AFTERNOON SITTING.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10785, 12 October 1900, Page 5

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. SALARIES OF SCHOOL TEACHERS. Mr HALL-JONES gave notice to introduce to-morrow the Public School Teachers Salaries Bill. REPRESENTATION BILL. Amendments in the Representation Act Amendment Bill were inU-oduced by the Governor's message, ■-providing for ten additional members, instead of six. BILLS DROPPED. On the motion of the PREMIER, the following Bills were struck off the Order Paper:—Factories, Gaming, Police Offeneee, Tdegraph Copyright Regulation. Shops and Offices, Native Land Administration, Rating on the Unimproved Values of Land Act Amendment, Limitation of Working Hours, Porirua. and Wairarapa Nathe Trust Reserve, Workers Right of Appeal. Counties Act Amendment, Pedlars and Hawkers, Eight Hours, and State Schoo.' Compulsory Drill. NATIVE LEGISLATION. The Native Affairs Committee, reporting on the petit-ion of 8000 natives in favour of a Native Land Administration Bill, stated that they had no recommendation to make. THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. Mr WARD moved that tihe House authorise a temporary agreement with Spreckels and Co. (Tthe debate on this subject, which is reported elsewhere, was interrupted by th* 5.50 p.m. adjournment.)

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., when the debate on tbo San Francisco mail service was continued. Mr Ward's motion was carried. OPIUM PROHIBITION BILL. Mr WARD moved the second reading of the Opium Prohibition Bill, which was agreed to without discussion, THE ELECTORAL BILL. Mr WxIRD moved thai the amendments made by the Council intlie Electoral Act Amendment Bill, with ras-peet to the definition of canvassing, be disagreed with. This was earned, and managers were appointed to confer. OPIUM PROHIBITION BILL. In Committee on the Opium Proliibition Bill, Captain RUSSELL said the Bill waa an undue and unnecessary interference with the liberty of the individual. They might as well include the use of tobacco, morpliia, or alcohol.

Mr WARD pointed out that tlie Chinese themselves were in favour of the Bill, and from information received, he was certain that it was the duty of the State, in the interest of young people, to prohibit the importation of the drug. Mr WILFORD strongly supported the Bill, and related circumstances that showed, its necessity.

Mr J. HUTCHESON supported the Bill, but did not think it would prove effective unless steps were taken against smuggling. Mr PHtANI did not approve the prohibition of anything. Why wits a measure not introduced, he asked, abolishing the use of alcohol, wliich was ten times more injurious tlian opium? He moved an amendment to the effect tlbat the measure do not come into force in any provincial district until a poll had been taken, and a majority had declared in favour of it. Captain RUSSELL moved that the Chair> man leave the chair. This was lost by 39 votes to 14. ■ Mr Pirani's motion was lost s)y 37 votes to 1L

On the motion of the PREMIER, who said he did not wish business blocked, progress was reported l by 31 votes to 13. PUBLIC WORKS BILL. The Public Works Acts Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 6, which gives the Government power to lay off a street within a borough and compel the borough to take it over, was amended to make it apply only to streets open before 1889.

In clause 10, the removal of fences and obstruction on roads, sub-clause 1 was struck out prohibiting local bodies from giving authority to erect a gate or fence across a street and swing gates under Rabbit Act were exempted. (Left sitting at 2 a.m.)