PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10685, 3 August 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. NEW BILLS. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher gave no« tice of his intention to introduce the Shipping and Seamen's Amendment Bill and the State Fire InsuranceAmendment Bill. FIRST READINGS. Tho following Bills were read a firsfc time : Gaming Act Amendment Bill (Mr Hunter); Waifcemata County Council Empowering Bill (Mr Harris) % ?"'?* Bill (Mr Payne); Sumner Foreshore (Mr Lauren son). COMMITTEES. .-ieVu'p!

DEPUTY GOVERNOR'S BILL. 10 on. A. L. Herdjuan moved the second of the Deput vonior's Powers Bill, providing that dtiiing the temporary nbmice of a Governor from the seat of Government, or from New Zealand, the powers and authorities conferred on or vested m the Governor may be exercised by a person appointed; by tha Governor to ,be his.' deputy during such absence. The Bill was read a second time. [PRISONS AMENDMENT BILL. ~ - Han - Herdma'n moved . 6 se f° ntl reading tof .the Prisons. Amendment Bill, which provided for the toJri'ng of the photographs, fitter* aild measures of ' a H pereon*. (accused of offences, as well as cf" those convicted) xt is further provided that tuny prisoner who. refuses to - obey any such regulation after the. same, had been read to him by a a officer of the gaol would be deemt-d to ibe guilty of rfn aggravated offence. La-urenson said thrat the taking of the finger print® tef accused per? soils did .not appeal to 'him, nor did' the provision in tlie Bill for the punching of those wilio objected, toj undergo the operation.

Mr Brad'ney suggested an' amendmen that a'il traces of finger prints should be removed if an accused pei* son were found iiot guilty. iMr Ha nan advocated a proper evs* tem. of gaol inspection. He did not agree with the present method. A good man should 'be secured for the iposfe of Inspector of. Prisons,' He. thought such 'a an an could be secured' ill -vew Zealand, He desired to take the opportunity giving his reasons for not lading .Ihe JPriso'ne' Reports before the Hoaise. The evidence, was given to him as confidential, and contained allegations against the Rev. : Kayall. Hie would not publish an tx parte statement given in confidence. Mr MatcoVm saw no humiliation in leaving one's finger prints in official quarters. ' It was not so bad as taking a man's photograph, which he understood was done new. An innocentman may be able to .prove big innoce'nce through his linger prints. All- HintHniarsh asked the Minister of. Justice to consider the matter of making a distinction! between prisoners incarcerated for, deJbt and ordinary criminal! s.

Mr L. M'. Isitt thought there was •no humiliation in Jiav'Jng the finger prints taken, but he thought the prif.c« authorities should use some discretion in the matter. For instance, ii a ma'.i knocked amother down, ho u-eed -not have his nnger prints taken. Si. w.vje,—"lSiey were already taken!' (Laughter). v o.'iie Jlon. A. L. Herd man, in reply, said it wlais essential to take the linger prints of accused persons, and lie instanced the cas-e of a burglar havs'ng left his prints o'n a wfndo «v. ; How,, lie asked, eouM they connect a man with a crime if t'hoy could not take the accused's prints. Mr Herdanjan referred meidontally to the prison, farm .at Tokanui, the development of which, lie eiafd, depended upo'n tiuj firuitncce of the countey? The Minister also paid a tribute to the. Prison. Board. .They were doiwg well, he s.'a id.

Tire second reading of the Bill wasagreed to on the voices. DIPLOMA, IN PUBLIC HEALTH. The second reading of the N.Z. University Amt'ndmrat, Bill', providing for the conferring, of a diploma in Buhlic Health by the Senate was moved by the. Ho'n. J . AOOen, who held th!at the time had arrived whe!n it was desirable to trai'i men in New Zealand for work in connection with the pubflic health. • Mr iSidey held that the University had no statutory power to grant a diploma. They could grant degrees, or but not diplomas. -

Mr G. W. liftissell lieJil that -tiinie had arrived for tine, modernising "a'nd democratizing of the University iSemate. The fees charged for cxainisVa'bion, Jio said, were luireasoiMV', and unfairly high, oecaus© the Striate reoeived a very large subsidy from ith© Government. The University wouM licver progress u'ntiP the large onxsiue interests now unrepresented were allowed to take part and express theirfceh'Cis i'a the Senate. Mr Malcolm .said he would like to see many of the recommendations, mad© in [regard to University (reform carried cut. He was of the opinion that in some onsets the student way sacrificed for the Professor. Ho thought the piV'ition. should he revorsed, and the Professor sacrificed i'cr student.

The Hon. J. Allow, in reply, said he wished to make it plain that this diploma of Public Beui!<th was not tli'. l ordinary diploma ' given "by colleges-, wS'fcK had the power to give a dipbnu of less value now. The very reason for icomittiig to .Parliament was to bo Mile to give, in addition. to the degrees already attained, either rn> medicine, midwifery, or feurgery, a dipJoma of Pub 1 lie Health. He held quite as democratic id£a.s as Mr Rusf-cCI in regard to university reform. The result of there reforms would be felt in years .to come. • r lTi\i lii.M was read-a (second 'tme oil the voices, and' tho Hcr.e© adjourned •at 11.10 n m.