PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 2196, 26 August 1890, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Thursday. In the Council, the Hon. Sir F. Whitaker moved the second reading of the Government Insurance Bill. The bill provides, inter ali*, that teetotallers shall have superior advantages over those eDJoyed by insurers in the habit of taking alcoholic beverages. The debate was adjourned to Tuesday. In the House Mr Steward (Waimate) brought up the report of the Reporting Debates Committee on the manuscript and proof sheets of Mr Hutchison's speech making certain charges against the Government. The report was to the effect that no material alterations had been made in the speech, and that the corrections were mainly literary ones. The Hon. T. W. Hislop said he had gone through Mr Hutchison's manuscript and found it contained more alterations than even he had expected. In the part of the speech referring to the charges against the Government there were 1867 words in the 'Hansard' report, or 359 more words than appeared in the original manuscript. Of the 150S words originally in the manuscript, 319, or more than onefifth, were struck out by Mr Hutchison, leaving 1189 words, to which had been added 67S words. That was to say that over one-third of the speech as it now appeared in Hansard was not made by Mr Hutchison in the House. The portion of the speech referring to the charges against the Government did not occupy more than two pages of ' Hansard,' and yet it contained 100 alterations from the original manuscript. Mr Thompson (Marsden) moved that the report and evidence be printed. Mr Pyke said it behoved every member to speak his mind on this question. He would not vote for the adoption of this report because he thought that the report was not true. He had been through Mr Hutchison's speech, and asserted that very material alterations had been made in it, and how the committee could say there had been no material alterations in that speech was more than his brain could conceive. | Did Mr Hutchison not know that the course he was pursuing in attacking public men in the colony was damaging to the people, and would damage New Zealand all over the world 1 He did not know whether Mr Hutchison was a native of New Zealand — (An hon. member: "No.") Mr Pyke: "Thank God." Ho said he should move that the report be referred back to the oommittee for further consideration. After some further discussion Mr Thompson's addition to the report as to printing the evidence and minutes of the proceedings of the committee was carried on the voices, S and the report was ordered to lie on the | table. I The Sheep Bill was further considered in j Committee. Clause 72, tattoo and ear ; marks, provoked a lengthy discussion. An I amendment was carried, and then the whole clause was thrown out on the voices. Progress was reported, and the bill ordered to be reported with amendments. In Committee on the Eleotoral Aota Amendment Bill au amendment that candidates be nominated by three instead of five electors was carried. The clause relating to nominations was altered to the effect that nominations may reach the returning officer seven dayß before polling day, instead of ten. On Clause 7, providing that a candidate shall deposit £10, to be forfeited if he does not poll one-tenth the number of votes cast for the successful candidate, several amendments were moved, but the clause was retained. The seamen's vote clause was passed, after much discussion. Mr Tanner moved a new clause, to the effect that no intoxicating liquor shall be given or sold to any elector during the hours of polling, and any person infringing this clause shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £20. Mr Bruce pointed out that this provision worked exceedingly well in some of the States in America. Mr Fish opposed the clause, and said it would be a great hardship if a man wanted a glass of beer on election day and could not get it. Lost by 35 to 24. Sir John Hall then moved his Female Franchise clause. He reminded tho Committee that the House had lately affirmed the principle by a large majority. Mr Fish moved that the clause be read a second time that day three months. After several members had spoken strongly against tho amendment. The Hon. J. Ballance moved a proviso that the clause should not come into operation until January 1893. He thought it would be inconvenient to enact a clauße of that kiud on the eve of a general eleotion. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said the proposal waa so important that it should be referred to the electors. The clause was ultimately thrown out by 26 to 19. Tho debate, aa reported, was noticeable for the total absence of those funniments and weak jokes whioh usually accompany the discussion of similar subjects in the House. There was but a small attendance when the vote was taken at 2 o'olook. There wero only 45 members present, and

the majority against the clause represents not nearly a third of the House. J Tuesday. Afber the discussion on the motion for the Bible in Schools Bill being considered in committee, \ The Hon. P. Buckley moved that the Bill be committed that day six months. Speeches in praise of the Bfble had been given in favor of the Bill, but he thought Dr Pollen j struck the key-note when he said that the Bill was an attempt to amend the present syafcem of education. He would go further and say it was an attempt to introduce denominational education, He had great reßpect for the Bible, but he agreed with the Primate of the Church of England, who said before a Royal Commission, that in his opinion no good would accrue from reading j the Bible in schools without comment. j The Hon. Dr Pollen said that he did not j believe that a few words of Scripture read before the children would have any satisfactory effect. They opened the proceedings of the Council with the ' • repetition " of a prayer, and the pages of ' Hansard ' showed that it had no beneficial effect on their subsequent proceedings. After a little further discussion, the question for the committal of the Bill was lost on the voices, and the bill was killed. In the House, a motion for sitting on Mondays waa agreed to. Replying to Mr Seymour, The Hon. Captain .Russell said he should be glad to bring in a Counties Bill to adjust more fairly the representation of ridings of counties and road boards, provided there whb no unreasonable opposition to it at this late stage of the session. The Representation Act Ammendment Bill waß read a third time, and passed. In reply to a question, the Hon. Captain Russell said that the wrifcß for the new elections would be returnable in 72 days after the passing of the Bill. The remainder of the sitting was occupied with local business.