GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13870, 22 October 1910, Page 11

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(abbtdoed press association report.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, October 21. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. IXBECENT PUBLICATIONS. A report was presented from the managers of the two Houses appointed to confer regarding amendments proposed to be made to the Indecent Publications Bill. It was stated that the Conference had ended satisfactorily. The AITOJtN r EV-GENERAL eaid the position was that the Bill would be left very much in the same condition as when it left the Council, except that absence of guilty knowledge would not bo a defence in any prosecution, except where the prosecution -was for distributing indecent documents, in which case the defendant would be permitted to show that he had no reasonable means of knowing that the document was indecent. It was agreed to delete the clause giving constables power to arrest without -warrant". The report was adopted. VARIOUS BrLLS. Tho Oamaru Harbour Board Enabling Bill was read a third time. Tlte Justices of Peace Amendment Act. on the motion of the ATTORNEYCFINERAL, was read a first time. The Defence Act Amendment Bill was reid for the third time and passed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Stone Quarries Bill, intended to make better provision lor the regulation of stone quarries. The Bill was read a second time and passed by the House on the voices.

In committee, on the River Boards Hill, clause 4. extending the time for making claims for compensation, was struck out on tho motion of the vrrORNEY-GENERAL. Pr. FLNTMiAY remarked that the law as ;t &too<l afforded ample protection to any person whose- property was injured. The Bill was rcportod with amendments. The -Animals Protection Bill was taken in committee. At clause 7, removing protection from hares, weasels, and "stoat*, a proviso, was inserted giving the Governor-in-Council power on the recommendation of tho Minister c, f AixriciiltiiTC t<> susnend, within any specified area, the operation of the_ section with respect to weasels, stoats, nnd hares. A new clause was inserted on the motion of the ATTORNEYGENERAL, providing for a maximum penarty of £20 for destroying indigenous birds or their eges. It w,i.s further provided that the Governor-in-Co 11 noil mip-ht. suspend the operation of the section with respect to any specified spwies of birds for such period in any yonr as he might think fit. The Bill was reported as amended.