PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 221, 23 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT BILL. iJy Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. ' After midnight Mr. Poole moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr. Massey considered this an ittempt to kill the Bill. The proper course was to take a division. The discussion showed that the Government | decided to stand by the antiquated] Second Ballot Act, with all its defects,) notwithstanding the feeling of the. country against it, | Sir Joseph Ward said the Leader of the Opposition had often resorted to tactics to which he now objected. . On a division being taken the motion for the adjournment was carried by 30 votes to 27. The House rose at 1.10 a.m.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ■ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22. Wellington, Last Night. ) The Council met at 2.30. The Attorney-General, continuing the debate on the Address-in-Reply, spoke chiefly on the question of prison reform. New Zealand was the most backward of countries in this respect, and the time had come to make a forward movement. Hitherto retaliation had be*?i the dominant feature of the penal system, but the aim of modern reform was the protection of society rather than the punishment of the criminal. Under the system he contemplated there would be less punishment and more. encouragement, but where a criminal proved hopeless he would remain under restraint for the rest of his life. He alluded to enormous wastage of life under the existing system in the Dominion. Last year 5500 persons were sent to gaol, and of these upwards of 3009 had been previously convicted. The dead loss on every prisoner was £3O per annum, and with the costs of courts and police, would probablv. total up to £7O or, £BO a year. There were two main principles to be adopted. One was the indeterminate sentence. There should be a minimum pen. ' alty, but release should not be made at the end of the term until a Judge of the Supreme Court was satisfied that it i ■was safe for society to release him. : Thenthere should be classification in the ] gaols, and encouragement held out for ' reform. Under the system proposed, they would be able to send out men qualified for farming .and various occupations. He condemned the .practice of hounding down ex-prisoners instead of holding out the hand of encouragement to them. By introducing certain industries into the prison, the cost of maintenance could be reduced, and if a prijOner_chose to work a little harder, than required, he would receive some remuneration. The object was, as he had said, to protect society, but was there not a still higher object in the salvation of men?

The Hon. T. K. Macdonald having spoken, the Address was adopted. The Council adjourned until Wednesday. ' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met this afternoon. The Wanganui Catholic Lands' Bill was read a second time without debate. A LOAN BILL •of a million pounds, was introduced Dv Governor's Message. Mr. Massey asked whether the Financial Statement wouM be made before proceeding with the Bill. Sir Joseph Ward said he would give ' the fullest information from time to time. The Bill now introduced was to meet public works requirements. It was not desirable to put the Financial Statement before the House previous to going on with the Bill. He would postpone the second reading till Tuesday, and later explain the whole financial position. Sir Joseph Ward outlined the Bills to bo proceeded with this session, compris. ing Advances to Settlers* Loans, Public Works, Land Finance Settlement, and National Annuities; also legislation embodying the Government's proposals regarding defence and making provision for the payment of the Dreadnought. A Bill amending the land laws wou.d also be introduced, and, he hoped, passed this session, and important proposals connected with native lands would be brought down. The House would be asked to deal with the licensing difficulty in the King Country. Bills would also be introduced dealing with "miners' trouob" and hospital and charitable aid. These were the most important measures, which would receive precedence over all others.

The remainder of the afternoon session was devoted to discussion on replies to questions, and the House rose at 5.30. The Hon. G. Fowlds moved -the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitab'e Institutions Bill, which repeals the \et of 1008. and makes substantial provisionabolishing tlie distinction lietween hospital and charitable aid boards and combining their functions. He believed the Bill, though not perfect, would result in the reform of the present system. Mr. Massey generally approved of tin Bill, which would be much improved in committee. (Left Sitting).