PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 10 August 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, Last Night. CRIMES AMENDMENT BILL. In the Legislative Council this afternoon Dr. .•'indlay moved, in a speech occupying i .vo and a half hours, the second reading of the Crimes Amendment Bill.

In doing so the Attorney-General pointed out the necessity of abolishing the old and bad system of vengeance" The principles underlying his reform proposals were the protection of the community and the reform of criminals, the former being the primary consideration. The first step in reform was to classify prisoners, and it was proposed to separate them into six classes, and prisoners have to be classified into (1) penitentiaries and penal establishments for male and female offenders; (2) institutions for sexual perverts and criminals of unsound mind; (3) reformatories for men, including farms and camps; (4) reformatories for women; and (5) institutions for corrigible and incorrigible drunkards. DEGRADING SYSTEM TO BE ABOLISHED.

The old and soul-degrading class of work would be abolished for a more humanising system. Withal there would be as rigid restrictions and discipline as heretofore. The Attorney-General proceeded to explain the provisions of the Bill. A provision wa.s made that the sentence for an indictable ofl'ence, after the passing of the Act, may include subsequent reformative detention if deemed advisable by a Judge, up to a period of ten years. Summary conviction in a Magistrate's Court may include the reformative detention in offences punishable by imprisonment for more than three months, such reformatory detention being limited to three years. .Magistrates only will be given this jurisdiction. Provision is made for the release on probation and discharge. Section 32 of the principal Act is repealed, except as regards the detention of present habitual criminals and offenders. PRISON BOARD. A prison board would be appointed bv the Oovernor-in-iCouncil, consisting ot« not less than three or more persons, one to be a Judge of the Supreme Court and the others permanent officers of the public service. The functions of the board would be to t enquire as to the reformation of an habitual criminal after the determination of his sentence for the purpose of deciding as to whether ! there may be sufficient .grounds for releasing hi m on probation, or discharging him, and to make a recommendation to the Governor on the subject. At least once a year each case is to be reported upon, and if the Board so recommend, the Governor might release the prisoner unconditionally or 011 such conditions as lie may think fit to impose. A license issued to a probationer mi°"ht j be cancelled at any time and the person be arrested without warrant and J returned to prison. Penalties were provided for persons committing a breach of the conditions of their probation, and 1 a probationer who was committed for another offence was to be detained during the Governor's pleasure. For attempting to leave the Dominion without a permit of the Minister of Justice, the probationer rendered himself liable to imprisonment with hard labor for seven years. Persons detained as habitual criminals or as habitual offenders were to be employed in such work as was prescribed by regulations, and wages would be credited to them, to be applied wholly or in part as directed by the Minister 01 Justice s towards the maintenance of the wife and children (if any) of the prisoner. Atiy balance standing to prisoner's credit at the end of his period of detention would be paid to him either in lump sum or by such instalments as may be directed by the Minister. Every person who, before the coming into operation of this Act, had been declared an habitual criminal or an habitual offender, would be detained in a prison under the Prisons Act, 1808, instead of a reformatory prison under the Crimes Act, 1908.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. . The House met at 2.30. MAORI LAND LAW. The Financial debate was resumed by Mr. Lang, who congratulated Mr. Carroll on his speech. The Government's native policy had: had the effect of keeping the races apart, not of 'bringing them together. The Maori ought to share the same privileges and responsibilities as the European. He quoted the late 'Hone fleke, M.P., as saying that the Government's dealings with the natives were as unsatisfactory as those made with private individuals. The time had arrived when all lands, whether native or European, lit for cultivation, should be opened for settlement. The northern county councils had held a conference 011 the subject of rating native lands, at which the opinion was unanimous that it was useless to attempt to collect rates under the present system. A resolution had been carried calling on the Government to amend the law relating to rating on native lands. FREEHOLD AND LEASEHOLD. He went on to relate the comparative merits of freehold and leasehold tenure. The State Guaranteed Advances Act h«d resulted in local bodies paying £1 7 s fid per cent more for money, which meant an extra tax on land. The land tax was out of all proportion to the income tax. He condemned the graduated land tax as unfair, in that itj was invidious and unjust in singling out the man on the land. , The Hon. Mr. Buddo, replying to Mr. Lang, declared that the Maoris in the South Island would have been absolutely penniless had they been allowed to deal with their own lands. Ho strongly disapproved of settling the back blocks unless roads and railways were provided for settlers within a reasonable time. This could not be accomplished without borrowing. * 00-OFERATTVE RAILWAY CON- • STRUCT lON.

The co-operative system of railway construction had 'been attacked, 'lnit as one having experiences of the contract system in the Old Country, he could say a word in favor of the Dominion system. It was only 'by means of the co-operative system that unskilled labor could be utilised profitably. Work was paid for according to results, and less able men were given a chance to earn what they could. 'Mr. Buddo went on to refer to criticism of the financial position and superannuation schemes, which he contended were sound. He denied that Canterbury members had ever voted against the'interest* of farmers at any time. In the House in the evening Mr. Buchanan, continuing his speech, admitted that the Government had done a great deal for farmers, but move might have been done. THE CHARGES OP "TAMMANYISM." Mr. Hogan quoted figures to show that the trend of taxation had been in the direction of placing the burden

on those ablest to boar it. Mr. Massov had applied the term "Tammayism" to the .House. This he (Mr. I Toga n) resented. He believed the Parliament of New Zealand was one of the straightestgoing in the world. He would vote for a Select Commission being set up to investigate the charges 'made. The present Government had done more for the backblocks settlers than any previous administration. As a means of extin-! guishmg the public debt he suggested that if an additional penny a gallon duty were placed on beer it would wipe out the debt in 75 years. Mr. Massev, in a personal explanation, denied having used the term "Tammanyism" to the House. He had used the! word during the recess in reference to the Government's use of money for pub-! lie works, and he adhered to the state- [ ment then made. I Mr. Field said at the present time there was little to complain of in regard to the Native Department. THE TENURE QUESTION. Mr Field wen on to say that in the interests of the State he was in favour of Crown, lessees being granted the fee simple of their holdings at the original valuation as the best way out of a. bad bargain. In regard to endowments, he believed that under the leasehold system, these Hands would become almost valueless. It would be better to set aside suburban lands for the purposes of endowments. He hoped the Government would bring in a measure giving effect to the recommendations of the Timber Commission. He considered more ought to be done in the direction of rural education. The debate was adjourned and the House rose at 10140 p.m.