GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2230, 21 July 1891, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, July 17. HOUSE. OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was stated that it was not true that there was no ■Martini-Henry ammunition in the colony as the Defence Department had obtained a supply from another colony; that a few small defalcations had been discovered in the Government, Insurance Department, that they had, with one exception, been repaid, and chiefly consisted of defalcations of premiums returned as uncollected, and were discovered shortly afterwards, and that the defalcations had not been reported to the Government, but had been dealt with in the manner in vogue amongst insurance companies. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of Supply, and an Imprest Supply Bill for £175,000 was passed through-all its stages. After discussion the Premier pointed out that the distribution of the Government account amongst the banks of the colony would have to be done by resolution of the House. As to deficiency bills the Government did not use any more than they required, ami they were issued merely to anticipate revenue. The motion was agreed to. partnership rill. The Hon, Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Partnership Bill, to amend the law of partnership;, The motion was agreed to. REPEALS RILL. Mr, Reeves moved the second reading of the Repeals Bill, for promotin'the revision of the statute law In repealing divers Acts which had become unnecessary. No fewer than 385 Acts would be repealed by this Bill. The motion was agreed to. LOCAL AUTHORITIES ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT RILL. The Premier moved the second read ing of the Local Authorities Accounts and Audit Bill, to provide for the keeping and auditing of the accounts of local authorities.

A long debate ensued, during which several members took exception to certain provisions of the measure, the concensus of opinion being that copie.of the- Bill should be sent to the local bodies for their consideration befon anything was done in the matter Eventually the motion for the second reading was agreed to and the Bill was referred to the Public Accounts Com mittee.

CRIMINAL CODE RIM.

Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Criminal Code Bill. It was unnessary for him to remind the House that the Bill was no new thing, either in the colony or in the Old Country. It had been before the House several times, and was founded on an Imperial Act, drafted in 1878. The object of the Bill was to give the country ; complete criminal code. The Bill was introduced in the Legislative Council for several sessions, and was read a second time in the House a few sessions ago. There was, therefore, no great reason why he should enter very fully into the particulars of the Bill. It was exceedingly sifnple in character, and in fact produced order out of chaos. Every student of jurisprudenci agreed that it was a most necessary thing to codify the laws of nations, anil he hoped this House would distinguish itself by passing it into law. 'l’he Bill having been severely commented upon ; by several lawyers, Mr Reeves said lion, gentlemen would not read the -Bill through, but they took fragmentary portions and condemned them. He wished to remind Mr Hog; that his intense indignation over the Bill was only a specimen of Ids complete ignorance of the present law. As to the objections of the lawyers in tile House (Messrs Palmer, Hutchison, aid Rees) they showed such alarminy ignorance of the present law that Ik thought their clients should be mad aware of the fact. Referring to the righteous indignation displayed by 31 Hutchison respecting the clause which he said, was taken from the Irish Coercion Act, would it be believed that that clause was put in the Crimina Code Bill four years before the Irish Coercion Bill was passed ! He (31 Reeves) thought those lion, gentlemen .wlia,refrained from attending the Committee of which they were members were the last persons who shoulo have thrown jeers ajpl jibes at other members who took the trouble to attend the Committees of the,House The lion, gentlemen who were sc incensed against the law of the land should use all their learning to gel that law altered. Mr Hutchison had complained that the Bill did no l abolish the difference between felony and misdemeanor, but that was exactly what the Bill proposed to ,do. Hr had undertaken the passage of the Bill not with a light heart, as he was convinced it would . meet tvith serious opposition. The motion was agreed to, ADULTERATION PREVENTION ACT.

Mr , Ward moved the second reading of the Adulteration Prevention Amendment Bill to amend the law relating to the sale of bread, lie briefly referred to the provisions of the Bill, the chief of which were that bread was to be sold in ; loaves of certain weights, and that backers delivering by ctp't were, to bo’ pro-

vided with scales and weights for weighing loaves.

Sir John Hall called attention to thp absence in the Bill of provision against ; the adulteration of., artifical manure, and he hoped that it would receive attention by an amendment tin the Bill,

11 is Government promised to assist to put a bill on the order paper dealing with the question of artifical manure and the motion for the second reading passed. JURIES ACT, Air Reeves moved the second reading of the Juries Act Amendment Bill. He said the Bill to a certain extent codified the existing law,- and introduced some new provisions. The first part of the Bill limited the jury districts to an area of ten miles. The Bill also provided for common' -jurors being paid ten shillings per day. The motion was agreed to. SMALL RIRDS NUISANCE.

Air McKenzie moved the second reading of the Small Bird Nuisance Bill, to provide for the destruction of sparrows and other injurious birds. He thought the House would agree with him that it was time that something was done to cope the damage done to crops by those birds. He intended, if the House agreed to the second reading of the Bill, to refer it to the Stock Committee. It provides that the local authorities may apply as much of their general funds as they shall see fit for the destruction of injuriousi birds. The bill was referred to the Stock Committee and the House rose at 12.50. a.m.

LABOUR TROUBLES

London, July 16. Tillet, giving evidence before the Labor Commission said he did not approve of Unions being converted into a close corporation. The Trade Council report that Ncav South Wales contributed £4OOO to (Queensland shearers, and the other colonies except (Queensland itself, £17,000. The Shearers’ Union in addition sent £6OOO. The total amount subscribed from all sources by the Unions was over £50,000. There is little or no prospect at present of an amicable settlement between the shearers and the pastoralists in this colony.

Paris, July 16. The railway strike is rapidly extend-