PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 194, 16 August 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

» NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. OCR. SOVEREIGN" RIGHTS. The Governor-in-Couneil appears to present a similar irritation to many members of Paj-lianieni, that the crimson cloth does to the bull, and every time the obnoxious words appear the mutinous flag is waved by recalcitrant ones. The term appeared in a clause of the Mental | Defectives Hill this afternoon—a clause! having to do with what is usually term-1 ed the "exercise of the ltoyul prerogative,'' but immediately several members sprang to their fvet and protested that; this offensive Governor-in-Council was lake to rob the people of their sovereign rights. ! The Hon. Mr Fowlds expressed the hope that the House -would not take thel suggestion to wipe out tiie provision in question seriously, because, if they did so, it would be a pure reversal of a wellestablished system. Mr Kll supported the Minister. If they were going to abolish the Governor- : in-Counvil, what hold would there be over some of those local authorities that J carried the high hand. An out-id*- control was absolutely essential in some; cases, lie maintained. When the (pies-! tion of tlie expulsion from the bill of the Governor in-< oumil was put to the House, however, the amendment was 10-t. the noes yielding to the argument.! THREE kin<;s ( hlu;i;k. On the mutiuii of Mr Poole, tin-' Methodist < haritablc and Educational Trusts Kill passed it- second readin- this afteru. In -peaki:i- u, the motion. the memUr for Auckland West explained that tin- object ~f the bill was for the better acquisition of grants in connection with the training of Maoris. The; present site at the Three King.- is considered unsuitable, and power is desired: to secure a larger area for a new insti-; tution, and for more satisfactory train- '• ing in connection with it. About £4OOoJ he explained, wa,s in hand for the erer-• tion of a new institution, and they wanted power to make- better use of the

MENTAL DEFECTIVES. I Tho Mental Defectives Bill wont ! through all its hundred and thirty-seven | clauses in committee in tlir- course of tin- afternoon and evening. The Minister ! in charge (tin- Hon. <;. Kowlds) explaining tin l numerous points and. where nc<-os.-ary, arguing with contentious mom- ' hers <> i the merits of clauses which fell athwart the grain and intellectual under, j -landing <>f the cavillers. The principal . Clauses went through with comparatively . i 1 little argument, liut when it came to the evening; sitting members Ixvaine disputatious, and Mich tiling as the opening nf letters meant for patients and the proper control of mentally defective children hc--1 came the suhjeet of much combative or.i- ---■ ; tnry. Mr. James Allen at one time j showed a disposition to set Up a mild, I variety of stonewall. His support*, however, displayed hut an indifferent energy, j ■ and the hill emerged triumphant from ..the darts of its assailants, the few «]•! 'i terations made being in the main s "JgJ jested hy Mr. Kowlds himself. Progress j was reported t'> enable the Minister to insert an amendment makitig it penal for a medical man to sign a certificate when lie i.- interested in the financial affairs of the patient. EXAMINATION OF MENTAL DEFECTIVES. During the di-cu-sion on the Mental Defective!. Dill this afternoon, the que*- ; lion via- raised I>\ Mr Kll a_s to tlie humanity and wisdom of the taking of . ; nietitally-afliicted people before a magisUrate ill court, as is a criminal. "We ; should do everything possible," contend- ! cd the member, "to -pare the feelings of relatives of such unfortunates." He suggested tint provision should lie made in the hill f"r the examination of these people in a special house or room at the j hospital. Mr .lennings suggested that, instead of exposing mentally afflicted people to the excitement attending their removal in train- and public conveyance*, they slioiill he Laken by motor-car to the institution, or wherever it migh: be. Me instanced several painful cases that had come under his notice owing to the exi cit-oment of a patient. The Minister (Hon. Mr. Fowldsl point--1 ed out that it was enjoined on officials | to use every "proper pare, and severe ; pains and penalties were laid down for ; nojrlct to observe the rules on this point. As for Mr Ell's remarks, provision was made in the bill for meeting such requirements, tut-that would not get t all difficulUjeßfcj-as occasion* . the

afflicted ones were so violent that it waI hardly possible for anyone save the I police to deal with the situation, es I penally in country districts, where the ■ police were the one great help in time of j trouble. He pointed out. also, that. I while every care was taken of patients. . in many cases they were handled liefore I , they came within the purview of the! j Department at all. i ! DOCTORS CERTIFICATES. ' It was urged by several members thai 1 every precantion should be taken to pre- ' pent doctors or others who signed certi-] j fiVatcs being able lo do so in order to j derive some financial benefit. Mr Mai-I I rolni. in particular, urged caution in the J I wording of clauses on this point of sisn-1 | ing certificates. The Mini-ter pointed! i out that under the petia] clause any one I I signing a certificate who was prrson.il!v | j interested in the affairs of the ment.il ' I defective made himself liable. This as. | | peet. said Mr Fowld-. would be fully met in the penal clauses of the bill. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. The Friendly Societies Amendment T. II was read a second time in the House t'i night. The Minister in charge , Hon J A. Millar i explained the various clauses, and. in doing so, agreed, if necessary, to | have the provision made for -equal lew" ] struck out if members so desired. It was unanimously agreed, he said, that pro-, i- ' I frton must be made whereby an actual i.il I | authority should certify that the eon- I I trihutions were adequate to m eoi )),,,! | benefits. The Mini-ter remarked, en j passant, that a gratifying feature about I the New Zealand societies was that their . I percentage of reserve funds \\a- law I highest in all Australasia. The bill provoker! no discussion what I e\er in passing its second reading. j .irVENII.ES AND RIFLES. I Mr. Jennings has decided to ask the ] ! Minister of Internal Affairs whether, | seeing the number of fatalities (hat have j occurred in the Dominion by the misuse I of what is known as the pea-rifle, he i will propose that absolute prohibition of i the sale of those rifles to juveniles under the age of 18 years lie enforced by law. The member, in a note, remarks that the frequency of accidents, fatal and otherwise, owing to these rifles, is deplorable, and necessitates some stringent action being taken in the matter. DAYLIGHT SAVING. The first private member's bill of the session will come up for consideration to-morrow ("Wednesday), when Mr. T. K. Sdej£ ; aaalL i Jßey L &-.th6* second reading _pf

his New Zealand Mean Time Rill, which is identical with the measure he introduced last session. The bill, which was circulated this evening, purposes making another attempt at putting forward the clock in the summer months, or. in the language of the bill, from the hour of two in the morning of the last Sunday in September in each year until the hour of two in the morning of the last Sunday in March in each year. During these six months Mr. Sidey proposes to give tho people of New Zealand an extra hour per diem in which to work and play. A clause in the hill provides, however, that nothing in the Act shall affect time as used for tho purposes of astronomy and navigation.