PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 185, 15 November 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The following Bills, passed by the House of Representatives, were read a first time:—New Zealand Loans Amendment, Old Age Pensions, Licensing Amendment. Dr. Findlay movrd that the Standing Orders be relaxed in order to allow the second reading of the Licensing Bill to be taken in the evening. This was agreed to. Seventeen local Bills, passed by the House on Saturday, were read a first time and referred to committees. The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill passed through committee with a machinery amendment. TARAXAKI ENDOWMENTS. Ii committee, the Taranaki Scholarships Endowment Bill was amended by adding a proviso to clause 2, that the term of any renewable lease shall not exceed 33 years. A new sub-clause was added providing that reserves may be leased under the Public Bodies Leasing Act at the option of the Board. NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND. The National Provident Fund Bill was taken in committee. Hon. Mr. Jenkinson asked if the Bill were intended to apply only to persons in receipt of an income. His point was that youths over 16 who might not have been earning any income previously, could join the fund as the Bill was drafted. He was totally against providing for people who were well able to provide for themselves, and this, was the class which the Bill would chiefly benefit. Hon. Mr. Sinclair said the system was designed so as to encourage youths to join the fund as early as possible. A young man might be earning a good salary at 25 and have lost it at 27. Dr. Findlay said the main burden thrown on the fund was maternity and sick assistance. If at the time of an application for maternity or sick allowance the claimant's income exceeded £2OO, he would not get assistance, so that the fund was safeguarded. It was impossible\ to have a workable scheme which would exclude men whose incomes, subsequent to joining, exceeded the limit laid down in the Bill. At clause 12, Mr. Jenkinson suggested that a provision should be added that no person shall be paid a pension when his annual income exceeds £2OO a year. Dr. Findlay said the amendment would kill the Bill. He did not think there would be an excessive desire on the part of people to join the fund. No man would join the fund under the conditions proposed by Mr. Jenkinson. No such provision was to be found in the Continental systems. Clause 18 was amended by limiting the allowance to a married woman on account of a birth to residents of New Zealand. I LOCAL BODIES LOANS BILL. The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. THE GAMING BILL. The debate on the second reading of the Gaming Amendment Bill was resumed by Hon. Mr. Rigg, who gave his opinions on gambling, which, he considered, was only bad when carried to excess. He deprecated the action of the clergy in taking part in politics and said the people would resist the attempt to revive Puritanism in the Dominion. He advocated the use of common-sense in dealing with gambling. Parliament ought to endeavor to regulate the evil rather than suppress it. The debate was adjourned and the Council rose. THE LICENSING BILL. I On resuming at 7.30 Dr. Findlay movea the second reading of the Licensing Amendment Bill. He referred to the elimination of the reduction issue, which had served its purpose. The cardinal principal of the Bill was the national prohibition issue. There were a number of important details in part 2 of the Act. The inexpediency of women serving drink behind a public bar had been recognised. The other reform was the abolition of the locker system, which had been responsible for much mischief. He hoped to introduce an amendment which would make the clauses dealing with the locker system more drastic. He would also introduce amendments with the object of rendering it impossible for courts of justice to be used to defeat the aim and object of the Bill on technical grounds. The issues had been put on the voting papers so as to be clear to the meanest intelligence. He was anxious to see the Bill pushed on to its committee stage, when a number of amendments would be introduced with a view to making it more completely carry out the will of the House of Representatives. The Hon. G. Jones seconded the motion, and emphasised the need for a change in the licensing laws. He was glad that both parties interested in the Bill were satisfied. He was against the employment of barmaids, on the ground that women were demoralised by serring in bars. He attacked bottle licenses, j which led to a great deal of sly drinking. I He concluded with a dissertation on the evils of the drink traffic. The Bill would tend to remove these evils, and «ave power to the people to regulate and control the liquor trade, which was a curse. He hoped for still further legislation, which would have the effect of doing away with the traffic altogether. The Hon. W. Carneross referred to the moderate spirit shown by members of the House of Representatives in dealing with the Bill. He agreed with the Hon. Jones as to the evils caused by bottle licenses, and was glad these were to he abolished. In regard to national prohibition, he regarded the four years period which must elapse before the carrying of a vote in favor of that issue into effect, as being not only a concession to the trade but in the financial interests of the Dominion. He looked upon the Bill as a great step forward in the reform of the liquor traffic. The Hon. Mr. Callan was specially pleased with two features of the Bill, namely, the abolition of barmaids and the retention of the three-fifths majority. The Hon. C. M. Luke said licensing legislation wa3 necessary in the interests of the weak. He was glad to see provision made in the Bill prohibiting the sale of liquor to persons under 21. He gave approval to the main features of the Bill, but considered the proposal to give effect to the vote for the restoration within three months was unfair to the reform party. He counselled the liquor trade to set its house in order, as the reforms aimed at by the NoLicense party were certain to be carried. Dr. Findlay, replying, referred to the spirit of compromise shown by both parties interested in the licensing question, which was due to an intelligent recognition on both sides that they had to submit to the will of the people. The time had come to take the voice of the people on the question and to abide by it, and the Bill was the most effective means to that end. He considered the Prohibition party had shown wisdom in conceding four years to; tho3e engaged in the trade to carry on their business after the carrying of national prohibit tioa. Men who were accustomed to use \iquor were not likely to resist legishv

tion when thov had four years in whichto indulge their habits. He defended barmaids from the aspersions often east upon their moral character, and said in his experience as a barrister he seldom found that lady co-respondents in divorce cases had been barmaids. The Bill was a fair, liopest and reasonable attempt to meet the difficulties of licensing legislation. The second readin'g was agreed to. OTHER BILLS. Tlip Harbors Amendment Bill and the Public Revennes Bill were read a second time. The Secret Service Bill was committed at clause 2 (duty of agents to disclose pecuniary interest in contract). Dr. Findlav said it would not be necessary to disclose such things as primage, and moved an amendment to thafc effect, which was agreed to, and the Bill reported as amended. The Law Practitioners Bill was deleted from the Order Paper, and the Counrl rose at 10.15.