PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10684, 2 August 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (flu Tdpnm.nh~Pres9 Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.The Lc-girfative Council met at 2.30. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Replying -to a quest,>.;n tailed hy the H»n. Sir ,Ma>uriee- O'R'orke, the How. H.D. Bell said tliat it was not rthe intlent'ion of the, Government to proceed .with the Bill to -amend the system of local government i-is pi'opos. Ed by thei hist Admiiiristiraticiai. He was amable to say that there was any progpect of tihe Goveirr,taient reverting to the sytslteim of Provincial Oouneilis, which wiae abolished an 1875, I

NO BUSINESS. Before the orders of the d-iy were called, the. Hdn. H. D. Bell said that for ft. period beyond the memory of any 'bait oil© or tm<o membeirs of the Council, a position simitar to the present had not-'occurred. There had .not been a speech from the Throne advised by the Government which had tlie duty of introducing Government measures to Parliament, and it was impoe<sihle for himself or his colleagues 'in tlie other branch of the Legislature to propose Government- measures before t'he Gbve,raiment statement had been maae. He had, therefore, no business to offer on behalf of tlie Government UMlt'il after the policy .statement ,wtas made in the House on Tuesday next. 1 He would move that the Council, at its rising, adjourn uivtil Wednesday next, at 2.30. This ivas agreed <to.\ A HARDY ANNUAL.-

The Hon. Sir ; W. J. Steward moved ilhe isecond reading of (the Mteruge Act Amendment Bill, explaining that the object was to make it legal for a man to marry liis deceased ,wife's mfiece, 'or for .ai woman to marry her deceased husband's nephew. It was provided, however, that no man cbuld many k's ow© niece or no .woman could marry her own n<'ph<*\v. The Hon. O. H. Mills J-1'° r l ( *(1 the ißffi, . , . ' /

Ilhe Hon. tH. D. Bell 'opposed the measure. It wjs wJieisirabk'. he fsraid, to have variations of tlie marriage Qawe 'ini this country, ■wMch would bring them out cf< conif'onmity wit'h laws of. ■other pailts of the Empire. He al'So ■took exception to the proposal .as 1 to the irelaftionfelliiip. In> such 0.-193 it might Conceivably be th'ait of a iparent and child, and it was intolerable that iguch relaitatoiuslhip should ibe allowed to grow into a sexiual relation. The Horn. W. CanicrotS's supported, alid .the Hon. Gallan : opposed the Bill, which 'was loslt by 16 vote.? to 12. The (Council then rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. GAMING ACT. Mr <G. Hunttelr (W'aipawtO gave notice of 'hi® intention Jto introduce a Gaimiitfg Act, 1910, Aanen--i.uo:]t Bull. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. The Hon. W. F. M-iwor gave notice ito move that Mr W. I' 1 . Lang be appointed Ch aA'lllOll cr Ccir.inKtitees. THE DEFENCE QUESTION. Replying to Mr L. M., fb':tt, ibe Premier said: ample opportunity would ibe given the House for ihc of the wholei defence quoit :c: 11. FIRST .READINGS. ' A li'Um'bor of Bills rend a first

time. LAND AGENTS' .REGISTRATION. Mr Withy moved the second reading of the Land-Agents Registration Bill. The aneasure, he .paid, ,was intended to safeguard ttlie peopfe. A land- agent Avas in no way responsible as was an ,au(citiioueer. The Bill provided that after the fiinst day of January next a (person shall libit carry on the business of ia 'land agent unless he is the holder of ia license under the Act. It would ihe sufficient if any one member of a .fti-m was the holder of a license. Liceuises irtrald be issued ,by-i magistrate upon his becoming satisfied VclhiatItilie applicant was. a- fit person, to hold a license. Mtr Witty explained .tihait the Bill was practically the same as thlat introduced last year. Every land agent wa® ffiable to t"\vo. years imprisonanenlfc for the wrongful converson of monies received, or for rendering <v I fraudulent account of monies received. |'!A person ctm-yiing on business without a lice-nsei would be liable to a- fine of £SO. The was supported by (Messrs Payne, Harriis, Buddo, M-an-de>r, and RiuaselH. Tlie Hon. Mir Maescy suggested that tlhe imbver should refer the Bill to the Minds Committee. This course .was adopted, ;and the l Bill was.tread a .second time. A.FFEiCTING NEWSPAPERS. Mr .H'indmarsh moved the second reading of the.Legils'latiwe Amendment Bffi/l, providing that returns shall be' made iby the proprietors or publishers c# newspapers setting out itihe amount of electoral matter in connetotion witUi the election' inserted in their newspapers in respect of ■wJiich payment was made, or was to ■be ,nnacl.e J the space occupied by such matter; the .amount of money paid or owing to them in respect of such matter; and .the names "of those authorising the insertion thereof. A committal .of a breach, of this clause will render tlhe .proprietor of a newspaper Ma-bio "to a Jine not exceeding £SOO, and of not less than £IOO,-or to im-prisqnanesi-t for not exceeding twelve months, further, provision is made far the signing of every article, report, letter, or other ; matter commenting upon any candidate or polatfiical party, printed an/l pubKishetd m> ta newspaper, dodger, or pamphlet by tlie- author thereof, .giva'aig his niaine and .address). A fine of £'so is provided for -a' breach of this provi. (slion. Mr Hindmarsh contended that a, large number of people were influenced by what was written.- They tainted to know who had written ttlie matter. Under the existing lows | lany "paid pimp of tlie -wealthy," who were more fit for prayers than, any-

tiling else, could write wfiait .theyj Chose about anyone. Mfc tyfialcolm coirt-erided tliat tOie

signiing of articles or kttens wou&t! inot protect .the poor ffirom persecution; or /fclie power of wealth. He was as. fci'iixious as anyone to curtail that! ptower; but .the provisions of Mr; Hfindm a rail's BiiilH wou'ld Jail mi t heiil object. Ilieh men could hire persons,] 'who would parform the work foe 'them.

| Mr G ..Lauren son referred to the us 1 © of motor cars at elections, and pointed ouifc that .the Commonwealth Jiad! f]eexleci not to permit the lending i>f motor cars duriuiig ejection's. As »o the ,sJgi;uiig of articles in newspapers, ho ecu id imagine a coward! of mi editor not willing to sign liis article s;, but not a brave main. of pfro* jbity and honbur.

The Hon. .F. M. 13. Fisher said ho wa® not opposed to the Biill, and the hoped the Government wouild .putt a' .siinlikr Bill! to that of "the Conuntonwealith upon the Statute Book.

Mr W. ,A. W'itdi upheld /the prinicqpile of the. Bfil. He 'said that what '-—J had'"to deal with was the gutter, (press, 'wHii.ch indaillged in mii&repireisen.tufcion.

J. G. Ainderscn traversed Mr Laurai son's isitotemeiSts .regarding editors. ,H©. knew a gtood many of them, and he defied anyone to say su word against any of therm.; He was agaiinisit anything lin the way. of fcritix?:isim-. T'he New*. Zealand Press .was 'Such as anyone mightbe proud of. As to the propo&edl penalty of £SOO, half t&e propriditora i:n New Zealand had mot five hundred (shillings!. If tilie Bill ,wa.s earned, , tlie .liberty, of the Preys "would be dnfring-

Mi* L. M. Isitt held fhat onOy memwho ha.d anythiing to dreaxJ werethose- wiho hadi something to secrets. Mr W. H.. D. Bell supported the first paint of the Bill, but d!id nbfc' agree tliat articles should be signed.

llh© Hon. A. L. Herdmain agreed' that t would be a gcod Ithiing to stop 'motor cars, but he was not in tfavdur of signed articles. ; Tkre'was ample frrotectibn under .ae ld'be.l Law to meet the position.

Mr jCt. W. Jt'usseU supported the (Bill. He ..averl-ed that- Sir JcsepW Wlard. ih'ad been kclledi by lying and feiliandering. -

CsSr Joseph Ward hoped tL<!at something aoi the direction of; what Ma* Hindmar&li was endeavouring to' 'bring about would be adopted, though lie did not agree with tihe signling o| afil letters.

Mr T, M. Wilford was niot dn favour of the .signing of iiames /bo. articles, because it. wouM .give such proimidiehoe. to scime men that all the test would be out_of work.

The 'debate w*as caiuued oik iby Messrs Harris,,"" Buchanan, T. H.) Rhodes, F.' SmsSJh Wl Atmore. The second reading .'was agreed to ctni tire' voices. The House rose at 11.55 p.m.