PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2957, 7 August 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Pee Pbess Agency.)

HOUSE 02? REPRESENTATIVES

WELLINGTON,

Tuesday. The House mot at 2.30 to-day. NEW MEMBER. Mr Oliver was introduced by the Hon. Mr Macandrew and the Hon. Mr Stout, and took the oath and his seat for Dunedin. women's bights. Dr Wallis gave notice to move for the introduction of a bill conferring the same political privileges on women as on men. BEFOBM OF TTPPKE HOUSE. Mr Curtis gave notice of his resolution of reforming the Legislative Council :—■" Ist. Section of the Constitution Act giving the Govornor power to nominate members to the Legislative Council

to be repealed. 2nd. The number of members of the Legislative Council to be onejialf that of the House of K< pregenta3rd. Vacancies in the Council to "-be.rilled by persons elected by ballot of the House of Representatives, ' 4th. Any bill passed by the House and objected to by the Council in two successive sessions, the House may require that the Council and House sit together for the consideration of such bill, and if a majority of two-thirds of the united body vote in favour of the bill it shall be deemed to have passed both Houses. sth. A similar provision when the House twice rejects a bill passed by the Council."

BE-DISTBIBUTION OF BEPBESENTATION. Mr Woolcock gare notice to ask whether it was the 'intention of the Gorernment to re-distribute the representation on the basis of population, as shadowed forth in the speeches of the Premier. CHINESE IMMIGRATION. Mr Beeves gare notice to ask, whether the Gorernment intended to introduce a bill this session to prohibit the introduction of Chinese P.. LEAVE OE ABSENCE. A week's leave of absence was granted to Mr Howe.

THE BOTOMAHANA SPBINGS. Mr JRichardson asked whether the Government had secured the land included in the Hot Springs at Eotomatana and Botorua for the benefit of the public P The Hon. Mr Sheehan said the Gorernment are taking steps to acquire for the benefit of the public the land referred to. BOAD BOAED AND COUNTY ENDOWMENTS. Mr Thomson asked whether the Go* vernment intended this session to introduce a bill relating to the endowment o Counties and Eoad Boards F . The Hon. Mr Stout said the Gorernment did not intend to introduce such a bill. If all the local bodies were endowed at they wanted there would be no land left for the Gorernment to sell. BAILTVAY TABIFF FOB GBAIN. In reply to Mr Wakefield, the Hon. Mr Maoandrew said the Government were taking steps to hare a uniform rate of freight on grain throughout the whole of the railway lines running north and south from Lyttelton.

MILFOBD HABBOB. The Hon. Mr Macandrew said Sir John Coode had not in any way reported as to Milford Harbor. , THB COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. In replying to Mr Cutten, the Hon. Mr Stout said the Gorernment would cause to be introduced in another place a bill to amend the Counties Act. POBT OF FOXTON. Replying to Mr Johnston, the Hon. the Premier said Gorernment had under their consideration the question of making Fozton a port of entry at the earliest possible moment. IMPBEST SUPPLY BILL. In Committee of Supply, the Hon. J. Ballance brought down an Imprest Supply Bill for £250,000.

Mr Gisborne protested against the Ministry asking for such a large amount at so early a period of the session, without affording more specific information as to what the money was required for. The Hon. J. Ballance explained that he had only acted in accordance with the Act, and that the'money was required for salaries, expenses, and contingencies. Mr Sutton asked if it was true that Ministers had drawn their salaries up to the end of July, while all the civil servants had not been paid theirs ?

The Bon. J. Balianco explained that Ministers' salaries were paid from another source than that from which the Civil Service, was paid, and that if they had drawn their salaries they acted quite in accordance with usage. Major Atkinson pointed out that before asking for any more money it would be incumbent upon the Government to enlighten the House as to their financial policy. The bill was advanced through all its stages and passed.

STATUTES EE-PEINTING Bltli. The Hon. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Re-printing Statutes Bill, the objarf of which is to separate the statutesfin force from those which have been rendered inoperative. Mr O'jßorke paid a,high tribute to the measure introduced by the AttorneyGeneral, as being ons of great importance and value. Mr Fox attached a great deal less importance to the bill than his hon. friend from Onehunga. It did not appear to him that the benefits supposed to be conferred were to the public at large. What really was wanted was the making of the present statutes more clear and intelligible to the general body of the public. Half of them now could scarcely be comprehended by any person deficient in technical knowledge.

Mr Barton wanted to know what the proposed re-printing of statutes would coat. He did not think the object to be gained justified the expenditure on what, he hoped, would only be something temporary. The Government ought not to stop short of anything less than making the statutes intelligible. He was going to say that he had grown grey in trying to interpret the New Zealand statutes, but he had absolutely lost his hair altogether in trying <o understand the laws of the colony. The hon. gentleman went on to point out how badly the laws of the colony had been drawn up, especially those with regard to land dealings, which appeared to him to be entirely unintelligible, unless, perhaps, to a few civil servants. He attributed the disgraceful gtate of our laws to the want of lawyers in the Bouse to guide members in the delicate work of law-making. Mr Joyce was of opinion that they never would have simply drawn up, satisfactory laws, so long as lawyers took part in framing them. He instanced the benefit conferred upon India by a codified

system of laws, so simply vqrded that every native who could read uuuid understand them. Mr Whitaker said tho unsatisfactory state of their laws was »ntirely owing to the large amount of legislation which was I rushed through every session. The Acts were first compiled with paste and sci.4 sors, and without being carefully considered as to whether the circumstances in New Zealand were the same as where the original was in force, they were passed through tlip House in a few hours. Major Atkinson thought it would be better for them to spend their money in consolidating and afterwards in codification. He hoped the Government would carefully consider whether it was really advisable to spend the money in the way proposed. Mr Stevens would support the bill as a measure much required, as was well known to anyone who had endeavored to consult the statutes. It appeared to him that a better plan to adopt than tinkering with old Acts would be to pass a new measure entirely. The Hon. Mr Stout ridiculed the idea of thinking that persons who knew nothing, of law were better qualified to act as law reformers than lawyers, who bad devoted themselves to the study of law. As for the consolidation of the statutes, he considered that perfectly ! impossible to carry out at present. The cost of re-printing the statutes he did not consider would be so heavy as seemed to be anticipated. He did not believe in any clean sweep reforms—all reforms i must grow. - i The bill was then read a sacond time. DEBTOBS AND CREDITOBS' ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This bill was read a second time. FRAUDULENT DEBTORS* BILL. ' This bill in committee led to considerable discussion, especially over clause 5, providing for a penalty for absconding with property. Mr Bastings proposed an amendment, and called for a division, which resulted —For the amendment, 7; against it, 40. The House rose at 5.30. GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE. Mr Pox will move to-morrow for a return containing all the particulars regarding the distribution of Government advertisements. .