HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 9

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Yesterday afternoon in the House of Representatives was devoted to discussion on .Ministerial replies to questions. SCENERY AT DAY'S BAY. A PLEA FOR THE PEOPLE. Replying to Mr. Barber, the Minister for Lands said that the land at Day's Buy, on which it was stated that the Wellington

Kerry Company intends to erect a sawmilling plant and cut the timber growing in the' locality, is private property, and there is .no power to prevent tno owners from milling the timber. No recommendation that the area be purchased has been received from the Scenery Preservation Hoard.

Mr. Barber Emphatic. yMx. Barber impressod on tho Government tho necessity for haying the bush preserved. For the sake of a little additional dividends the company proposed to destroy a very valuable piece of bush, and a reply, was given by the Minister that the bush was private property and the Government had no power to step in. At the same time, however, they wero spending thousands on scenic reserves in parts of the Dominion that were accessible only to n few tourists. "Yet when a request, is made for a small expenditure on behalf of the workers of the Dominion," protested Mr. liarber, "such an unsatisfactory answer as that on the Order Paper is made." Day's liay was visited by tens of thousands on a single day. On behalf of the workers of Wellington', he asked that something be done to secure the bush From destruction. / The Minister Replies. .The for Lands said the Government had received no recommendation yet from tho Scenery Preservation Board. Mr. Barber interjected .that the company bad only just started operations in the bush. The 'Minister, proceeding, said the Government required to receive recommendations from tho Board before anything was dene. The Government had to be careful, otherwise the expenditure on scenic properties would soon be enormous, and it was marvellous how tho' prices of such places had risen since the passing of the Act. He pointed out that if properties were taken for the good of the people in the cities it was only reasonable that those benefited should contribute a share of the cost, if only to show their bor» fides. This had been done at Christchurch and Wellington. Where the Government found that any scenic spot was desired, if- this contribution was forthcoming they w'ould not hesitate'to do what they could. He would see that the case of Day's Bay was placed before the Bpard if it had not already Jieen considered, and any recommendation would be given effect to. ''■

CHILD LABOUR. In reply to Mr. Ell as to children of both sexes from nine years of age upwards selling papers in tlie Wellington streets late at night, the Minister for Labour said the sale of -newspapers by children was difficult to regulate without undue harshness. Tho question would duly- receive attention. Referring to this matter again Mr. Ell described the. practice as abominable. Girls were seen selling papers, tip till ten o'clock. It made, them brazen, ajid should not bo allowed. It had been said that if these girls were not allowed to sell papers'the. State would have to keep their mothers, but ho believed the ratepayers ■ would far rather do that than see the children out so late.

Ministerial Statement. ■ • The Minister for Labour took exception to a remark that nothing had been done in this matter since n similar quest-ion'was asked last year. There wcro no girls, he proceeded, selling papers on the streets after seven o'clock. (Air. Jennings: I havo seen them. A- member: Oh, yes there are!) Girls under eleven years of age? asked the Minister. (Mr. Jennings: I would not say that.) Mr. Millar continued that he believed the Municipality had power to deal with the matter by regulation. There was no legislation provided as far as he was concerned; Tho whole question of; child labour was,so often before tho Dominion that the Government Wanted all possible information before they dealt with it properly. Otherwise.now phases would be constantly cropping up that would have to be provided for. He believed the police had already taken up the matter of young girls selling papers in this city. .But the Government had to bo careful. There were cases where children were earning money 'iihat was vory much needed—(hear, hoar). Children twelve and thirteen years of age could earn considerable sums—(Mr. Arnold: And support a , widowed mother). The Minister had heard nothing about children nine and ten years old.

Mr. Jennings: Half a dozen members of this House havo sold papers in their.time; I am one of them.

CHINESE IMMIGRATION. The Premier moved the second reading of the Chinese Immigration Bill. Ho explained that it would further restrict Chinese immigration. It would be impossible to stop it altogether. "' ' * Mr. Massey supported the Bill. Ho said tho Chinese would come in fast enough if inimigration was not restricted. Ho referred to America,! where the Chinese quarters were plaguo spots. ■ '.■ Mr. Davoy supported the Bill, and would evon go further if possible. Some Figures. ' Mr. Fisher referred to the distribution of the Chinese over the Dominion. They were to bo found in every electorate, except sevo'i. In the Grey electorate there xi-ere 262, in Wellington Central 191, in Tuapeka 175, in Westland 155, in Waikouaiti 138, in Dunedin South 107,-etc. The total in tho South Island was 1433, and in the North 1039. "My.district conies second in the .list," said Mr. Fisher, and he referred to results of Chinese settlements in Wellington in the past. Though the number coming in in the past ten years had shown a decrease, in the past three yenrs there had been an increase. Last year was the largest on record. He proceeded to show the evils of having them in our midst. Last year, he added, the arrivals wero 291 in excess of tho departures. Tho number of Chinese women in tho Dominion was 55. > Ho suggested that no Chinese should be naturalised. Not Wanted. J Mr. Poole pointed to results of Ohinoso settlements in older countries. Ho approved the educational tost and hoped a large proportion of "would-be's would come a cropper" over it. . Mr. Gray said if Chinese shops were boycotted the result would be tho same and tho action of the people more consistent. ,' The Premier said that if the poll-tax were raised thoso who camo hero would, by the arrangement under which they wero brought out, remain in the Dominiqn very much, longer. Mr. Davoy: They would die off.

The Premier: Better for them to go and die in their own country instead of leaving their bones in this country. It would bo impossible to totally exclude Chinese on account of. international reasons; but the educational test would work far more beneficially than the poll-tax system. Mr. R. ■M'Kenssio moved that it he an Instruction to the Committee of the House to increase the poll-tax, to £600, but tho Speaker ruled tho motion 'out of order on a technicality. The Bill was then committed. DIVORCE. The Premier moved the second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill. Referring to the intention of tho Bill to repeal previous provisions, ho said that the extent to which the present djvorco law had been " used " was a disgrace to the Dominion. It was possible under the present law for a married couple to agree for the wife or husband to separate for six months; they could then apply for the restitution of conjugal rights, and if the wife took no notice limy could then ask for a dissolution of marriage. Ho wanted to say that when the original Bill was drafted in 1898 a mistake was made. It was nevor intended that tho law should exist as interpreted at present. A mistake had been made in copying the English Act. All sections of tho community would consider the existing •stato of affairs as of tho very worst character. It was a shocking thing to contemplate tho possibility of/ any young woman in this country marrying and finding that under tho divorce laws she could bo divorced in mmontlis. • It was an abomination that should he removed. (Hoar, hear.) Ho asked tho House to now pass a measure that would remove such legislation from the Statute Book. Mr. Massey agreed with tho Bill. They

could not hn too careful in insuring that tho marriage tio could not bo too easily dissolved. Somo Objections. .Air. Barclay complained that tho Premier did'not produce facts or figures in support pf his contention. Tho Premier: It, is well known. Mr. Barclay said a divorce could not hn obtained in six months. It would take eighteen months. Besides, it wns a worse curse- than any divorce law to keep people who were leading lives of misery chained together. In 1800 in England there "was no Divorce Court, and an Act of Parliament was necessary before, divorce could be obtained. Since then, our ideas had broadened with the process of the suns. He held that the proposal to interfere- with tho course of cases already in progress under the law was ono of the most monstrous things ever proposed by a man in that Assembly. • Mr. Baiinie also thought the- Premier should have given something more than a more general statement whon bo: proposed to make such an important change in tho divorce law. He thought the Premier had been misinformed. Speaking from legal experience, he knew of no single case in which there bad boon collusion or connivance. Tho Premier, in reply, quoted Judge Denniston to prove that what ho had said was correct. Ho also said,, in reply to Mr. Barclay, that nothing would be done under tho Bill of a retrospective character. Tho i second reading was carried. , CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY COMPANIES BILL. The Hon. R. M'Nab moved the' second reading of tho Co-operative Dairy Companies Bill. The provisions of tho Bill arc given elsewhere.

Mr. Okey said tho companies wanted tho Bill. Shareholders took up shares according to tho milk they supplied. It was found that a number sold their farms and thd companies had no power at presont to purchase, their 'shares and re-allot them. This BiJl proposed to give the power, and he supported it.

The Bill was read a second timo,

BEER-DUTY ACT AMENDMENT. The Hon. J. A. Millar moved the second reading of the Beer Duty Act Amendment J?ill. Heisaid the Bill dealt with tho vexed question of beer depot:!. Under the existing law a brewery in a no-license area could still be lippt working, but the beer could not he sold in tho area. The breweries, however, Mukl remove the beer to depots just outside tho no-licciißft area. This had been done, hut there was no jurisdiction over the depots. Jho Bill proposed to make it illegn! for a brewery to remove beer for storago unless wiih n permit from the Commissioner for Customs. The fiovnrmnent would now have complete control over depots, whereas previously tiiey had none. . ' Mr. Hanan (Invorcargill) urged the complete of tho depots or their removal to a certain distance, say five miles, from tho boundary of the no-license area. The: Bill, was read a second time. STAMPING MACHINES,

In moving the second reading of tho PostOffice Act Amendment Bill, the Premier said it was to legaliso the use of certain stamping machines, which : would to a Igroat extent prevent pilfering, and facilitate the stamping of letters. Fifteen thousand letters an hour could be put through. Tho Bill was , read a'second time' .

STATUTES REPEAL BILL. The Statutes Repea] Bill (Hon.' R M'Nab) was ' read a second time. DOMINION TITLES. . The Premier moved the second reading of tho Parliamentary and Exocutivo Titles Bill, which, as a sequence to raising Now Zealand to the.status of a Dominion, proposes to givo to: members o f the House of Representatives the title of Member of Parliament, and to substitute the designations Minister for Financo and Minister for Internal Affairs for those- of Colonial Treasurer and Colonial Secrotary respectively. ■ ( Sir W.-Stew'ori'l asked why the Canadian and Australian precedent should not bo folloivcdj calling the Upper House thoiSonate and its members Senators.' , The' Premier said tlijs could only be dono by the Imperial Government. Tho second reading was agreed to on the voices.

FROM THE UPPER HOUSE. ■ The iimoiidmont made by the Legislative Council in tho Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill'(No. 2) was agreed fo. ' On the motion of the Premier the House disagreed with the amendment made by tho Council in the Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill, and Messrs. Herries, Davoy, nnd tho 'mover wero appointed to act in the matter. : Consideration of tho amendments made by the Council in the Sea Fisheries Bill was postpone]. IN COMMITTEE. Tho House then went into Committee to consider the several measures that had been discussed as abovo. A new clauso was added to tho Chinese Immigrants Amendment Bill to exempt accredited Chinese Christian missionaries irom tho operation of the Bill. Mr. Fisher moved to increase the poll ttx on Chinese from £100 to £200. A point of order was raised, but the Chairman (M. R. M'Konzio) ruled tho amendment in order. ■ The (Speaker, who was call >d in on' the motion of tho Premier, said tho anrerduicnt was oloarly out ol order. A good deal of time was occupied by Mr. Hornsley and Mr. Hoko in moving unsuccessful motions. Mr. Barclay also opoko at some length. The Premier's Intentions. The Premier, at 11.45 p.m., said.that Ijo wished to \ell the Houso that he meant to put through that night tho Bill that camo next to the present one on tho Order Paper, and he was not going to be prevented from doing so by the tactics that were being employed. He had understood all the evening what certain members were trying to do. Mr. Hnke said his action in connection with the Chinese Immigrants Bill had nothing to do with the Divorce Bill. Mr. Hornsby said that his attitude on the Chinese Immigrants Bill was duo to the Premier giving away point by point, and submitting to the dictation of a certain cleric who was in tho House. The Premier said it was not true that he had yielded point after point in tho Bill. He had been informed thp.t tho Rev. Alexander Don, the Presbyterian minister who had charge of missions to the Chinese in this country, was in the House oarlior in tho evening, nnd he submitted that it was entirely right and proper that tho Government should ascertain his views on the niattpr of the new clause which had been ndopted on his (the- Premier's) motion. In regard to the Divorce Bill, it was designed to remove a disgrace and blot on the Statute Book, and he was not going to be deterred from the right course of action in tho matter. Ho knew perfectly well what lie was doing. ' Mr. Barclay said ho had taken part in the dobate in the hope of improving tho Bill before the Houso, and without any object connected with tho Bill which was to come (in next, although, as was known, he did not agree with that Bill. Tho Chinese Immigration Bill was reported as amended, and at 12.15 a.m. Hie Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill was taken in Committee. Notwithstanding obstructive tactics by several members tho clauses of the Bill were passed without amendment. On the motion of Mr. Laiirenson a new cl.-iii.se was added making lunacy a ground of divorce. Another new clauso was added on tho motion of Mr. Wilford, making l.iio murder of a child by its parent a ground of divorce against such parent. Tho Bill was reported as amended.