PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 81, 25 September 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Sept. 17Mr Swanson asked Government whether they would take steps to regulate the laying out of townships by private persons, so that a proper proportion be set aside for public purposes, and proper provision be made for width of streets, drainage, &c. Mr Stout replied that Government had at present no power to carry out the suggestion. In reply to Mr Fitzroy, the Premier said that considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining the information asked from him re Hinemoa, but the return was being prepared. Sept 18. Mr Bowen asked whether Government would obtain pa 1 tern railway carriages from America and elsewhere with a view to increase the comfort of passengers. The carriages at present in use were extremely uncomfortable from their oscillation, much of which was discovered to be due to their centre of gravity being so much above the line of traction. The Americans cured this to a great extent by constructing the upper parts lightly. Mr Macau drew said Government would like to iniprove the carriages if they could afford it. The Commissioners should be consulted. Mr Hodgkinson moved the reduction of the New Zealand letter and post-card postage rates by one half. The motion was negatived by 49 to 12. Mr Pyke moved the consideration of the matter of increasing the pay of the police force of the Middle Island. The police of the South were paid less than

ordinary street labourers, and the result had been that the whole force had been demoralised.

Mr Sheehan pointed out that the police were paid for seven days a week, and received quarters and medical attendance, and other advantages. He would move for a special committee to inquire iuto the subject. Mr Curtis moved his resolutions dealing with the constitution of tne Legislative Council. The resolutions propose to take from , the Governor his present power to nominate members of Council ;. to fix the number of members of the Council at one-half of that of the House of Representatives ; to fill all vacancies, howe\er caused, by persons elected by ballot of the lower House; to provide that when any Bill passed by one House has been rejected by the other in two successive sessions, the two Houses should sit together and the Bill should be considered passed if two-thirds of the united body voted for it. Mr Curtis spoke at some length in support of his motion. After a short discussion, the previous question was put and agreed to. The Milford Harbour Bill, amended by striking out the clause relating to endows ments, was read a third time and passed-. Eight harbour endowment bills were discharged from the Order Paper. . . The second reading of the Triennial Parliaments Bill was negatived by 24 to 18. September 19; The following reports of the discussions in Committee on three interesting clauses of the Electoral Bill are from the ' New. Zealand Times' : Clause 126 : Public-houses to be closed on day of poll.—Mr Stout moved an amendment to make the clause "apply to retail sales only, and to close all houses within a mile of the electoral district during an election. Mr Barff hoped the clause would be struck out. People could not be made sober by Act of Parliament, and it was a slur on the people of the colony to pass such a clause. Mr Stout said the principle worked'well in the United States, and there could be no harm in closing public-houses one day in thi'ee or five years, as the case may be*" Public-houses were closed on Sundays: The moral effect would be good, because! people would come to look upon voting as a most sacred act. Mr Moss said if they closed public-houses for moral effect then they should be consistent and open the churches. (A laugh.) He disproved of the people of the colony being treated as children. They woiild get drink at the back door if the front was closed; Mr Gisborne said if the practice of the United States led to orderly elections it did not seem to improve the charactep-of the representatives. Mr Murray supported the clause, and Mr Pyke hoped, it would be withdrawn. It would be a "premium to hypocrisy, and a disgrace to the Statute-book. The clause was cot necessary, because drunkenness was not a practice at colonial elections. Mr Saunders, from >vhat he had seen in America, believed the law would act well. Mr Swanson pointed out that in cases like those of, Parnell, Newton, Eden, and the various city constituencies where the elections, did not take place all on the one day, the whole of the public-houses in the city would be closed day after day. Sir Robt. Douglas said if visitors came into a constituency while an election was going on they would be unable to get food. Mr Saunders pointed out that only the sale of drink would be prohibited .by the.Bill. Mr Stout said if members desired it provision would be made to prevent inconvenience to travellers by an addition to the clause. The word "retail" was inserted on the voices. Other amendments of the clause were agreed to, and on the question that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill a division took place; The ayes were 22 ; the noes 31. The clause was struck out. Clause 135.—Commencement and close of poll; opening 9 o'clock, close at 8 o'clock.—Mr Barton thought the poll should commence at 8 o'clock, and that officers should get an hour for dinner.— A long discussion took place on this. Mr Rees thought if the clause was to stand as at present, the poll should not be declared until the following day. Mr Stevens thought 8 o'clock in the evening too late. Mr Stout would accept 7 p.m., but did not approve of the poll being opened earlier than 9 o'clock. Mr Bartori said working men complained they could not vote. The poll should be opened from 6 to 6 or 7 to 7 —twelve hours at any rate. Mr J. E. Brown said the hours pro-; posed in the Bill would do veEjp; well in the country, but people in tbwjjff com-, plained that they had no time under the present arrangement. He thought in the cities the hours should be 7 to 6. M? Joyce, after great experience, thought the present hours quite sufficient. A great deal of rubbish had been talked about increasing the facilities for a working man voting. If the principle was fully carried out then 'every election day should be made a statutory holiday. Mr Tole said said the whole matter was discussed last year in reference to the Municipal Corporations Act, and it would be well for the House to accept the decision arrived at last year, as expressed in the Act. Mr Wakefield supportd the clause, and hoped the Government would not give way. Nine o'clock was fixed as the opening hour on the voices. On a division the word " eight," in reference to the closing' of the poll, was struck out by 26 to 20, and on another division the word '• six " was inserted in its place by 27 to 20. The poll therefore closes at 6 p.m. The clause* as amended was passed. Clause 142.—8a110t paper to be delivered to voter ; btamp on ballot paper. A discussion arose on the practice of numbering ballot papers. Mr Joyce considered the secrecy of the ballot a sham under the system of numbering the ballot papers. People in country districts especially were prevented from voting because of this. He supposed " this absurd dread of innovation " would prevent any alteration being made, but he should like to see the principle of electors' rights, with photographs or descriptions of the voters thereon. He moved an amend* ment to strike out the provision as to numbering papers. A discussion ensued, in which Mr Barton claimed to have been tne first person in New Zealand to draw attention to the matter. He believed a plan might be adopted which, while identifying the voter, would not disclose how he voted. Mr Bowen, Mr Hobbs, Captain Russell, and others, thought the objections to the system weak, and after some further discussion, the Hon Mr Stout agreed to postpone the clause with a view of considering the whole matter.