Evening Sitting.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3381, 23 October 1879, Page 2

Evening Sitting.

The House resumed at 7.30, when

Mr Shriinski moved tiie second reading of the Oamaru Harbour Board Bill, which was carried, and Mr Ballance moved tbe second reading of the Wan gun vi Endowment Schools Bill.

A long debate ensued as to whother or not it should be dealt with as v private bill or not, in beitigr put, the motion was carried on the voices.

Mr Allwright moved .the second reading of the Lyttelton Harbor Board Bill Motion carried.

Mr Hamliti moved the second reading of the Auckland Turnpike Act, Amendment Bill.

Messrs Hursthouse and Kelly opposed the motion principally on the ground that it was improper to deprive the district road of this source of revenue until some other has been substituted in its

place. J The adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr Kelly, but was lost on the roices, and the motion for thn second reading was carried. THE I'OOE MAN'S FBIEND. Mr Rutchinson moved the second reading of the Imprisionmcut for Debt Abolition Bill, lie said that as matters stood the law had been.rendered one law for the rich aiid another for the poor. They never heard of a man owing a few hundred pounds being imprisoned for such ; he could at once* file his schedule. It was the poor man who was liable to be imprisoned. Then again by some fiction of this law this species of imprisonment was construed to be contempt of Court. The Speaker ridiculed the idea of a man who was unable to pay being treated that way. What the bill aimed at was the entire abolition for debt, the real aim of the bill also was to abolish the credit system for small amounts, in fact to make such debts of honor.

Mr Stewart pointed out that no provision was made for the case of a person about to leave the colony for the purpose of defeating his creditors. He believed in the spirit of the act, still he thought that the measure was one which demanded careful consideration.

Mr Eeader Wood argued that the simpler law was the better; he was opposed to imprisonment for debt under certain circumstance. The transactions out of which this class of imprisonment arose were purely of a mercantile character: The trader gave his customer credit in the hope of benefiting himself, than it was perfectly monstrous when he found out.he had made a bad speculation that he should be permitted to invoke the strong arm and punish his debtor with imprisonment.

Mr Murray spoke in favor of the Bill as it stood. It would tend to put an end to that spurious credit which at present did so much to spoil legitimate trade.

Mr Hutchison replied: The act of 1874, he said, was fought with a great deal of opposition, that bills had defeated iti avowed objects by beiiig niado too cumbersome. It was in vivw of that fact he had made the Bill as simple as possible. Then again he pointed out that under the old system the creditor was liable to maintain his debtor while in prison, now, however, that HabiHiy was always shifted from his shoulders on to that of the State. The motion was pat and carried. FBESH LEGISLATION. J On the motion of Mr Heeres, the j Mines Act 1877, Amendment Bill, and the Mining Companies. Act, 1872. Amendment Bill, were read a second time.

On the motion of Mr Bunny, the Masterton and Greytown Lands Manage* meat Act, 1871, Amendment Bill was read a second time.

Mr Saunders moved the second reading of the Licensing Laws Amendment Bill. Its chief feature was the power it gave the ratepayers of a particular district the right to say whether or not licenses should be granted for such a district. The compensation provided for by the Bill was simply enough to cover the amount to which the licensed dealer was bound to gain in respect of such licenses.

Mr Sheehan seconded the motion, congratulatiug the House on the calm and dispassionate manner in which the measures had been put before them. Mr Andrew moved the adjournment of the debate to that day reek. Mr Hall expressed satisfaction that the only difference of opinion was as to the mode in which local option should be carried ont.

Mr Moss snggested that the house, and not the person should be licensed. The debate was adjourned till that day week.

On the motion of Mr Bain, the Bluff Harbor Foreshore Endownment Bill was read a second time, at 12 30 a.m. the House rose. '