HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 195, 17 August 1900, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FIRST READINGS,

The House met at half-past 2 o'clock. Several Government Bills, as already notified, were read a first time. The Hobson Bay Watershed Sewage Bill was referred to the Local Bills Committee. ' - •

THE TRADING STAMPS QUES-

TION.

The Premier laid on the table a communication from Mr Parker on the subject of the .profits of the Trading Stamp Company. This gave Mr J. Hutcheson aii opportunity to state that Mr Sinclair, formerly an employee of the Trading Stamps Company, had never intended that his communication on the subject of the company's business should be published, hut the document was obtained by one of the Premier's agents. The Premier, however, administered a crushing reply. He said Mr St. Clair has come to him with a communication regarding the company!s business, and he (Mr Seddon) t said, "You had better prepare a copy'of this paper for me, so that there shall be no mistake about it. You will be paid for your trouble." With the copy, which he afterwards received, there was a note from Mr St. Clair asking for payment for preparing the statement. .-■■■'*

APPOINTMENT' OF ARMOURERS

In reply to Mr Smith,, the Minister of Defence said the appointment of armourers and inspectors of arms would follow naturally on the; proposed Increase of the volunteer-forces of the colony:" As for the badges to be Worn by armourers, that" was a ihatter for after consideration. The main thing was that rifles, etc.; should be kept in good order. THE MEAT MONOPOLY. , In reply to Mr Field, who asked whether the facts disclosed regarding the profits of the Wellington Meat Export Company do not demand the intervention of the Government for the protection of the small sheep-growers of the colony ,the Premier said the attention of the.Government had been called to this matter by the publication of the company's annual balance sheet.^ Hd said the fact that the monopoly was defended by hon. members on the Opposition benches was an; Indication that this was a question in which the large landowners and capitalists were interested. Amidst loud laughter Captain Russell crossed over to the Ministerial side Of the House, and spoke from there, remarking that it did not matter where he spoke from, so long as he told the truth., The Pre-; mier, continuing, said he thought the best mode of dealing with the question of'the meat monopoly would be to remit the whole subject ,-to a Select, Committee, in order to ascertain whether it would be expedient for the Government to interfere, but, according to the information in his possession, the company's ■ monopoly was not doing serious injury to the colony. V V"".'-" . ' ".'■','■ •'■■:■ ' ; ; COMPANIES' ACT AMENDMENT. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Companies' Act Amendment Bill, briefly explaining its main provisions. The motion was agreed to on the,'voices.' •; '".'', ' '. ~ ANIMALS' PROTECTION.. , Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Animals Protection Act Amendment Bill, which was ably supported by Mr Herries, who urged the necessity, of the measure foi*. the North Island.' -' ' -' J ,»,;'/*' }' ' ';•';.. ..'. Mr Monk put in a plea to. the preservation of the native birdsiahd sup| ported the proposa,l,tqfix; the opening of the shooting season on the 24th May. 'He condemned, theintroduction of "stoats and weasels, which' are destructive to the native game. '"-•

Mr T.'.Mackenzie (Waihemo) supported the Bill. , ■;' ~:,Mr Millar (Dunedin) said the Bill was merely proposed in.the.interest of a select few, whß desired to monopolise the duck shooting. Mr Houston,thbught.ther'e should be a close"; season for pigeons every three years. He said he had been asked by his constituents to introduce a Bill with the object of legalising the; destruction^ in or,out Oi seasOn, of ;cer^ tain imported" game which; injured the crops of small settlers. He was also in favour .of prohibiting shooting game on Sundays. ..: Mr Witheford also supported the Bill, stating that the country; settlers in the Auckland districts were in favour of the commencement;, of the. shooting: season foi* both classes- of game on;the same day. 'The Accli--matisatiqn Society had requested him to support the two main clauses in the Bill.. • - ' ' f

Mr Massey supported the main provisions of the measure, though he believed thatvit did "hot go .far enough in some respects. B;e; coincided with those members who had condemned the protection of stoats and weasels, which were originally imported .to prey" upon the rabbits, but had now turned their attention to the farmer's' poultry. He hoped, to see a "clause inserted in the? Bill;removing the prb-1 tectibn of those destructive vermin;; Land boners should, ,in; his opinion, he allowed 'tb, shootjyermih on their

own property. He objected to the patchwork way in which the law relating to the protection of animals had been framed, and thought the member in charge of the Bill Would have displayed better judgment by introducing a consolidating measure. However, he accepted the Bill, subject to amendments in committee, as an instalment of. what might be proposed at some future time. '

Mr Lawry inveighed ugalnst the indiscriminate destruction of game by Cockney sportsmen. '• Mr Lang said the poison laid by Government inspectors not only killed the rabbits, but poultry, calves, and game. The .inspectors - acted as though they felt the necessity of doing something to justify their existence. He urgecL the Government to permit farmers to shoot game on their own land.

Mr Ward, in reply to criticism of the Bill, said the proposal to fix a definite date had been suggested from all parts of the. colony.. The amendments suggested by hon. members would receive the careful consideration of the Government.'

The motilon for the second .reading was agreed to on the voices.,

SUPREME' COURT JIJDGE APPOINT-

MENTS;

The Minister of Justice moved the second reading of the Supreme Court Judge Appointment Bill in a brief speech. \ ..„.,. f'. ..Mr Guinness expressed",his approval of the proposal to appointment an additional ..judge' of : . : the Supreme Court, but adduced; figures showing the inadequate salaries paid to the judges in comparison with the ambunts paid to occupants of the Bench in the Australian colonies. In his opinion the proper course for the House to adopt, would be to reject the measure as an indication of the disapproval of the legislature of the insufficient salaries of the judges.

Captain Russell coincided with the views expressed by the hon. member for the Grey. He said rftany members of the legal profession derived, a larger income from their practice than the salaries paid to the judges. Whilst they recognised that ambition played ah important part in inducing men to accept positions on the Supreme Court Bench, he believed that few leading practitioners would sacrifice their pecuniary interests in order to accept judgeships. The judges should also be removed beyond political control. He supported the suggestion that the Bill should be sent' back to the Government with a view to the introduction of another measure which Would increase the remuneration of the judges.

Mr Meredith thought the salary of the Chief Justice should be raised to £2500.

Mr Pirani argued that there was no real necessity for another judge, with the present number "of sittings, but he supported the suggestion to increase the salaries of the -existing judges. ■ '• '

Mr Napier cordially supported the second reading df the Bill. He said the Supreme Court Bench proper would' not be strengthened by the appointment of an additional judge, because Judge Martin would, be exclusively : occupied in presiding over the Arbitration Court. He strongly* urged an increase ,in the, salaries , of. \he judges proportionately to, the. general rise in the remuneration paid to men of -exceptional professional ability. The cost to. the.State of trials of accused persons was in his opinion excessive. He would like to insert a clause in the Bill providing for the compulsory retirement of judges on attaining a certain age, say 65, on full retiring allowance irrespective of .term of service. He thought, increased salaries would induce younger men ih the full vigour of intellect to accept; judgeships, but judges should travel on circuit more tlian they; do at present, which would save State expenditure, and the, costs of litigation and prosecutions. One serious scandal was the delays in bringing cases.

After a brief reply by the-Minister of Justice, the Bill was read a second time on the voices. The House rose at one o'clock.