HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 37, 3 October 1896, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

DEFKNCK RKrORT. Col. Fox's report on the defences of the colony was laid on tho table. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The Minister for Lands brought up the report of the Conference on the Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill. He explained that a compromise had been ell'ected with the Legislative Council, by which advances would be made under the Act up to £3OOO, instead of £4OOO, as passed by the House. The report was agreed to. MINING COMPANIES ACT. The Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee without alteration, and was read a third time and passed. LOCAL GOVERNMENT HILL. The Local Government Bill was brought down by message from the Governor and read a first time, the second reading being fixed for next day. THE LIQCOK BILL. Mr Seddon in moving the second reading of the Bill, said it was not a policy Bill and therefore should not be treated in a party spirit. Difference of opinion existed amongst what was known as the Temperance section in tiie House, and in this Bill he had endeavoured to reconcile these two factions, and -while not going so far as the extremists demanded he bad brought forward what he regarded as a fair reform. The policy was not to permit harshness and injustice being inflicted on any section of the communityHis opinion was that if extremists were allowed to dominate a revulsion of feeling would set in, and lead to the reforms already carried being swept away. In some respects he thought they had gone too far in the past, one instance was the law dealing with prohibited persons. This was an injustice to hotel keepers. Another injustice had occurred in regard to the determination of bote! leases, he thought tho licensee and the landlord should be placed on the same footing under that provision. He thought in regard to the compulsory endorsation of liceuscs for two years, the Magistrates should have power to determine the length cf time for which the endorsement should remain. As to Cbibs he contended that abuses could occur in Clubs as well as in an hotel and that Clubs should therefore be subject to the same control as hotels. Ho did not refer to working-men's Clubs alone, but to gentlemen's clubs, he had himself seen members of these Clubs assisted to their cabs under the influence of liquor and they all knew that gambling was carried on very extensively in these Clubs. Mr Lawry strongly opposed the Bill. He said prohibition was only a side issue at the last election. He assented that there was no prohibitionist in the House who could call his soul his own. No other Ministers spoke and the Premier did not reply. The second reading was carried by -il to 0 and the the Bill was forthwith considered in Committee. On Clause 1 " short title," Mr Collins moved that the title he '" The Prohibitory Liquor Bill.'' This was lost on the voices. Clause 5, " No liquor be imported or manufactured hereafter, 1 ' was retained by 34 to 16. A very long discussion arose on Clause G, which empowers the Government to appoint chemists to dispose of liquor. Mr McLachlan said the Government would have enormous patronage under this clause, and they would appoint hundreds of people. Mr Collins said the clause would tend to wholesale, hypocrisy, lying, and contemptible subterfuge on the part of people who wanted to get liquor. Mr Willis moved that the clause be struck out. Mr Seddon said if prohibition were carried at the polls, this clause would be necessary. It was the course that was followed in tho Prohibition St ito of Main. After further lengthy discussion, Captain Russell protested against the Bill being stonewalled in this manner. He said he disapproved altogether of prohibition, as he believed it was an interference with individual liberty. He saw no good to be gained, however, by staying there all night stonewalling the Bill, and he asked the Committee to come to a vote. "Ml- Collins pointed out that he and other members who were opposing the Bill were acting conscientiously. Mr T. Mackenzie said the cases were not at all analogous. Mr Willis' motion to report progress was lost by .'l7 to 23. An amendment by Mr McLachlan to place the appointment ot chemists in the hands of the Minister of Justice instead of the Governor was lost bv 1(3 to 1. After further discussion clause (i was retained by .'il to 12. On Clause 7. which provides that the Governor shall decide what liquors are to be manufactured ; several members complained that they could get no information from. Mr McLachlan moved that "Premier" be inserted in the clause in lieu of Governor. This, after a long discussion, was lost by 28 to i>. Mr McLachiau then moved another verbal amendment, and farther discussion arose. Mr Seddon said members opposed to the Bill had made a very emphatic protest, and asked that it be allowed to proceed. The amendment was put and lost. Mr Parata moved that progress be reported, as lie wanted to address the House in Maori, and there was co interpreter present. This and several similiar amendments wer.i rejected. Mr Collins then suggested that the House adjourn for an hour, in order to arrive at some compromise. Captian Russell expressed astonishment at the Premier agreeing that the House should adjourn to decide a question that should l.e deei led on the floor of the House ou resuming. Mr Seddon said he bad great pleasure in intimating to tin House, that as the result of a Conference on the Bill the siege was to be raised, a lair and reasonable compromise having been arrived at between the two contending parties. Shortly put, the agreement arrived at was that the Bill was to be passed, and that the amendments standing in his name on the Order Paper were also to lie pissed. Under the circumstances ho thought both parties had every reason to be complimented on the terms of compromise arrived at. .lie might say that they had done all they could to come to an arrangement, md no! an unpleasant word had been uttered. MrMtLachlan said his party was not bound Vj swallow the Bill as it stood. They could propose reasonable amendments, but they had agreed to accept Mr Scdrlon's amendments iu idobo. Mr Eanisliuw said the teuiperaucu

members had made every possible concession, but had got nothing in return. Mr Seddon"": You got the Bill. Mr Kamshaw said : Yes ; but with the proviso that the national prohibition anil club clauses must stand or fall together. Unless they stood together there would be no Bill this session. Sir R. Stout said there was no doubt that there were considerable concessions given to the licensed victuallers. In his opinion there would be no settlement of this liquor question until the majoriry vote became law, and the Bill passed that session would not settle the question without tho direct vote of the people by bare majority being given. Ho however, would not oppose the amendment. Clause 7 was then put and agreed to on tiie voices. Clause S, malting it unlawful for any ship, in case of prohibition being carried, to bring liquor into port unlets sealed up, was amended to provide that the captain of any such vessel might provide .spirits for medicinal purposes, in case of accident or injury. The quantity not to exceed one gallon. Clause 9 was amended, exempting from prohibition, to make liquor in prohibited district?, that made for family purposes. The clause making club charters subject to the result of the licensing poll, raised a long discussion, but the clause was eventually carried. Clause 1G was amended to provide that no bottle license or New Zealand wine license shall lie granted or renewed after tin; commencement of this Act. On the motion of tho Premier new clauses were added making the constables in charge of police stations inspectors of licensed premises under the Act : providing that an endorsement on a license shall be deemed to be cancelled if no further endorsement is made within twelve months as the Court thinks tit, having regard to all the circumstances of the case ; providing that where the licensee is not personally responsible for an offence involving the endorsement, ot the license, it shall be within the jurisdiction of the Court to say whether or not the endorsement shall be made ; making it a sufficient defence in proceedings for selling liquor to a prohibited person if the licensee satisfies the Court that he did not know the parson to whom the liquor was sold was a prohibited person ; amending sootion S of the principal Act to read as follows, ' Those licenses which have been endorsed for breach of the law by selling liquor to children shall be the first to be reduced, next those in respect of which objections have been made and sustained, and next those held in respect, of premises which comprised little or no accommodation for lodgers ami traveller-; except the bar ; providing that the election of licensing committees shall be hold on the second Monday in March, 18i)7, and on tho same day every third year thereafter.