PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.- PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2049, 25 August 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.- PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MONDAY. Tin 1 House met at 7.30. iSti >). "\'«>«^t»l mtiodi.ced a l)ill to amend the 1-iiendly Society's Act, 1882. Replying to Mi Hurst, Mi Stout said he was not .it picsent able to say what billi the (Jiiieiimiuiit intended going on with this session. It would depend on the piogiess nride at til it -lttinpf. The Dnorce and M.itinnoni.il Causes Act Amendment Bill was re committed. Mr'lVlo moved a now clause, th.it the bill should not be letiospective in eftect, which was ngiecd to. Mr .S.uuuel moved a new clause, that the husband or wife could petition foi .1 duotce when the paities had been sep.uated seven ye.v s. The clause w.is stiongly opposed by sevei.il inemhui on the giound of its letio spottive cluiacter. .\fi Suiiuel siiul he w.is willing to amend the el.iu-e so as to pro* ide that it should not come into operation till a year after the p.i-sjn£ of this Act. Mi Seddon myved to add a proviso " after the passing of the act "' to the clause. A length}' discussion arose on the amendment, dm ing which Mr Huist moved to repoit piogiess. Mi Tole objected to the clause altogether. He said he hoped the House would reject it without fin ther debate. It was also \eiy questionable whether Her Majesty would assent to the bill if ouch a clause weie mseited. The motion for repoiting progiess was lost, after which Mi Seddon withdrew lu<ameiidmcnt and then moved tii.it the Chanin.iu leave thechau, which w.is lost. The clause was then put, and lost on the voices Mi Samuel moved a fmther new clause, that a petition foi divoice be piesented by the husband or wife if either had, muco the celebi.ition of the m.uii.ige, been oonucted of an indictable offence and impiisoncd foi not less than seven yeais. The Coimnittee decided on the second leading of the clause— Ayes, 10; noes, .T». Mi Seddon moved to add after the woid "convicted,' 1 " aftei the coining into opeiation of this Act."' The amendment was carried, by 3') to 33. Mi.'D.ugaville moved that the Chan m m leave the chaii, which was lost. Mr DownteStcu ait moved to nisei t the woid '"four" instead of ".seven" year.s. Lost on tiie voices. A division took place on the motion that the clause as amended be added to the bill. Ajes, US; noes, 34. Mi Samuel moved another new clause, providing that duoieo may be asked foi on the grounds of eithei husband or wife being confined in a lunatic asylum for seven ye.u.s continuously. Mi .T. C. Auckland moved to report piogiess, Mr Fulton said he should movo that the clause should apply where there were no childien. The motion for iepofting piogreßS was lost by 3<J to 30. Mi Tuinbull moved that the chairman leave the chair, which was lost by 42 to 3(i. Mr J. C. Auckland moved again that piogiess bo repoited. He said it was absurd that at this stage of the .session the time of the House hhould be wasted in discussing bilk of tins descuption. Mi Tuinbull supported the motion to leport piogiess. He s-iid the tendency of the whole session had been to In ing down bills, get them thiough committee, and then introduce a laige number of clauses wholly irielevant to the original bill. The motion for repoiting pi ogress was lost bv 13 to L'O. Mr J)arg.mlle moved that the Chairman leave the chair. The motion was lost by 43 to 1!). Mr Samuel said he now recognised that some members of the committee were determined to obstruct the bill. Ho would therefote move that piogiess be reported. Mr Kolloston said that] clauses of this kind should undoubtedly be brought down in a hi'p.ir.ite bill. He contended that tho (Joy eminent had put tho Houhe in a false position by tho manner in which they had tie.ited the question. The ({oveinmont knew theie waa not the .slightest chance of the bill pausing, and it was simply wasting time to discuss it futther. Aftei coiisidei able discussion the motion foi leportinp; piogiess was earned on tho voices. The House then went into committee of supply. (Left sitting )

Til r. Abbe Batifol hna discovered in a dim oh it Herat, Arabin, a mnnusciipt of the Gospela of St. Matthew and St. Mark, written in unciala of silver on purple vellum, of the date of the sixth century.