THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 9

THE HOUSE.

FJRST READINC. ' Tho House met at -2.30 p.m: ■ (Tho Marriage Ainondment Bill (Sir W. J. Steward): tho-llutt Valley Tramway District Bill f(Mr.. ,the: Toayille and tho Castleeliffo Tramway '.District, Bill (Mr. Hdgan) were 'readVarfir'st,time.:' ; : '■ WESTPORT HARBOUR LOAN BILL. Mr.- J. COLVIN'-'OVeatport) moved •the" sccond reading "of the ■ Westport: Harbour: Bcird' Loan : Bill,. Which; gives power to tho ; Board to borrow 1i furtlfor £200,000 ..for har- ■ hour, - work's;"...... He- stated : that, the! proposed - works.' Would ; facilitate ;, the ; cpaliiig of .war- ■ - - ' Mr'. : G. LAURENSON (Lyttelton) purged, thatnthS -.borrowing .of', such. a .large, sum Wasinadvisable: The^ ; .works,. if required, should; bo- constructed fbut. the haiv' . bour. was * already, able -to cope. with' the pre-' 'sent- and',immediately . prospective trade.. M>o^V;:H;^.P>.BAßßEß.:(Newtown) sup-;, ported , tho; Bill. '• He. suggested j that. tho. improvement of. the .harbour might case, the situation'4ll the .timber trade,- and, lead to the.;cheapening.of coal. , ° reading was carried on tho ! voices. , ,- ... - f -. : I A GHRISTCHURCH BILL, i Mr/0.- M. GRAY (Chnstchurch North) | moved; tho, stcdnd; ';'rcadirig;' of'tho Ch'rislr 1 churcli City Sanitation Empowering Bill.:"' 'The 'motion -was "carried. "i : ' , ' TOWN DISTRICTS AMENDMENT BILL, Mr. H-. G.-- ELL; (Chnstchurch . South)' moved -.the; second reading of the Town .Districts Act : 'Amendmeiit' Bill, - which, provides that the municipal franchise shall apply: to town ; districts: " ' Mr., J. : ALLEN?. (Bfuco)oi;said' the'.: mover ■ would-.haVoj been ...better.: advised -to assist expected.' comprehensive .Iccal .government measure.-Mr-.-:P-3EID '(Taiori),-suggested* that, anowing: .to somo itown dis--partsof,;,-counties ,-and others. Mr- i H- ';PQL^^./. : (Q'ijiijemtiti))g supported tip!. Bill,-,: Ho. was. ■ against'waiting -for a Bill, which" had been /promised for- toil -years'and did not appear . to ho: in"eight ;'-yot. ~ '; Mr."- ELL,-; jn '-ireply,:jsaidSthat-"the"prin-ciple of the Bill \n;as .proviously. accepted by the.Hoiiso' by 4r::voteV;t6 : l6.,: . / T/ The'Jsecond, reading; was carrrcd. t , LOCAL ELECTioNS AMENDMENT' BILL . Tlia;'lpcal.;Elcctipns r,Act Amendment ilill (Sir- -MX'JSteward) ,iyas ".passod " thrPugii; Committeev.withvidrafting .amondmonts'. ' .: - .; -MR..MAJOR'S BILLS.' :■ . Thp farriers ; Biir (No. 2) ! 'aiid' thd' tahips on Vohibles-Bill'.'wero'road a second timo on' the motion of Mr. C. E. Major (Hawora)'. P.UB i: ICy/ OR KS AM END ME NT BILL;. Mr;vC. H.ylZAßD'mpvcd the second road-, muof.the'.Public-'Works.Aet, AmciKlment Bill,';'by., which Ho sought : .to ,-givo power. to local - bodies- to make'streets,;ori .hillsides,: or. other difßoult localities, ;of ti' less width'' than 66ft., provided .that> the wero§6ft. apart ;across tho 'roadway'. " Hp' was willing to amend' tho Bjll 'in Committed so: as to requii'p'fa' widtli'of-'GGft. -between :tho .fdncesr-. The' : Mayor' of Wellingtdh: approved of- tlio' Bill; ; Sir"W: J. STEWARD >(Waitaki) "explained that, Mr. Izal'd had', at liis request inserted clauses ; to oiiablo.' any'' local : bbdy,-:' after instituting proceedings foi' the taking of .land, to withdraw.- if .tlio,compensatioii. awarded". ; waS'doomed 'too 'high.'--— v: Tho MINISTER ; ; for .PUBLIC WORKS (Hon. W/. Hall-Jones). said that privato interests .would be improperly interfered- with by thc' clauses' fathbrcd by Sir 'W; St'oward. Owners, would bo threatened with compulsory purchase' of:;their.''property, .'arid' would '!bo" kept.'iii ;suspenso,,for.' : soHie: timd,', aiid' thpn,' wheh 'perlia'p3 thejj had.'arranged.'to buy, other' land' in" substitution, the local 'body would back down and not. takpitho land. Ho could. see no necessity foiv tlio Bill,:and thought it might causo great ihardship.. : .Hp, objected to tlio last' 'clause',' which ; woiild 'cnablo' a local; body-to -'ordor the" removal -of '■ trees' on' private: property- wlioro' they would obscure tho view, .of; the, road.' at'a corner.' ,• The,.object of'the ciauso could bo attained'by limiting .tlio' speed. of';motbr cars.. The .'second reading.:' was agreed :to, and tho Bill Was roforrpd-to tho Joint Committee on Statutes. • AMENDMENT BILL. : • Mr. ELL moved the'scconci:'reading, of tlio, Companies Aineiidment,';Bill; which provides that banking companies shall publish their lists of . shareholders,;; in tho same w;ty as , ,; ■ r ihe v ßilf was opposed by,' Mr. W. Fraser and Mr. I). Reid. - . The PRIME MINISTER ' (Sir- Joseph Ward) said that if the' Bill passed it should bp referred to .the-,Public/'Accounts Commit-J tee.' He. believed that., banking companies woro placed in.a .diff.dront position from otlior coriipariiesjicqaiiso ; of,tho natum' of their.functions and .bcc'ausc othcrivisd thh financial ..position-'.of. a.Largo number- of p'o'f-. sons.' and'_firms ,would .be exposedvin; a mariner..that ;might "bo- prejudicial ,to .some; of them.. •.'. i. • .". ■ ... Mr. ELL, in reply, said his proposal would not ..affect, foreign banking companies doing business_'in the -Dominion. ' Tlio Bill was road, a se'eond time, ''and ferred to the I'ublic r Accounts .Committee, QUACKERY PREVENTION BILL. . Mr. J. T., M. HORNSBY . (AVairarapa) moved the second reading, of the. Quackery Prevention -Bill, which is designed' << to make it illegal to advertise '.niedicines that have been declared by a Supremo Court Judgo on the application of tho Cliicf Health Officer tb bo harmful, .'fraudulent, or ineffective. ■ 'jlr. F. R. FLATMAN* (Goraldine) feared the Bill would, give medical men a monopoly, ■ and iiould put too much power in the hands of I lie Health Department. Dr. \V. A. CHAPPLE (Tuapeka) strongly supported the Bill, and congratulated the Government upon ivhat .it. had already done to stop pernicious..literature" going, through the post office. - .Ho"also acknowledged the good done by the Press in suppressing cortaiii. m'cdicines. . Ho declared that enormous and cruel' injustice ,was done- to .voung men and others' "by advertisements which tended to . create- a belief: that physiological - phonomena were symptoms .of-disease. He denounced several much-advertised prcpara-

tions, and gavo instances of lives being lost through consulting quacks, ■ -Mr. J. A.' HANAN. (Invercargill) supported the Bill. ' • ■•'--•■■■ ,Mr..T.;M, WILFORD (Hutt), in a humorous speech, oppressed 'sympathy with tho, Bill, and'promised to assist ui improving its -.T'lio Bill',was read a'sccond r 'tiiiip. ,- form. < '■■' - -■■■ .' ■•■-''■ ■ LICENSING POLLG ABSOLUTE -MAJOR. ITY. BILL. .•. . Mr. G. LAURENSON , (Lytt'elton) moved tho second'readng of . the Licensing Polls Absolute Majority Bill. He,said that.twenty-, soven millions of, peoplo in the' United States were living under No-License;.'carried under the'baro-majority law.- Tho ; baro majority also obtained' in. tho local' option' law, of Canada I .'The three-fifths majority was monstrously unjust, arid ..Was equivalent to plural voting. Ho ' recognised that Ashbnrtqn ought to liavo'licenses now, and ho'upheld tho bare majority because it : was tho t'r'uo democratic method. There , wore spccial oirctmistances at'" Ashburtpii, • but ho' thought .electorates' that" had once carricd No-Lioonso would generally maintain it. Ho stated that ill 1893, Messrs. Hall-Jones; Tanner 'and Hogg voted for the'principle of'.the present -Bill. At tho last polls tho No-Licenso' voto 'over the whole Dominion, exceeded-tlio vote for: continuance by 15,881; yet No-License was 'carried in six electorates . out of sixtjjpighi. '. - ' '' ..'■ Pledged Against It. Mr. F. :\Y. LANG (Manukau) said-he pledged himself, when last elected, to tho three-fifths majority. :Tho, No-Lioenso party asl;e<l him to. do so, and when he expressly _ stated to them ; that' legislation 'might be 'introduced .which they would prefer to .the existing law, ■they .replied .'that they, would ho. quite, consent for him to . pledge himself to' support the law as',it. stood.,.lie now wished,,to warn, '/the No-Lioenso party against., going to extremes, -and thus losing, the support.,of rno.der'ato men. : : : .■ . ; \ ... 'Mr. A. W. RUTHERFORD (Huruuui) pp-' posed the Bill. - Mr. M'Nab's Views. > .;r ■■ ' ' The MINISTER for/ LANDS (Hon, R;j M'Nab) opposed tho Bill on tho. ground, that it would cause the'ro-opening of the.miestipn of license in:prohibition -'districts'. He had Worlced for No-Licensd for many years, and lie feared th it, the bare majority; proposal .would split tlio No-License party. ,• Many of Ithoso' who had formally' agreed to ;the proposal,were ill their heart of hearts against it. Another objection to tlio Bill was that it was very difficult.'for., the police to enforce No- ■ License unless• they were.backed, by public Mrf j. ALLEN .(Bruce) endorsed the' Minister's arguments, and said that if the Bill' was ; passed, ■ tho No-License, party would , regret it. '!■■■ ■. Dr. W." A. CHAPPLE; (Tiiapek'a). strenuously opposed tho. Bill, which, ho said, would, 'if passed, do irreparable harm to the No- \ Licenso'cause. ■ ■.».■ •.| Clutha's Experience. ; i ' Mr- A. S. MALCOLM (Clutha) supported ] tho Bill. Ho said that tho Lo-Licenso movement was being unduly hindered by the threefifths majority; If tho bare majority decided; 'the question there would now bo forty .pro-;, hibition : districts: instead of, six.No-License had been an extraordinary success at;Clutha,, ind ho believed vory few electorates, after three years' experience of No-Liconso, would go hack.' : \ i '■ Mr; C.'"HALL (Waipawa),-in opposing ,tho Bill, said ho was pledged to support the tliroefifths majority. Ho also opposed tlio Bill ongeneral grounds. ■ • \ ■ ••.... ..v.;Mr.-" J. -A. HANAN : (Invercargill) saii-he was bouncKby'liis pledge,to oppose tho, Bjll-, Ho . believed 'tlio'' Inyeroargill,,. peoplo, jrould still'.adhere:,to No-Ljcense.,. .• . ~i : -Mr. J. T. M. HORNSBY (Wairarapa) said : the Bill was a false-moyo tending to delay nationalprohibition, which would, otherwise, como in : .a. few. years.' . V Mr. ,F, M. ; B. FISHER OYelhngton Cenitral), "'speaking'.as. said that' lio;Would rather los'o nis-seat than 'vote .for ;tho..bare .majority, iiv licensing polls.. The' Prime Minister. Tho . PRIME MINISTER. : (Sir Joseph Ward) said, the reception accorded Jto-, the Bill showed ihow':difficult a-.matter, licensing legislation was. Hp had never given any pledge' except"'' to his constituents on tho public platform. ~ Ho ..had ; told them' that "he ..was "ih -favour,'".of; tlio ; three-fifths' majority. Tho :Govornmont did, not' . intend' introducing licensing legislation this: session. ' Supposing a majoiity.ol the Houso did vote for,, the pros- . : ent "Bill, when it ..was in ; committee ; it .woiild liavo, threo'.or four :hundred;,,t amendments; added to it. Eccently, a number; of .gentlemen 1 , had interviewed him asking 'him to legislate, for.,the bare.majority:.and.-lie; ; said that though that deputation had come after a conference at which this question had been fully discussed, and that discussion had been reported in tlio Presb, ho knew of/no count€i> representations, ma'do .to. his colleagues„or ( himself oh.',tlio part of the trado. ,Whether it was : ;significant or.-.hot;''ho; did;hqt' know;, and., iti was not.;for.,him' to say.'But'if. they wero to: get ~upon, tlio; floor '.'if the .House 1 that; di-; vei'sity of opinion so, marked outsido,' even .among. tho . leaders o£, ; tho; party, ; it wo.uld.bo ; fo.olin'g ahy'oiie'to.say thero,.'n•as• a. , chancd;pf l tho.Bill going, through.' It would; bo retrogression, to' 'have such' a 'matter de-, .cided .on a •.private.'Bill. It, should':;bomo as;, tho/out'eom'q ofrepresentations -.after members had returned from their Constituents. It should:' bo;done on* tho initiativo of • the' Government of'tlio day; (Hear, ''hear!).' Mr. : D. . BUDDO ' (Kajapoi) :. opposed the Bill on" account iif ; a' pledge, :: as ! referred to by other; members,- and' -also :on other .. -. '; '' ' -' ' Mr.' BAUMI3 (Auckland East) said ho had ciinsist'ehtly' throughout .his career pledged himself "to the' ; 'thre,e-fifths majority: His views; were 'strengthened in the- samo direction, especially after hearing the remarks of Dr.. Chapplo, ! ancl tho Hon. ! R. 'M'Nab, all staunch advocates of No-Liconse.' ' Mr. 1 . PEATMAN (Geraldino)'supported tho three-fifths 'ninjofity.' • , ■ _ ■ : Mr. BARBER. (Newtown) 1 said'thoro were a number-'of. peoplo in tho Hoii'sp 1 who wero in sympathy with - tlio. No-Liccnso people, ( but who' l would ! feel -it "necessary" to" voto against' the Bill; -This,'ho, thought; "would bo a reflex: of the opinioil- outsido tho-Houso. wero this Bill submitted to the people. 'HP-indi-cated, ways in-which' the licensing law should be amoncled. -■ •' ' ' ■ ' ■ • Mr. T. MACKENZIE (Waikouaiti) said he was pledged to tlio three-fifths majority. Mr. LAURENSON said ho had beon amused at sdmo .of ..tho speeches on the axiom ..that '' lie who' excuses himself very ofton accused himself. He replied at length to'avowed prohibition advocates, who were against him . on this' mattor,' .and said he w'ouid go' to.'.the division lobby.if. ho wont-nlono.. . , . .

Tlio .second reading was defeated, by 54 votes to; 8." . Tlio division, .was' as: follows•, ,'Ayes (B)Ariiold, , Ell, "Fowlds, 'Laurcnson,'. Malcolm,_ Poolo, Stallivorthy, i .Tanner. Noes (54): 'Alisdiv,;Allen. Barber, liaume, Bollard,' Biuldo,. Carroll; .Cliapplb, Colvin, Davey, ■Dillon,. Duncan, Field,; Fisher, Flatihan, W.' Fraser, Graham,, Gray, Groonsiadp, Hall, Hanan,"'Hardy, Hoke, Horrics,, Hogan, .Hornsby, Izard,, Jennings, Kidd, Lang, Lawry,; Lothbridge, ;Lewis, M'Gowan,, R. M'Kenzio, T. Mackenzie,' .M'Nab,- Mnophorson,, Mandor, IMassoy.'Okey, Parata, :Poland, Reid, llo'ss, Rutherford, Soddon,,Sidcy, Symos, Thomson, Ward, .Wilford, Witty, Wood. . : The House rose at 12.30 o'clock,