PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8263, 17 October 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph—Preßs Aasooi&tion, | WELLINGTON, October 16. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Workers' Dwelllugs Bill waft read a seoonct time, after very brief discussion. The Tourist and Health Resorts Bill was partly considered in committee, and progress was reported. The South Island Landless NativesBill passed through committer The Wellington Reclamation Empowering Bill was read a second time. The Council rose at 4.10 p.m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Laurenson asked the Minister,, without notice, if bis attention bad been drawn to a recent deoision of the Supreme Court of whioh a division is drawn between awards of thb Arbitration Court affecting ships registered in New Zealand and awards affecting ships not so registered. p The Minister of Labour said be* bad noticed the matter, and wag considering it with a view to meeting the necessities of the situation. The New : Zealand International Exhibition Bill was introduced and read a first time. The "Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill was read a first time. 'lhe Unclassified Societies Registration Act Amendment Bill gwaa read a third time. The Fisheries Conservation Autq Amendment Bill was read a third time. In conpeetion with the Offensive Publications Bill the Hon. Minister of Justice explained the need for search before the Commission of any offence, and the destruction of iinoroper publications. Such search and destruction were provided for in the English Act. The House aujoumed at 5.30 o'clock. EVENING SITTING.

The Hoose resumed at 7.30 p. m. Mr Herries criticised the provision for giving power to a single J.P. to issue search warrants.

Mr Wilford denounced the "legalised burglary" proposed to be started at the dictum of every irresponsible person who might belong to a "poke-yuur-nose into-every-business sooiety." He poiuted out that the Bill, after, giving every facility to prejudiced or ignorant people, provided no punishment for malfeasance and no xemoGy to the man whose property might be broken and destroyed. Uo could only conclude that the Bill was'.the outcome of some local officer's desire to secure convictions against a person he had hitherto beeu unable to get at.

Mr Gray thought the speech jnsfc delivered was! "full of sound and fury signifying nothing" Ihe Bill was aimed solely at those who kept for sale or exhibition, and therefore all the denunciation fell to the ground. At the same time he had no faith In the average J. P. He bad known one witnessing his own declaration.

Mr A. L. D. Fraser opposed the Bill, w«ich he pronounced just as deplorable as certain late prosecutions. He regretted the Minister oould not find something better to devote his time to. He marvelled that the question of destroying what might be high works of art should Le put in the hands of the J's.P. The Minister was wasting his time and desecrating the House. To be logical the Minister must stop the Maori pah at the Exhibition and close the picture gallery. He hopei the Minister, in reply, would explain bow he had allowed the late proseoutions at Auokland. Th« Minister oited the analogy of che liquor laws and other Acts both in this country and Australia. It v was no use denying the fact that there were large numbers of pnblioationH in every towngand there wfcs uot sufficient power to cope with them especially as the piosecutions have driven the traffic into seoret channels. He defended tbe late prosacations, reminding th> House tnat if the -Magistrate took time to consider his'judgment, a policeman might; well beexoused if he made a mistake. There had boen talk of art, hut tbe proper places for art were picture and sculpture galleries, not postcards. « The Bill was read a second time on the voices.