PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 165, 12 July 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

SOUTH AFRICAN RECIPROCAL TREATY.

The New Zealand and South African Customs Treaty Ratification Bill,' confirming the treaty entered into at the close of 1906, between New Zealand and South Africa, was read a first time.

The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister in charge of the bill, stated, in reply to Mr. Massey, that it must be passed by the 17th inst, and he-wished the second reading taken this week. He would undertake to lay before tie House particulars of the trade which had taken place between New Zealand and South Africa since the treaty was made. TRUSTEES AMENDMENT BILL. The second reading of the Trustees Amendment Bill -was moved by Mr. Sidey JCaversham), who .explained that his bill was intended to correct an omission in the original Act by empowering trustees to apply money out of capital for the maintenance or otherwise of beneficiaries.

Mr. Fisher (Wellington) said there was the .greatest difficulty in ■understanding what were the duties of persons acting as executors and trustees. The law required to be consolidated. The bill was Tead a second time, and referred to the Joint Statutes Revision Committee. MARRIAGES VALIDATION. Sir William Steward (Waitaki) moved the second reading of his Marriages Validation Act Amendement Bill, which seeks.to amgnd the Act of 1905, validating marriages which had already taken .place between deceased wife's niece or deceased husband's nephew, and by making future marriages of that description legal. Upon division, the bill failed to pass its second reading by 29 votes, against 40. ' LUNACY AND DIVORCE. Mr. Laurenson (Lyttelton) formally moved the second reading of the Divorce Act Amendment Bill, the object of which is to make seven years' continuous confinement of husband or wife in an asylum as a lunatic a ground for divorce.

Messrs. Flatman (Geraldine) and Heke (Northern Maori) opposed the bill, but strong support came from Mr. Wilford (Hutt) who defended the bill upon the ground that marriages of mentally deficient persons should be discouraged, and every bar placed in the way of children being born of parents who had been confined in a lunatic asylum. He intended bringing forward an amendment of the divorce law which would relieve a woman whose husband was serving a life sentence for murdering her two children. She could not at present be divorced, though had the man attempted her life and been imprisoned for seven years, -a, divorce could have been obtained. Habitual drunkenness should also be a good ground for divorce.

Mr. Laurenson, replying, said there was only one divorce for every 64 marriages. There -were proper safeguards in the bill.to prevent connivance among the parties. The bill was in the interests of the marriage tie, and would tend to make it more sacred than ever. The second reading was carried by 49 to 20. AMATEUR LAWYERS. Mr. Laurenson (Lyttelton) moved the second reading of the bill by which he proposes to legalise the representation hi any New Zealand court of any party to a suit or summons, providing the person acting as agent is of good moral character.

Opposition tot the bill came from Messrs. Hanan (Invereargill) and Wilford (Hutt). both of whom are lawyers. They were followed by Mr. Symes (Patea), who regarded the bill as putting a premium on rascality. "

Mr. Fisher (Wellington) said the legal profession was becoming more and more a close corporation,- and the bill was necessary. It would not result ih incapable men appearing in court because suitors would not consult them.

Mr. Laurensdn referred his critics to the experience of the Arbitration Court, where he said the absence of lawyers in the hearing of industrial disputes facilitated , the proceedings.

The second reading wap agreed to by 39 votes to 30.