LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10482, 21 October 1899, Page 9

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

■ The Council met at _._. p.m. PHARMACI Bll_L. The Phanr__cy Bill was passed through its final stages, without amendment. POLICE PROVIDENT FUND. When the Police Provident Fund Bill was in Committee on Wednesday, a new clause was inserted on the motion of the Minister for Education, providing that tha measure should come into force on January Ist. On the Bill being returned to the House of Representatives, that Chamber, on the motion of the Premier, disagreed with the proviso, and a message was transmdtted to the Council to that ettect. On tbe suggestion, of .the MINISTER OF EDUCATION, the -CoUrtcil decided to adhere to tlie clause, and reasons for this were drawn up. When these were remitted to the representative— Chamber, the question was regarded as privilege, and it was resolved not to argue-the point with the Council,, but to promote a new Bill fixing tne coming into operation of the Bill at November Ist. When this camo up to the Council this afternoon, Mr BOWEN said the matter was one of very, great importance, as the privileges of tbe Council seemed to him to have been invaded. He could not understand why the question of privilege had been raised by, the House. No one in the Council was opposed to the principle of the Bill, nor were they concerned,as to.when, it came into operation. The Council had merely passed the machinery clause at tho suggestion of tho Minister. • He thought the Council had been treated .with scant in not having had its message replied to. ._.r T. Ki__-i- _. thouglit the best thing to do- would be to pass the new.Bill with a resolution that by having inserted the clause in the first Bill the Council did not admit that it had invaded the privileges of the Lower House. Messrs McLEAN and BONAR urged that a conference should be held with the LowesHouse. i On goingiato Committee on the Bill, the Mmiater *_adhe thought the difficulty would bo overcome by acting in the manner suggested by Mr Kelly. Mr ORMu-.D was of opinion that if the Council acted so tamely, it would altogether barter away its position, and become an object of ridic-le. Mr A. L. SMITH pointed out that the Bill was a new one. Ihe first one had been laid on one side, and another brought) forward in accordance with precedent a_ between the House of Lords and the Commons. Mr W. C. SMITH replied to this that the first measure had been, bud aside without the coMsxr. of the Council, and if this was done in one* case it could be done at any time. . It was eventually decided by lb votes to 8 to pass the new clause making the alteration in the date. ". '"*"'.' , — The rest of the Bill "Witt passed in globo, and waj* ■•• The Council rose at 5.15 p-m.