GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2234, 30 July 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, July 28. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. JUDICAL SEPARATION. Mr Stevens moved that, in the opinion of this Council, a judicial separation decree may be granted by magistrates in cases in which aggravated assault upon, a wife has been proved, and that the Government be requested to introduce a Bill this session, giving effect to the motion. A long debate ensued, in the course of which Mr Buckley said that the Government had no intention to introduce such a measure this session. Personally he was opposed to the Bill as being calculated to weaken the marriage tie. The motion was agreed to by 19 to 9. ■ POLICE OFFENCES BILL. The Police Offences Act Amendment Bill was dealt with. The section relating to brothels was further considered in committee. Mr Fulton proposed a new clause making it penal for anyone keeping or leasing a house for immoral purposes. After some debate progess was. reported on the Bill, and leave given to sit again. The Council rose at 4.40 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2. 30 p.m. on Tuesday. : BANK GF NEW ZEALAND BILL. The Bank of New Zealand Bill was read a third time and passed. ; SHOP HOURS BELL. On the motion for the committal of the Shop Hours Bill Mr Thompson (Marsden) gave notice to move that the Bill should not apply to town districts. Mr Duthie said that the result of this Bill would be that storekeepers would be obliged to reduce the wages of their employes to recoup the loss they would suffer through the operation of the measure. He felt so strongly that the Bill would be injurious that he should move it be committed that day six months. Mr Buckland seconded the amend-; meut. The amendment was lost by 58 to 4. , ; TRUCK BELL. The House went into Committee on the Truck Bill. v The blank in the first clause was filled up by inserting the words “That the Act shall come into operation off Ist November, 1891.” Clause 7—Employer not to have an action for goods supplied to a work- , man. ;

Mr Moore moved that this clause be struck out. '

In the course of a long discussion which followed, the Minister in charge of the Bill, Mr Reeves, said that the clause, which had been in * force in England for the last sixty years, only took away from the storekeeper the right to come between a man and his wages. He had no objection, however, to insert in the Bill a provision that the clause should not apply to the first month’s wages in bush falling contracts.

The clause was passed on the voices without amendment.

That portion of clause 12 which provides for three months’ imprisonment for breach of the Act was struck out.

The remaining clauses were passed without amendment, and the Bill was reported with slight amendments.

SHOP HOURS’ BILL. The House went into Committee on the Shop Hours Bill. Mr Thompson (Marsden) asked whether the Minister in charge of the Bill would consent to an amendment excepting town districts from the operation of the Act.

Mr Reeves said he could not consent to such an amendment as that. Sir John Hall said that this amendment might prove a hardship in the case of farmers who wished to visit shops in towns after their work was finished. He suggested that the Governor might declare what were towns in country districts where the Act would not be put in operation. Mr Moore thought the Bill should have a much wider application if it was to prove workable. Clause 3—Ordinary hours for closing shops.

Mr Rolleston moved—“ That this clause, in addition to applying to cities and boroughs, should also apply to any town districts proclaimed for that purpose by the Governor. ’ ’ Lost on the voices, and the clause was amended so as to apply to cities, boroughs, and town districts. Mr Hutchison (Dunedin) moved to add after town districts the words “ or one mile from any city, borough, or town district.” Lost on the voices.

Mr Fish proposed—“ That confectioners should be amongst those excepted from the operations of the Rill.” ; Agreed to.

Mr Fish moved—“ That fruit and vegetable shops and tobacconists’ shop be exempted from early closing.” He pointed out fruit was such a luxury that facilities should be given for purchasing it at a later hour than any other goods could be bought. As to tobacconists’ shops he said if tobacco and cigarettes could) not be purchased at night by working men and others

it would simply mean they would go to the public house to purchase them. Mr Kelly (East Coast) wanted to know whether bakers and butchers’ shops were to be closed by the Bill. He said in town districts bakers’ shops were also grocers’ shops, and it would be inconvenient to close them early. , Mr Earnshaw supported Mr Fish’s "I amendment, and said if fruit and tobacco shops were closed early it w;ould simply lead to the destruction of the Bill, ,

Mr Kelly (Invercargill) thought if fruit and tobacco shops were allowed to remain open, the Bill would become a dead letter. , : . ~

Mr Thompson (Marsden) asked the Government what provisions they intended to make for numbers of small shopkeepers who would be ruined % this Bill. He thought that hundreds ' of families who were now struggling hard to make a living would be absolutely ruined if this Bill became law. He really hoped the House would not make itself look ridiculous over the whole affair. Mr Buckland said as long as people walked up and down the streets at night they wanted sohie shops open. If there were no shops open people would simply frequent public houses billiard-rooms. He supported Mr Fish’s proposal. Mr Blake'suggested that all shops should be allowed to be kept open where no one was employed.

Mr Fish’s amendment was carried

on the voices,

The clause was also amended so as to except hair-dressers’ shops from early closing. The first sub-section, to the effect that on four evenings of the week shops should close at six o’clock, was' passed. , s Mr McKenzie (Clutha) moved- “ That one evening of the week shops, should close at ten instead of nine o’clock.” Agreed to. Mr Meredith moved—“ Tliat shops may remain open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eye till eleven o’clock at night.” * Mr Tanner said the whole spirit or the Bill was about to ,be altered. Christmas Day and New/Year’s Day were the principal holidays i. of the year, and yet they proposed to imprison employes till within, an hour of midnight before those holidays.

Mr Earnshaw said that whilst he Should fight tooth and nail for. the Labor Party, he still wished to do justice, and on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve large numbers of people from the country were in the towns. , He thought it reasonable that the shops should, be left open till 11 o’clock. Agreed to. •, - - Mr Reeves moved--.," That on working days preceding Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Queen’s Birthday, and the Prince of Wales’ Birthday,V shops be allowed to remain open till ten o’clock.” Agreed to. . -

Mr Duthie moved —“ That shops be closed on one afternoon in the week at two o’clock instead of one o’clock.” Lost and one o’clock inserted. _ Clause 5, referring to the day on which the half-holiday should be kept, elicited a lengthy discussion.

Several members contended that the half holiday should be made compulsory on Saturdays in all districts in which the Bill would have operation. Other members supported the proposal in the Bill to leave the matter entirely to the local bodies, which was agreed, to. ■ ;

Mr Fish moved to alter the clause', so as to provide for making one late night in the week to suit the various trades engaged. Lost on the voices, and the clause ■“* passed.

Clause s—Penalty for not closing at the prescribed hour. .

Sir John Hall thought a penalty of, £25 altogether out of proportion for an offence of this kind, and suggested that £lO be inserted.

Mr Moore thought the clause a ridiculous one, and that the maximum should be £5.

Mr Reeves agreed to alter the penalty to £lO, and this was carried. Clause 6- —Women and young persons not to be employed more than fifty-eight hours a week. Mr Mackenzie (Clutha) moved to amend the clause so that women and young persons should not be employed about shops or outside shops for more than fifty-eight hours a week. Carried. , Mr Swan moved to insert “ sixty ’' instead of “ fifty-eight” hours. Lost, and fifty-eight hours retained, (Left sitting at 2 a.m.)