PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 112, 19 August 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night CRIME ACT AMENDMENT. The Council met this afternoon, and the debate on the second rending of the Crimes Act Amendment -Bill wr.s contined by Hon. Mr. Carncross, who gen. erally approved of the measure, which he said had uhe noble aim to elevate the criminal. H,., however, urged that provision be made limiting the age of those sent to reformatories, lv » u uia be a mistake to place in a reformatory men I who had spent many years in criminal pursuits In regard to teaching prisoninterest of trade unions as well as the criminals that the latter siioum nave Mr. Louglman commended uie new system of prison reform, and aefoiided the proposal to teach the prisoner trades. He believed the proposed system was a very fine one based upon rational methods of treating criminals. Hon. Mr. McGowan did not think it i right to use the funds of the State to' teach skilled trades to those who forfeited their places in society, and it was certainly wrong to pamper criminals m the way proposed. He condemned the proposal for prison board maintaining that the Minister had no right to shirk his responsibilities. The debate was adjourned, and the Council rose. j

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The Mines Act was introduced by Governor's message and read a first thne. Replying to Mr. Taylor (Christchurch), Mr. Fowlds said ne would take steps to see that the decision oi the House last session to keep liquor out of drilling sheds was given effect to. (The Petitions' Committee reported that it had no recommeno.«.uua tu- wake regarding the petition of Frederick Tetley. Mr. Ducan (Wairau) moved the matter be referred back to the Committee for reconsideration. He outlined the facts of the case, which showed that Tetley was a working carpenter who had taken a contract from the Marlborough Education Board for the erection of a school at Lydia Bay. On the completion of the contract a sum of £O2 10s in bank notes, had been sent by post to Tetley, but the same had lost through the wreck of the Penguin. Tetley had brought an action against the Education Board, but had lost the case, though the judge was of opinion that the Bank of New Zealand was liable. The bank refused to make good the money lost, as the numbers of the notes had not been noted. Mr. Fowlds said the case was a hard one, but the Government could not accept any responsibility. The secretary of the Education Board had gone outside his functions in cashing a cheque and forwarding the notes to the cojttractor. Mr, R. McKenzie supported the amendment, and thought a vote should be placed on the supplementary «rtimates to provide Tetley with a sum. After further discussion, chiefly favourable to the amendment, the amendment was put and agreed to. The following local bills passed the | second reading: Hastings Electric Power and Loan Empowering Bill, Christchurch Tramway Act 1906 Amendment, Nelson City Drainage Loan and Empowering Bill, Gisborne Harbour Act, 1905 Amendment. The second reading of the Town Boards Amendment Bill was moved by Mr. Buddo, who explained that the Bill empowered town boards to raise rates for water supply, lighting, and sanitation, arid the establishment of public libraries.. The second reading was carried and the House went into committee on the Stone Quarries Bill. The House rose at 5.30. Dr. Rangihiroa approved of the Bill in the interests of public health, and adduced figures showing, how intimately the public health was connected with the housing of the people. He. also quoted John Burns on the Town Planning Bill, which made landlords liable for keeping their houses in a fit state for human habitation. Power should be vested in the Public Health Department, and should not be divided between two authorities.

Mr. Wilford said the object of the Bill could easily be attended by a slight alteration of the principal Act. Provision in the Bill, giving magistrates full discretionary power, was objectionable, as being too arbitrary. Mr. Taylor (Christchureh) supported the Bill. Large numbers of houses in the cities should' have been pulled down before this. The cost of the necessary destruction ought to be borne by the community. It would be better to leave the power in "the hands of the Council rather than with a magistrate. Mr. Wright pointed out that the expense involved in the wholesale destruction of dwellings would cause increased rents. Mr. Laurenson supported the Bill. He adduced Wellington as an example of a badly built city, and hoped some day it would' be removed to a more suitable site. Mr. Poole said the salvation of our cities depended on giving medical authorities power to condemn insanitary structures. Pt'BLIC HEALTH. Mr. Sidev moved the second reading of the Public Health Amendment Bill, which provides that, on the certificate of a district health officer, any building which is ominous (?) or insanitary, the local authority may require the owner to pull it down, Mr. Eanan considered the Bill gave too great a power to local bodies in deciding whether buildings were insanitary or not.

Mr. Buddo said the provisions of the Bill might operate harshly on owners who had no say as to w'hether buildings should remain. He admitted that the provisions of the Public Health Act were insufficient to deal with insanitary dwellings, and further power ought to be given to a district health officer and a local authority to wipe out slums. He suggested that a Bill ought to he amended so as to allow an owner to state his case before a magistrate. The Hon. Mr. Duncan opposed the second reading. Mr. Hogg considered the Bill ought to have been introduced long ago. Mr. Taylor (Thames) said the land question had much to do with high rents and slums iu large cities. It was time towns were planned so that no house should 'be allowed on a section less than a quarter acre. Many districts had no regulations as to house building and town planning. Mr. Hall was of opinion that the bill should have been a Government one. Houses were often rendered insanitary through the uncleanliness of occupants. ,Tf individual interest was sacrificed for general interest compensation ought to 'be given. ... is..: i-*".:

1 Mr. Ell mentioned cases showing the necessity for drastic powers being eon- '' ferred on health officers. Under the existing legislation there was quite sufficient power conferred on medical '• officers in connection with insanitary dwellings. He mentioned what had been . done by various rural districts in the ■ way of preventing overcrowding by utiN " ising the present law. Mr. McLaren considered the bill would require modification in committee. Mr. Hogan said the bill was quite on- '-. necessary. Sufficient power was con- < ferred 'by the Public Health Act to deal with insanitary cases. The Hon. Ngata said the main differ, ence between amending and principal biJls was that local authority was allowed to use its discretion in requiring an owner to pull down a building, and power was given to the district health officer. Mr. Sidey considered the discussion had not been very encouraging x« oUn. Legislation in the Old Country had gone in the direction of taking authority for closing down insanitary houses from a magistrate and conferring it on mu-iici- • pality. He expressed his indebtedness ' to Dr. Rangiihiroa for his approval of the bill and valuable contribution to the L debate. He went over the amendment* in ihe Public Health Act proposed by ' the bill, and said if the discussion- ted to legislation in the direction of the bill, then it would not have been in vain. The second reading was carried on the voices. The House went into committee on the Legislative Council Reform Bill. On clause 3, which provides for the election of Councillors, Mr. Forbes said that the House of Representatives should elect members of the Council After disoussion, Hon. Carroll moved to report progress. The House rose at 12.10