Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 182, 1 August 1895, Page 2

Parliamentary Gossip.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY \ -' » "- .''. ■_ / - *- vJ ':-'.■,• ■■■. .■■■!.■',...'■!■' "''■■■ ~-... •,.:,':!'■•■■ ■. v ,:: ',■■■:■■■■. -

(BY TELEGRAPH. —I?ARLIAM! .n,.) Itr • . ;■.: , _ pojitek. ) ■ - ~ —T- . , . i ' :,:: r yVEriLWOTON, Wednesday., THE NEW LIQUOR BILL.' . TfiE'afterndbn is devoted to questions, awl a long discussion' is brought -on Joy> M* Earnehaw moving the adjournment of the debate. Tho prospects for the 'ieve.ning.-ar6 goodj* ; as it is . well known that-MoNab's, Liquor Bill, or rather;.1, the- Liquor Bill of Alliance, is comjng down. This intimation tills ■'the"-galleries, buti things, clo^/riofcburrv outi rlnte^dßfcrrrKT^aßT: we' expected, not«&b any)? rater til I- Mr:;liftWry,^ the third speaker <tf the evertingjicdnvulses the chamber wifcn as peech on ternperapce matters. «-''■'■ ■: ;v'A> /;-:;;.-■/<•- ■■--,■ • <f: h: \^:lv-fM :-MR T.THOMPSON SWORN IN.- ---: Soon aftdr we meob thord is gentle applause, '^'OCs,9.oip.Bl)"P>^hK-y^cywiy"-®i^M 'iii;BDabeV"'.if6t;'A i ttckl'atildjr;-y^alkß^"opi 'tp^tne Speaker's chair with the Premier and Mr Cad man, and -it Bworn;in»v- This-?itble,;eere-mdny concluded, the newiojeinber.^KiJi^aS' blie1 V ofd," !g6eß back' to his seat bsside"E. M.^Smith. ,"""'.■' /^?fc^ ,/' THE ALLIANCE .BlLLjt;'- ' The Way being; olearXfor McNab,^he comes; forward with his Bill, and,,in a moderate speQeh^nilpderate in • tone.and moderate in length—tells the Hdusff"whyfit should, supportuthe: measure. He iholdl that we are a -long way offi finality in this/ 4ueal!iodi':' >a&di::turoß'^tO'yTeyie_w.V.obj;oinptß"---which have been mado in the last' two Parliaments. ■' Referring to -the made in 'the Governor's ?speech \Uaßfc "year,, thab legislation would be introduced inithe direction of effectirig settlement, he *iid' nobhinftwae done1, as membisrs p\l' knew ; and thdy^all khew" that during the recess. the country has given expression to "a desire, that Parliament ehould do something this 'seSßion. Ho contends that a majorifcy, t of membertf are .pledged to .their constituents' to deal iwifch this matter, and that they caonob go. bacjc to the electors witbdut having done some work towards the solution of this great-;problem. » Members resenfc the aStfattiption'that they are .Cpl^dged;: to their constituents Ja v the maber.iof; Jiquor lefr'slafcion. and loud cries of "No, no;'''greet Mr McNab'e,remarks at this stage.lao belcayea that, point,-' and'gQOS* ori to'ehdw t|ow much intoreah ,the■ cduutfy: has showir in the meaaure drafted" by fcha 'Alliance, which he ; has now- to bring before the House. He then tells the House that he'is prepared;'tp accept rnanylamendments in bis Bill.? Jtt.contains no proyisioq for reduction, for instance, but'-this can be introduced if the-House- sees fit. The party he! reptesents-has no to stand fasb by the roeasure^as.it is printed. Tbfiir only desire is to obtiain a fair and workable measure., , . , Rapidly reviewing the Bill as'ib Btands, Mr McNab points oub its chief features and, the objepts.they are intended to'serve. THE iPREMIER'S'ADpCE^ ": ';\yhetiihe concludes, the Premier aska if honourable mdmbor^ have iany objection to, refer the Bill to bhe Statutes Revision Committee after its Second reading^ Mr McNabTepließ;thab he'-has-nonej and tHen the Prosier rises'. He compliment? the member on ■ his moderate speecK, bub points.out that-there are several debatable matted in the' measure, iW^ich Wr McNab 'has^astutely avoided. jouchingVon. , The Preniier;dpeß.nob> l cb I ndQmn- J thjß,Bill, but.he asks members t(j',ibefft in niin*d (^ajbibher.e is now before the fiou^a meaßare. disaiing iwith: the; Baoie imp.qrtani;.-.matter wliich^the Governm^nc has 'iritlfoduce^, andrJrieJD^i^ii should be:dealt with, by...the, Government, ;H;e ire minds the;JJouee jot h is- prcftnise- losb; year ta'brin:^-*dpwnjiiß7ifijßßiß'urt,'W'ith"'i,-,fo>v amending clauses, and leave a cqnßplid^tjng ;bill to be paßsed lßtet-on., Ho hijldfe "that the Bill before the House should bo paseed this session, and not lefb till the next, the last of tbe.Parlian^ln.f!. 'This is the "sessibn in wbich a question of this kind should be dealt with. He believes ib will be passed, and sincerely^ Kopes it^ will, for;. it:will then j- remove a bar thab has exisbed to the passing of mapy nsef uY, measures, a bone of odntenbidn that has engendered bad feeling amo!Xg;rnemberß,'i, The Uqtiortrad^ (Mr Seddpn goes on: tp say) is undoubtedly a great evil, if not' properly controlled or restricted; and ho gives all credit to"thoße organisations that have ,worked to thab 'end, ,:btib. he . complains thab ? : the Xiberal Government have nob gob the credib they deserved, _ for.,, they were the . first who placed thei liquor trade'undePdirecib controlof the people. After glancing at, Mr McITab's Bill, Mr Seddpn refers r to, the measure the Government) have introduced, cptnparing some of Che provisions in bhe 'two Bills,; He admibs, with Mr McNab, that ib would be well if the election for local and colonial option were nob held ;pn [■fehe same day as the general election, 1; butj' after mature consideration, he has come to bhe conclusion-that i^ must come oft on the isame day a'a IF it was fixed for six months p'riof; to the general election, then the /polls would bY poorly attended, and those who went to record their votea ;w6uld only be. temperance, enthusiasts, or drink ehbhuSiasbs ;,an expression ,of the •people's opinion "wotild 'nob be obtained/ As-bo fcho'-contenbion tbabi' bare tnojonty, should par,ry; local or rnabipiiai pifphibitiop, such a very imporbant..queßtion affecting ffch« 3rev*(n»9 pf the country should nob be lightly decided. ' A baro majoribv is nob BufficistJj3,,; pjid/liei^lihirikß^he^^iasi'-will agree with hjm on "this point, In ; conplußion,VtlieVPremier to r McNab, that^^^it'.WouliJV^eriflmhvfcl^blipr; if He.afeanadned his taeasUjre .jnftavduriol the Goyprnnaenb Billj but-be by no mea^s urges subh"a'cpnrse.- He,'Jb quite ;^r|H|n^ : tbat it.should be gonqpn with. , ( ' f .:,j,"i:^ SIR ROBERT STOUT.JS; VIEWS. ; ■■■] ;Sir R,'Stout, in. his opening remarks, !keß; strong" exception ?to the JPremier attempting to throw the onus of the GoTerniiiaerit/ Bill- of laab isesaion '"ndbr.being passed on the temperance party; ..He disputes tlje assertion triab, all thab is nepessary is a codification of the liquor law. •What .^be tornpejfance party wants, what the colony wants, is an alteratioijiin the present law. ff'TUenpxb mpmenb he -has left .Mr MpNftb'B Bjjl, and is criticising -the measure introduced by the Premier, criticising ib adversely. The Premier's proposal ia thabVbhere .shall briennially take placo'ja triangular duel, < This is M 8 cunning proposal, and he has effected-it by separating the vote for redaction from th> vote for prphibition, instead of allowing the two to count'fcogethor, as in the preserit^law.: By separating them he places all the ppwerr.in the hapcls Of .the publicans, and;: permits a wretched minority of<tbeße r bp brdej-things in their/ own way. By Bplitting up the; electorsinto three partiej'J- ho does a most!] unfair thing. For .example,'take a/case.of 1,000 votes being polled, and'suppose only' 200 vpted fpc licepeea tp'retnaiq,, as- they I are/ while .'4OO //ypted ■ for-^redupbion, and- 400 .for prohibition. The 200 would win bhe day. As to bhe guestibn of a tare majority asagaineb "if /three-rifths j n the case of prohibition,. Sir li. Stout strongly holds that it .any question is to be decided by a bare'rnajority,fit is ; thjiß ; ,qHe«lti.pn. In every pthpr ppuntry where -prohibition has' been ,<iiisrrißd,'/ib baa beep'done by a. bare: bajprity.;; aa^q ifee jj|ste..Qf th,p.;po|!, Bir R. ;,S^pub agrees wjbbi the Premier;tihat. ii) may|?p^^eU tg:b^)ld'|lr,|ni/,th^ saineiPfy astha i 'g"eheta). P ele^|!}pp. < .Ib Hwcli-an ipi« pottant .-quaßiiipafiibiifejiifii ■ Ji'jity!s<lMikii!i.>>

th«7"^Tl»cnia " K ob;as;;mariy;peoploto.ro- ; 2ortl t sir ■ "<:- as possible. MIC LA WRY ON THE QUE^IO^ Mr Law .ft ho foliowfl, makes us laugh long and loud, and then ; conclutles with a declarationsthab.both Mr,McNab'a Bill.and. tho Govarnmenb measure are alike abominations, and. ;, will gofc;np;support of Ins, bub all the oppoaition he is capable of* - 1-ATRiARCHIAL SUPPORT. Tho very opposite posibion-is itakep up. by JMr Saunders, the: patriarch :pf the Hpuoo. -Hainterida-tp'.BappQrbitbe second reading of both measures* bub, ab the same fcime. He is nob by. any means satisfied;with?. all their^provisions. i«Thei graab mistake^ of the temperance party ..has been that it has tried tpihave/ everything or nothing., ■Thabims' been; ibi mistake/and' the cbnoequonce of ,ib is that the ioaus&; wbi(?h^thei party has ab hearb has not advanced as ib michb bav^done had more tobder'ale dfi-1; aanefsibeen1 'ma'dei' - Thismisfake \ appear* in Mr McJSTttb'a, Bill*:; It) fiiQb'tinly; Wiahesto; shut public-houses, bub alao to rtake ; Hquor ttWay from those outside of them. Mr Saurider&,i though in Warm sympathy-with bh6 temperanoe c'adiei f; Co'hiiddrf • that we have, no rieht to,depriye:' those t peopje ef their right bo use iic|ucV;wh6^o^b*pb'taite ib in such Way as 5 66 . be:'a r temrit&fcidn td obheri;;?: As td the Premier's' Bill, he th'rikr bhab a'greati.wrong i^propoßed to be 'done, ih Beparating' the;::>v'bte":;;for" reatictio^; from: thab-for prohibition. He considefß that the majority need nob be-quite so high ai bh'ree-fifbh?..-. *.'/ * 1 ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW. Thob somewhat Borioua t ■ ancl .velight.ly-i iedious young ,-man* .Mr lectures the House on the kihd^of Bill he\ wouldi~ 1 ike. ■' Ba t^; better • fchan-^any • hewlegislation on the (licensiner question, he considers would,be,^^enfprce'tnenb of'the pre*.sent laws;, " VVhat'er is best administered: is beat '■ The way in which tho existing licensing laws are eetat nought, is^no^thing* shorb of scandalous, and ho says jf the Governmenfc.sSw that the law wae carried-, dub as ib should' be; t^efre would be no "need «foif such a Bill as; Mr McNab's. (Ho is no prbhibitiohisfcr and does ,not believe in interfering, with" the; iiberty^ef jbhe su.bjecti^as prohibitionists would do if they had their way.'.""''v 7"'- ■'■'"' ■ ■■".'■ .'".'M^, ' ',■>}.-•'' .-:'•.• DR. NEWSMAN'S CRITICISM. * The lively Dr. Newman; tella;:,us that Mi. : Seddon'has, apted Divfde. tfhd conquer "in. draf tinghis ■„. ; He has endeavoured fco' make a division in the tern: perance camp^. Now, saya the doctor, give^ us a fair 'field and no favour/ Do hob give an advantage to the drink Vparty; -as the measure does, for it aU6ws,,..two men, in, favour of,the trade.to,"sfb !on'," three men opposed ;td ifc..., He ia/glad that the Governmenbißjnifprovideß"for curbailing the said of drink -among nabiVeeV'-bufc regrets tliab nothing is -ptopbaed'; to be'idone in .the matter of abolishing "bied^ouses.": ; Like Mr Aipntgomery, Dr. Newmoff thinks that the police are grossly ..negligent, or worse, in the discharge of their duties with regard to ehfbrcemenb of the licensing law.: Reform in the police force is much! more needed; than new;; legislation. "■'•. \ * A"MINISTBRIAL ~ DTTERANGE; ---

Ttie'Minißter. for Labour opens with a eulogy fof ivfr .Sauhders I!speech. .is )tae^ best he has heard for a long time, so'moderate and sensible in bone, and fee agrees with ibm most points. He does not agree with bhe.'^Tiplesale" denunciation"_p£ the" police, •some members"have indulKpd jjnl'• Ib. is .& mpsb'dimcultj thing tfa.!enf6rce'bhe lioeneihg law. Every trick tha.fc human, ingenuity has, been able tp ] invent" during the^ l^p) •hundred i?eare by■which the law tmay be evaded.'ie knowhVtd'!theJpublican-.H'-Ib is'; easy to enfqrcetbeShop;/Axit, hut to enforce, the lioeoeing laws is. quite another 'mattsr.- So difficult; is this greab problem, ithab ; Mr ''^'Jßee^ee^.-- thinkaV a-- Special- ' Minister should ;be ,a,par,6, v tp, seej' •to,: bbo aamihllbfatfcfc'-bfi^he--?(liqubf ; low. \Yibh regardi, tp- th^ inejisUje :belpre. Tbhe Hbuso, he is going 4O'vote|againjßb-ib,v bSc>«lae^lH^ Govefnii^^ifhave i^ftdgTitf down a rneasuro wl)ich. ho coneidera -is superior to ib in several 'r^pects, ,One of the points in -which;' the Government measure appears tp him betber than Mr McNab'ei, is that it providlßl for1 the .vcteß fef prohibition and those ,fpr/ reduction; being kept separate. There'we many people who are enthusiastic, for.reduction who are averse tojprohibUipn ;,, ;pn..t,HQibbher-hand;s many who are enthusiastic for prohibition and careless about reduction. It is nob fair to confuse tho two issues. The contention 'that tho Government! deßirea to split the I ;bomperanc,e>pte ir perfecbly inqorrecb, and | asa proof of that, lie for on'e^has no intension to do such a thing.,.; He prepared ;tof vote for -anlamendment, which will completelyi,? do ■ j.away with "any :BUspicion; ',: that. : Ministers \enterbained sucn a Aviah; in drafting their Bill. Ho considers ib a great pity indeed that this sone point of the three-fitths versus the bare majority should be made- the. fighting flag between the bwb sections of the temperance j partyV; which should bee uftibedj to combat the'eurse of dru;!i'kenneßs_. ' As ,to prohibitioh, Mr Reeves, poiars'oufc that it, is nob correct^to soy-, as has been- said, thab wherever ib has been introduced it has been a' Bucceßß. The? facb 'is the;;-reverse; in several, inetance^;; which he ''. refers to, "Poopte, after haying- adopted prohibition. took an early opportunibv to reverse their decision. ■ ' . . • ■ A OULL DEBATE. After supper the; debate is * very dull. The galleries arpf empty, , the benches are anything buti full* while.members in them- are certainly' not interested, to any groat exbenb.' , , vMr G. W; Smith, of (^brißtcburchV a ereab temperance advocate, reßunoeß the debate arid defends Mr McNab's Bill. , As was tp be 'ekpeciedj•*jA'r/Smiih':^ll?B':aiß'!*an!''Biit::ilßfcl-:* out.;.pr.ohibitionisti; arguing hot half bub whole meaguo«..;; ;. « . ( :%-*^-X His namesake of Taranaki comes after him. :He also is; a.friend to temperance. Haa he nob voted ■ for chafe party in every division ? sJßut he favours the Government :Bill and nob Mr McNab'e:«?'jtle says ft gppd ;" wprd fl f6r ;'the"'retention* of. the, bhrea-.fi^ha /imajpritjiv in.;' the, caso, pf, total prohibibion, when' 'he remindsl:the;Houß6- thab in ' .the'4great . industrial. centife'Brftl;,Home Qperatiyea never-.Cjom.e. oub, on strike unleas three-fourths of them have given ypice fpr thab course. \They consider the question much too important a ono to ibe decided by a bare .majority, and,: in Mr; Smith's eyes, the ■ question as to whether a I district or the whole colony: shall be depriyed of the liquor ib elects to drink or not js no less important. Ab the samft time, he iis notalbogether satisfied with the* Govern^ j men.b';^ill,.\;For;op^'t^iiig^he!does •dob'like I the idea of the lipensjing poll being held on -the same day 'as the general election, and pargijeß against it. " 7 : ' '.■"■■i-rj\'. ■■'\\ ' :,• i Mr Collins contends for temperance as I against prohibition.; Himself ;a;6trongbo; I-lieyerih' tea' and coffee, he 'dbe.s not bhink wo have any riahb to dictate bo bur brothers what; they shall drink. ' . ' ~ When he concludes, Riajor Harris mcves the adjournment of the HouHe, but ib is nob carried,'and'^he; djbate:;gpf!B pn.i.Jijb only for a few moments. \ ' Mr Fraeer having briefly 'spokebi the question is put,, and j Mr^McNab waiving his righfa ot roply, the second, reading jb carried on the voices. » ; . '■'. •'■ ' - ». V Amid some laußhter, Mr McNab then moves that the Bill be^1 referred to the Sbatutes Revision-Committee, and this being- agreed ;to, the House adjourns ab 12,30 a.m.

. :.-"tf THE v" TOT ALISATOR BILL. Mr Carnell's BUI for. the abolition pf the bptalisatori provides ithab ,eyery machine of ■that nature may b6 Seized by the police and | deatrpye^; aftfir^ th'e1 Act tpmia ibtp fdrclfifj Anypefeon having a" machine^ln hia^ibsees-* Bfo\\m ajiyjvraeMjjHrs^ pub|joj'gF»B!t|ya^|i place,^ after that date id ljablfl-. So ft pepjlby

not* exceeding fifty pounds, or to w in£ prieonod for a term nob exceeding six months. Tbe.Act is nob to come^to force until 6n» year after itß passing V' " THE 1- FINANCIAL DEBATE. ,-, Arrangements,,nave been amyod at hethafcthe debate on tkeFinanciarSfcateJi.»nb is Dot to begin till Tuesday.

JOTTINGS. : ... The Council has/passed too Divorce Bill and the Adoption of Children Bill. TheTublic Petitions Comarictee s has hatt under; coriSldeiflStion*'WveYal1 petitions .reeardinc divorce, and has . referred the same to the Government for consideration. : Three p.etitiona - against the Pharmacy 'jßiil havi be^^imilarlyfdi^sedo]. . ;,. 1 AffeY some dißCufeSion,' the'eecond reading of the Coroners' Inquest Bill was negatived by the Council, and tbo measure cupbe-. quently killed. -,■<-'. n The Mining Companieß' Act Amendmentr BitLjpassed its sebond; readree -in.'the Council this afternoon, and was reforredrto the Goldfields Committee.; ■ ;- . -Replying' to ,Mr Maesey, who-pointed out that, with a little enooaragemeilt, a lucrative industty might- ; ;b& the -productiort Jof Europfißn flax .in : ,thjs. -colony, the of : .■Lands-';said that a 'rjubupafcion was now being prepared, by his 'Department which vwould give full infbrjtifia^ion torn the r ; cultivation;: etc^^of.^nw plant. . •• ' ~ The HaMltpn Ga» Works Bill was read a second time in; the; Cpuncil tp-day. "^c During tljeye^r ending ;March laab _the Railway"s^partment issued; ,1,731= free tickets < U children attending private *'6cfi«»ler«ny ;3.782 tickets to children -at-j tending public primary, Hchools. The value i of jticitets in the former case waa £865 10a, and iitthe latter £1,89 L . Thei petition of R-, ffo^ B'; nd obber8> »in regard to the Shops Act has been recommend«d to\the Government..; for fayburable

coneider.ationi ■ ;A.--•;.- y-:' vA;.- -■f.}';'; ■_-, ■.;-. Jno.'fl'4l)rnburnj ofParnelli has petitioned Parliament'for .relief'in: connection with certain injuries he received while engaged on a GovejTJiuent confcracb. ■ ' ■■•-■ John youngWof ;Mary-etreeb; Auckland, has. sent a. petafioti to House by Mr Lawry praying' that his son, who was Committed .fiy' the Auckland by order of Mr Awitice Conolly,. may bo roleased. . .',. \ ' ' " ■ •.. ; . ■ :. ; - Mr Houston fa eoingito aek the .Minister of Justice J^hebE-Javr hia attentiohfthas, been drawn, to a case- tried in Jthe' S.M. Court ab Kawakawa on .fehei4fch May, in which a person named Willliam Gutheberb is' siied by a member-oorf r ; fch'e North^iAuckland Charitable Aid: Boiird for expenses in cbnneefcion with hie. troattnehb in the Auckv land' ■Ho^pitai; s .an'ci: : wh;eb i her; :he;^ill.,take_, gdmef'Bteps ■to prew ent this man's property ! from being sola oavthe 10th insb.", to meet ■ Hospital-;e3fpen^B..v.sj. .;. ,- ; .^ u .:.. : --:^.^, ■:■:■.%",'. -. 1 Mr Massey.wantP;a.return showing, the la^ds held:;oraowne^; 'by principal religious organisatipn^, ; of .the'.'cplony, their gross acreage,- area uridor cultivation ior in beneficial occupation,- aVid their, assessed rateable value.., =■ >»