PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 117, 25 August 1910, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. PRISONLABOR. ' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night; in the Legislative Council this afternoon, the adjourned debate on the Crimes Bill was resumed bv the Hon. Mr. MeCardle, who supported 'the Bill. He suggested that there were various means of employing prison labor without entering into competition with outsiders. He instanced tine dairying industry, which depended upon outside markets, and tbua could not interfere with anyone. Prison labor might also be used for the reclamation of swamp lands and drifting sand areas. He did not think it proper to appoint the Chief Justice to the Chairmanship of the Prisons Board, owing to other duties which he could at present hardly overtake.

The Hon. Mr. Callan thought the Bill one which should bo very generally welcomed. The Prisons Board should be composed of men who could give their whole time'to the work involved. He hoped that prisoners would be instructed in military duties. The Hon. Mr. Luke also held that there were many directions for advantageously employing prison labor, instancing the manufacture of uniforms and other articles required by State officers. He thought it undesirable that prisoners should serve a fixed term before the reformative period commenced. It would be an incentive to reform if the system of rewards for good conduct were established, especially in the case of married men.

The Hon. Mr. Anstey considered the success of the measure depended upon its sympathetic administration. He did not think the Board should be composed of civil servants, whose promotion often depended upon seniority more than personal capacity, and who served under a. cast-iron code of regulations. The question as to the causes of crime was one which required careful analysis. It was a fact that in certain no-license distxitta there had been alarming increases in ths more serious classes of crime. Theft also was on the increase.

The debate was adjourned, and 'the Council rose.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. The House met at 2.30. Replying to Mr. Rhodes, the Premier stated that definite action in connection with the proposal to institute a Chair of Military Science at one of the New Zealand University Colleges must await the preparation of further details regarding the military college for the Commonwealth.

Replying to Mr. Buick, the Premier said the amendment to the Gaming Act was now being prepared.

The Public Revenues Bill was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. STATE FORESTS AND FLOODS.

On the presentation of a paper by the Premier to remove the reservation on certain State forests, a long discussion ensued, the arguments used by the speakers being that the greatest care should be taken in dealing with State forest reserves, as upon forest reservation depended immunity from floods and continuance of the rainfall necessary for the uniform flow of streams. Incidentally, Mr. Taylor (Christehurch) pointed out that the Premier held so many portfolios that it was impossible that he should have a detailed knowledge of the forestry question.. . The Hon. T. Mackenzie said it was desirable to guard forest reserves, and he gave credit to Messrs. Ell and Taylor for their work in that direction. It was true that forests hod a 'bearing on the flow of rivers, and he mentioned the case of the Clutha and Otira, which at one time were scarcely influenced by rainfall, on account of the* rain-'holding properties of the forests. What was wanted wafi that mountain tops should be reserved for climatic purposes. He had always advocated the preservation of our natural scenery. x The adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr. Hine, who said it was a sorry waste of time. Mr. Rhodes seconded. , 'After a further discussion, the amendment was defeated, and the paper laid on the taible. ' LEGISLATURE ACT BILL. In the House in the evening a Bill to amend the Legislature Act of 1908 was introduced 'by Governor's message. 'Replying to Mr. Massey, Mr. Fowlds said the Bill was intended to amend legislation relating to elections and making provision for automatic purging of the electoral roll and the taken of an electoral census. The Bill was read a first time. EDUCATIONAiL OONiTiINUiATION.

Mr. Sidey moved the second reading of the Education Amendment Bill, which, he said, only sought the extension of the principle of free and compulsory education. The money spent on education was largely wasted, owing to the discontinuance of education at the age of fourteen. Three classes of continuation schools were provided—general, industrial and rural—so,as to provide respectively for the needs of those entering the ranks of general laborers, trades and industries, and agricultural occupations. (He maintained that between 35,000 and 40,000 children between thirteen and fourteen' years of age did not receive any education after leaving school. Mr. Fowlds gave general support to the Bill. Mr. Hanan was of opinion that the element it wanted was that in towns where technical schools were situated,, compulsory attendance should be compulsory. Mr. Russell said that a youth who did not want to go to school should not be forced to do so, as such a course was a waste of time and resource. He believed education nowadays was too hide-, bound. He would give boards of education more elasticity of power. He supported: the second reading of the Bill. Mr. Luke referred to the growing tendency to employ female labor in place of male laborj and quoted figures to show that female labor was more in demand than male labor. After further discussion the Bill was read a second time and deferred to, theEducation Committee. The House rose at '11.25 p.m.