PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9189, 11 September 1908, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 10. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 o'clock. The amendments made by the House to the Town Board Amendment Bill were agreed to. The Civil Service ymenclment Kill and the Taupo (No. 2) Block Bill were put through Committee ami read a third time and passed. The Council adjourned at S p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr G. Laurenson presented a petition containing 11,259 signatures, praying for the repeal of compulsory • vaccination. A report was received from the Petitions Committee, on the petition of Thomas Walker, late manager of the Weraroa State Farm Industrial School, for redress, that the Crm mittee had no recommendation t r . make. Mr F. Lawry said that Mr Walter had been one of the most con-petent officers the S.tate ever had, but having incurred the. displeasure or animosity of a Government official, he had been dismissed without a reason being assigned, and a sstellite of the Hon. G. Fowlds, who knew nothing of farming, had been put in his place. This was the most disgraceful job hj had ever heard of. Mr J. A. Hanati, Chairman of the Education Committee, said that there was no claim lor wrongful dismissal in the petition, but only a claim for alleged defamation of character. Mr » T anan objected to the House being 'as a Supreme Court to hear us f. u for defamation of character. ?JfJ!I"L {tioner felt "Sieved, he If the pet. , r edy hadtheiuat :lsref e r red back to the The report v> Committee. Act Amendment The Impounding Committee Bill was reported fu with amendments. In Committee, on the Ag. fi .jj Produce Sale and Importation f , ' the Hon. R. McNab explained / the object of the measure was to hj» duce indent agents to exercise proper care apainst selling any produce which they have reasonable cause to believe con f ainc.d Reed of any injurious plant, or to be affected with any disease. Mr Donald Reid moved to amend clause 3 by adding after the word "seed" words "in a state fit to germinate." This was agreed to, and the House rose at 5.30 p.m. •* On the House resuming at 7.30 o'clock, the debate on the Noxious Weeds Bill was continued at considerable length. Amendments were agreed to reducing the penalty to £lO, and providing, in case of conviction for annuling a sale and refund of purchase money. The Bill was reported with amendments. The Hon. J. A. Millar move J the second reading ot toe Inspection of Machinery Amendment Act, which extends the definition of boiler-; and machinery for inspection purposes and requires a certificated tngineer to be,in charge of an engine and boiler. There were various other amendments to the principal Act, including one in the direction of bringing the law more into conformity with the exigencies of present con difions and latest developments. Mr W. F. Massey said he thought the Bill a good one, but considered that under it windmills would have to l.e inspected. That seemed unnecessary. He thought also that harvesting machinery would have to be inspected. Mr Massey criticised some technical provisions of the Bill, aiid said that he thought the schedule fees too heavy. He insisted upon the necessity of inspecting boilers of steam trolleys. Everything should be done that is, necessary for public safety. In the course of the discussion which ensued, it was stated that license fees would be harrassing to industries using small /appliances, under pressure of necessity. Mr J. Allen said that he did not see why murine conditions should be applied in case of private owned boilers, when less onerous conditions sufficed on railways. The Hop. J. A. Miller replied to the criticism, and the second reading was carried on the voices. The Hon. R. McNab moved the committal of the Declaratory Judgment Bill to enable a person to obtain, by anticipation, the Courts' interpretation of the ststutes. This would enable a parson proposing to lend money to a company or local body to ascertain whether a loan was ultra vires or not. Several members expressed the view that the Bill was an excellent measure, but required some consideration in Committee. The Bill was committed. Clause 12 was amended by the insertion of the words "subject to any decision of the Privy Council" a new clause was added in regard to costs. The Bill was reported, and the House rose at 11.57 p.m.