by a medical man. Hons. Carncross and McCiirnle Had each heard of an instance in wlucn « body laid out for burial had been revived at tilie last moment. Hon. Callan moved tlic Second reading of the Quackeries Prevention' Bill from the House, which, after brief discussion, (luring which the AttorneyGeneral expressed general approval, was carried on the voices. The Town Boards Act Amendment Bill, and Oaniaru Reserves Bill were read a second time. The Council rose at 4.15 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Thiir*l,ty, The vote "Valuations DepafVient, £34,501," was passed unaltered. Education vote, £850,842 —Mr. Wdford moved a reduction of £1 as an indication that school books should be supplied free. The motion was carried by 22 votes to 10. The House rose at 5 a.m. Wellington, Last NigM; > A MEMBER'S COMPLAINT. Mr. Remington drew tihe attention of tlie Speaker to the fact that a person in his electorate standing as a Lmoor candidate had written to him stating that if Mr. Remington obtained a hif- I let for him he would not oppose the. 1 sitting member at tire election. The hon. member asked if that were not a breach of privilege. The Speaker said it was not, but it was objectionable. LOCAL BILLS. The Oaniaru Harbor Board Loan Bill and the Christelmrch City Betterment Bill were read a third time. The Opimake Harbor Bill (Mr. Major) and tilie New Plymouth Harbor Board Empowering Bill (Mr. Okoy), and Auckland (Symonds street) Cemeteries (Mr. Kidd) were read a second time. OTHER BILLS. The Revenues Act Amendment Bill (Sir Joseph Ward) was read a second time pro forma. The Police Offences Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 3, giving definition of indecency, was struck out. Mr. Sidey proposed a new section to prevent Sunday trading by small shopkeepers. The amendment' was lost. Tatipo No. 2 block Bill was committed. The House adjourned at 0.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. The Taupo No. 2. Block Bill passed the committee stage. The Town Boards Amendment Bill was committed—Mr. Mander moved ohe following new clause:—'Hhc provision of section 104 of the Public Healtli Act in so far as t'hey limit the amount for separate rates that may Be made shall not apply to any i-own dis-trict.—-Mr. Millar objected on tlie, ground that it would tako town districts from the operations of the Public Health Act. Eventualy Mr. Ma-.ider withdrew the proposed new clause in favor of the following, drafted by the Minister: — "In any district ill which tliere are no sewerage works, it shall be lawful for the board, in lieu of a sewerage rate under section 00 of the Public Health Ac'i>, 1908, to levy a uniform annual fee on the occupier of every property on which a house is erected, but such fee not to exceed one pound on each occupied property."—The clause was agreed to, and progress was reported.