HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10095, 22 July 1898, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LOCAL BILLS. The Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Bill passed through Committee with, amendment, and was reported. TJie Wanganui Hospital Board Empowering Act, 18sJ3, Extension Bill, was reported without amendment. Iv Committee on the Mairetahi Loan Conversion Bill, to enable the Waiteinata County Council to convert a loan to one bearing a lower rate of interest, a long discussion took place as to the impolicy of local bodies having to come to Parliament for such a purpose, it was held that all such, cases should be capable of being dealt with, as a matter of course, under a Statute applicable to the whole colony. The Bill was reported without amendment. The Port Chalmers Mechanics' Institute Reserves Vesting Bill, Wellington Harbour Board and Corporation Empowering Bill, and Hannaton Uhuroh Site Hill were reported without amendment. F.aoh of these six Bills was read a third time and passed. INEBRIATES' HOMES. On the consideration of a report on the Inebriates' Institutions Bill (Mr Joyce), Mr McNAB reiterated his contention that all the asylums in the colony should be under one law, and that there should be no such thing as a private asylum in the colony. The Bill was read a t.hird time. MR Millar's licensing bill. The Licensing Acts Amendment Bill {Mr Millar) was committed. ' Mr SMITH wanting to know what stand tl% Government intended to take in the matter, the PREMIER said that, as far as . the Government were concerned, the plan of campaign was open order.. Wlien each clause of the Bill came up, he would, of course, vote as any hon. member would vote, and any advice that he had to give he would give. Mr SMITH explained that he had simply asked the question because on a previous occasion the Premier had said that any propos&J to amend the licensing law mart be treated'as a policy measure, and that he would not allow any private member to interfere in a matter tnafc should be left to this Government. Mr Smith, was glad the Premier had changed his opinion, on the subject, and had come to recognise that it was a> matter for the people to deal with, ' t The PREMIER said that what Mr Smith had referred to was when he (Mr Seddon) had brought down a Licensing Bill and made it a policy measure. In the present can Mr Smith' had brought down a Bill, and Mr Millar another Bill, and he left them to fight it out. Mr TAYLOR charged the Premier with evading the point raised by Mr Smith. Mr Seddon had declared tihat the Government alone should legislate upon the licensing law. .

On Clause 3, which inter alia eliminates the reduction vote, Mr SMITH said it'•was his intention to move amendments which would give the people the right to vote ewy three years independently of the Pa_-___«___--tary elections, and confine the issue tojjfemve cr no license. As to reduction, the PREMIER said that the necessity for the vote had ceased. ,to exist, as the hotels had been reduced and population was increasing. Mr DUTHIE moved an amendment to the effect that the three issues should be retained as at present. Mr MEREDITH favoured the retention of the three issues. Mr CARNCROSS thought it would be a mistake to abolish the reduction vote. Mr MONTGOMERY said there seemed to be an unholy alliance as between the publicans and, prohibitionists in respect to the vets' for reduction, tlie retention of which he believed in. Mi CARSON knew of no unholy alliance, but personally he hoped the reduction vote would not bi struck out. Mr SMITH said that though hia party proposed to take the reduction vote away, they wished to give the power to reduce to tibe Committee. .Mr McGUIRE held that tlie Govenuneot should take up whatever measure on the auOject was necessary. Mr SLIGO did not think there was aay pressing necessity for the change. To strike out the reduction vote would apparently please both parties, but he should not favour its abolition, unless, however,, reduction wan vested in the Committee. ' Mr TAYLOR said there were only two parties to tbe liquor question—the publican party and the prchib_tio__i_t_---__nd nothing essential would be gainod by the retention, of the vote. What was wanted was a straightout issue as to.the existence or non-existence of the trade, and that *he people's power to vote on the subject should be exercisable every three years; and Mr Smith', amendment provided *"or these things. T!he House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. in Com* mittee on Mr Millar's Licensing -BilL Mr SMITH expressed his willingness to withdraw his amendment if by doing* so he would facilitate the settlement of the point bearing on the retention of the reduction vote. ■

Mr DUTHIE said that to abolish the reduction vote would deprive the people of a power they had used with good effect, and - should be allowed to retain. He also thought the administration of the Act should be entrusted to the Stipendiary M_gist_..tes. Mr WASON was convinced that the doing away with the reduction votp would deprive moderate people of accomplishing a fair and reasonable measure of reform. The PREMIT•__■ favoured a -t-Mg__-eat issue by mean- of a vote on Mr l_u-t__*_e-._ amendment. The Government was under so . obligation nor comitact, and only desired to give expression to the will of the people. Mr R. THOMPSON _w no reason why the House should do away with \the redaction • vote. He agreed with Mr Duthie that __© ,' administration of the licenaing h\~ shoold be " 9 _^ T *b« stipendiary Magistrates. Mr_ MILIAR expressed a desire that M* Smiths proposal aa to testing the "retention of the reduction vote should 1» givm effect

of the Committee was beinj, wasted, and it Hf-Ss d ? y * of *• *™*« s**s B_U ,__teadi of Mr Mill*, a, catena*, in the matter He teed to ase the &de placed under effective control -withottt b_*s____r way to extremistß on either Bids. A Twaer measure on the subject wouM be needed in consequence of the facta brought to light by the Police Commission, report, and, therefore, time should not be wasted over the present Bill. It was the business of the Premier to 866 to -".H-H. The PREMIER aaad _n waa not to be drawn m to wto^Q^»OT_-__rt f a_«a_B ,cr,

might do in reference to ft report not yet before them, and he would not interfere with the rights of private members in the matter of measures like the Bill before the House. Mr SCOBIE MACKENZIE, in further criticising the Premier's attitude, moved that the Chairman leave the chair. Mr J. HUTCHESON thought the Government should certainly take up whatever legislation was necessary on the subject of the liquor trade. Mr TA YLOR agreed with Mr Scobie Mackenzie that the Police Commission's report -would assuredly disclose the need for fresh legislation, but he expected nothing from the Premier, Who was now yielding in the matter to the influence of the brewers and the money interest in the drink trade. The PREMIER thought that instead of the Chairman leaving the chair it would be better to go to a vote on Mr Duthie'a amendment. Mr Scobie Mackenzie's motion was withdrawn by leave. Mr Duthie'a amendment was negatived on A division by 39 votes to 23. The following is the division list: — Pee the amendment—Messrs Buchanan, Carncross, Carson, Duthie, Hunter, J. Hutcheeon, G. Hutdiison, Lethbridge, Lewis, Scobie Mackenzie, R. McKenzie, McLean, McNab, Meredith, Monk, Montgomery, Moore, Rolleston, Tanner, R. Thompson, J. W. Thomson, Wason, Wright. Against the amendment—Messrs E. G. Allen, Bollard, Brown, Cad man, Crowther, Duncan, Field. Flatman, Gilfedder, Graham, Hall-Jones, Herries, Holland, Houston, Joyce, Kaihau, Kelly, Lang, Larnach, Lawry, McGowan, McGuire, Massey, Millar, Mills, Morrison, O'Meara, Parata, Russell, Seddon, Sligo, Smith, Stevens, Steward, Symee, Taylor, T. Thompson, Ward, Wilson. Mr Smith's amendment was then withdrawn. Mr SMITH proposed a further amendment to the effect that provision should be made in the Bill for colonial option. The PREMIER said he preferred national to local option, but only if it were on the basis of the three-fifths majority. M» TAYLOR said he would like to see colonial option in force, even if it liad to rest on a wider basi» than the three-fifths aurgatory. Mr SCOBIE MACKENZIE, as a point of order, submitted that Mr Smith's national option amendment could not be entertained, •a it was outside the order of leave in a Bill which was to regulate and control, as Mr Smith's amendment aimed at the abolition of the trade. The Chairman ruled Mr Smith's amendment in order. Mr KELLY hoped the matter would be put tc the vote, so that the majority might decide, which was all that was aimed at by national option itself. Mr TANNER maintained that as local option had been given tjo districts, they must be logical and give the power of option to the colony as a whole. Mr McNAB directed attention to what appeared to be an anomaly in regard to local and national option, for if the latter were exercised, the former might be made nugatory. After further discussion the amendment was negatived by 40 votes to 17. Progress was shortly after reported, and the House rose at 12.30 a.m.