WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1916, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

WAR REGULATIONS, DISEASE AND DRINK. (From Our Special Correspondent). Wellington, July 2S. The War' Regulations Bill in committee qccupied the House oE R«proseiitatives all last night on to the small hours of this morning and produced one of the most animated discns.-ions. or scries of discussions, that have been heard this session. Early in the evening something like a sensation was occasioned by Sir Joseph Ward explaining how the "anti-shouting" clause came to appear in the measure. During the recess, in the course of a conversation with a gentleman '"high up in tlie Prohibition Party" he had gathered that the prohibitionists were less eager for early closing than they were .for "anti(•liouting" legislation, and he had communicated this fact to the Cabinet, with the result that a clause which he and his colleagens regarded as a reasonable compromise was inserted in the Bill, lie made this explanation so that the House might understand the position so far is he was concerned. Why Mr. Isitt, whom everyone had' identified as the gentleman "high up in the prohibition party," caught the eye of the chairman a few minutes later lie expressed regret that any misunderstanding should have arisen between the Minister of Finance and himself in regard to the conversation tha l . took place between them during the recess. He had not the slightest doubt that the Minister had given his honest recollection of their conversation, ■but it was due to himself and his friends to say that it differed entirely from his own recollection. He had no authority to bargain on behalf of the Prohibition Party, and he certainly had no intention to commit it to any arrangement.

■ COMPROMISE BY MISUNDERSTANDING. Mr. Isitfc admitted that he -had discussed the subject of "'anti-shouting'' with Sir Joseph Ward. Both the principals in the misunderstanding, indeed, were perfectly frank and obviously sincere. The member for Chvistchnrch North had urged upon Sir Joseph "Ward that' a great majority of the people were anxious to put a stop to shouting during war time, and that if the (Severnment would introduce legislation to give effect-to the very general desire it would do something to allay the discontent amongst the temperance section of the community. No doubt this statement, which may have conveyed to the listener a very different impression from the one the speaker intended, was responsible for the misunderstanding. The Prime Minister, who .followed Mr. Isitt, recounted what Sir Joseph Ward had communicated to the Cabinet concerning the conversation, and added that if Minister had not understood the prohibitionists would he satislied with antishouting legislation probably the clause would not have appeared in the Bill. His own opinion was that the prohibition of shouting would do far more to discourage promiscuous drinking than would any shortening of the hours. Nearly all' the subsequent speakers made passing allusions to the subject, several of them seizing the opportunity to rally the member for Chnstchureh more or less humorously, upon lie had played in the negotiations, 'and when the clause dealing with fintishoutiug was put to the vote it was carried by tifty-six to fifteen, practically every available member of the House taking part in the division.

THE SOCIAL EVIL. Before the debate on the short title of the Bill, which offered wide opportunities for discussion, settled down to iteration and reiteration on the subject of early closing the other clauses of the Bill received some attention from members. No one seemed particularly interested in the provisions for placing further restrictions upon the enemy's trade or in the proposals for facilitating the administration of soldiers' wills, they being mainly of a technical character; but there were objections from several quarters to giving the Government power to deal with certain phases of the social evil by regulation. At a later stage Mv. Homsby moved an amendment fie the effect that no regulation should issued that would permit the arrest i~x a .' person "otherwise than under the ip;i>"S of law, now in force." The fear o.'th. mover and the supporter.* of the ainen.mont v is that the adoption of tht JiJiister's proposal might lead to tin rev" a l o! " le obnoxious featiijjos of the roe sun; dealing will) this sWijeet which wit amoved from the .Statute Book 7io' sc very long ago after years of stremj'is and persistent agitation by the wom'i's organisations in the country. Tin Al lirney-General and the Minister of Tfet !th refused to accept Mr. Hornsby'i fli mdment, holding that the j existing r.w tronld not enable them to 'deal with ?fnc of the more llagrant deivelopnicrts of the evil; but they gave the Hon-" the most positive assurance that no :egulatioii that would permit'of | persons '>e\ng arrested on mere suspicion ior that vould he in any way humiliating 10 wonrn would be issued. They had

not the slightest intention of reviving the objectionable features of the old law. In s P it( - of this assurance the op-ponpn.'-i ■■■' t'lie clause insisted upon «o'.in',' to n division and suffered defeat by lifty-for»' to sixteen. ._,;,_ ;j I'tlE PARKINSON CASE. ' An unf 'loraljle report on the petition ■lid ' : nn recommendation to make" is '.lie YcrilK'- of the Public Petitions Committee o-- ll largely-signed petition far -.1-iii" tlr release of Alice May Parkinmi %.,- '.".iced to imprisonment for lifi or'the 'Manslaughter of Albert West, a -outli or -1, at Napier. The committee attaches t0 't3 recommendation a mem■vMiiduni f>' om the Chief Justice, who states - Ma t the jury recommended the H'.-iisp-l" t° mercy on the ground :>l )nn-)r--''' :l n - "1 "' ou '<l not," says Fir lohc-K "tout, "accept the rocommenda|on /ecausc the killing was deliberate. la vV 0 ' been previously threatened; it „.. ls planned, and there was, in fact, no IE the jury had acted nej,j.'.ding to strict law and the evidence ~.r-v ought to have found her guilty of 'murder.' 1 The Chief Justice reviews the livholc case, in the course of which he remarks: "'''.> allow a person, male or , I female, who thinks he or she has been \ I wronscii, to .inflict punishment williout | trial, by pi -".ite assassination, would he (, such a \iu' l .i'in of law and order (hat ( , no civilised ciirnmiiily e»uhl submit to t it!. It i-s ' i' v.- • th.n lynch law, 1 where then s :..; Y'■■.-....;' jury and s trial." His Mono: vis .'-It is well i known U'"' Jlife ><■■■! . ■ i cs not ni>- . tCoSaril i- an Cr:\l '■'.. .-"- wUI not, iii'ler , soma t ?:s. be :.'-j'. r.'..i-; 'ui extemled I to the orisonor, v>ut those v.h'o ask ior

mercy now aro those .who heve private assassination is jusiifieS ii a man lias seduced and, broken liis promise of uiaj'iiuge to a woman. Were the Executive -to yield to such clamor justice could not he administered in this Dominion."