PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4226, 23 September 1892, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Legislative Council,

WEDNESDAY. ' . ELECTORAL SILL. On the motion for tbe committal ol the Electoral Bill, The Hon E. 0. J. Stevens expressed the hope that the women residing in the country districts would he placed in as good positions as their town sisters, by giving them facilities to record their votes at the nearest Post Office,

The Hon Dr Graoe was of opinion that the Legislature should extend to women the samo consideration in regard to voting as had been conferred upon sailors, and was now proposed for shearers.

After some further discussion, tl Bill was committed.

The Hon E, C. J. Stevens moved that theTnterprctation clause be postponed until after the machinery i portion of the Bill had been dealt with. The Hon, Sir George Whitinoro opposed the motion, as lie thought the main question, ae to whether women should or should not bo allowed to vote, should be settled first of all. He considered that the Constitution of the Colony should not be altered until an appeal had been made to the electors, The Hon G. M'Lean objected to special privileges being granted to any class. The clause was postponed by 16 to 7. Olituso 7, " Maori qualification," was also postponed, Tho Hon. R. Oliver moved an amendment to clause 8, to disfranchise inmates of charitable institutions, Tne Colonial Secretary considered the ameudment a heartless one. It was most inhuman to disqualify unfortunate people,whose only crime was their poverty. The Hon, Dr Pollen opposed tho amendment, The franchise was so general now that to exclude people on aocount of their poverty would be cruel. Tliei Colonial Secretary intimated that he would stand or lull by the Bill as he had introduced it, The amendment was agreed to by 15 to 8. The Hon L. Walker moved that the inmates of tho Old Poopln's Homes be exempted from the last amendment, This was negatived on the voices. The Hon, W, Swanson moved that the word " person" instead of" mau" should be inserted in clause 9, the effect, if agreed to, being that women as well as men shall be qualified to sit in the House of Representatives. The amendment \m lost on tho voices. In clause 18, referring to the residential qualification, the Statutes Revision Committee's amendment tomakoit necessary for a person to reside in a district for three months instead of one mouth before his name can be inserted on the electoral roll was agreed to by 14 to Progress was reported at clause 59 and the Council adjourned at 4,45 p.m.

HOUSE or BEpIeSENTATIVE!

WEDNESDAY. DAIRY INDUSTRY BILL. The Hon. Mr M'Kenzie's Dairy Industry Bill occupied the Committee a considerable time, A long discussion was entered inio on the .technical term "full bream cheese"in tho interpretation olause. 'l'lie subsection was amended to read—"Full ohees,e means oliecßS manufactured from pure milk, confining not less than three and a quarter per centum of butter fat." Sir T. Mackenzie objected strongly to the powers given to inspectors under clause 4, and moved to restrict their rights of access simply to factories, striking out reference to dairies, farms, places of business, buildings, oars, vossels, cans, and steamors. The Minister opposed tho amendment, stating that it was necessary, if the liill were to bo operative, and the grading of butter were to be properly carried out, that inspectors should have full powers of inspection into cases where there was suspicion of fraud. The Hon. Mr Richardson said he thought the Bill waß going a little too far. In most of the factories the milk was tested every morning, and if anything was found to be wrong with it a black mark was put aeninst the supplier's name, and no moro milk was received from him, Mr T. Mackenzie's motion was negatived by 86 to 8. I'ho Minister agreed to delete the reference tofarms and buildings, Olause 6 was amended to provide for, first suspension for three months and then cancellation, of any permit issued to a dairy to describe its produce as "factory-made," should the quality noc be maintained to tho satisfaction of the Inspector. Clauses 8 and 0, dealing with adulteration of milk supplied to factories, wore struck out, as bei g already provided for by the faotor es themselves.

Clause 18, which provided that to establish an ofienee it would be sufficient to show that the milk was substantially inferior in quality to pure milkfUnd clause 18, making the evidence of accused and the husband or wifo of accused compellable, were also struck out.

The Bill wan reported, the tbin reading to bo taken to-day,

THE MANURES ADULTERATION Bill, This Bill was read a seoond time afler a brisk but commendatory debate, the Minister for Agriculture explaining that the Bill was designed to protect farmers against fraud in an article which was being used more largoly every year, and which entailed tlio expenditure of considerable sums. The Bill was referred to the Agricultural Committee,

THUESDAY. HATIVE LAND PURCHASE Bill,, This Bill was recommitted for the purpose of adding a new clause. It was moved by Mr Duthie, and sought to provide for a roturn being laid before the House each session giving full particulars of tbe previous year's transactions with Natives under the Act.—After some discussion, read the third time and passed. iim STAGES. . The Dairy Industry Bill was put through its final stage after a lengthy debato. . TBIENDLT SOCIETIES BILL. Tho Friendly Societies Act, 1882, Amendment Bill passed throughComraittee without amendment. LOANS 10 LOCAL BODIES. In committee on the Government Loans to Local Bodieß Act Amendment Bill, clause three was amended by fixing £B,OOO as tbe maximum amount to be lent to the trustees of a drainage district, PACTOBIEB ACT AMENDMENT BILL.' In committee on this Bill tho amendments made by the Labour Bills Committee were agreed to, The three Bills above-mentioned were then read a third lime and passed,