PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

MINISTERS AND THEIR WORK. THE SECOND BALLOT BILL. • 7-7* • ■ • r PASSES COMMITTEE STAGES. AN IMPORTANT : AMENDMENT. Much of yesterday's sitting of tho Council was taken up by the protest of Mr. Rigg. Mr. Kelly, and other members against tho Law Practitioners Act Amendment' Bill. Tho Bill 1 passed through Committee with an amendment safeguarding tho interests oilav students and solicitors now practising. Two local Bills were put through Committer and final stages... ' " ■ ■ ■ ■ An interesting discussion took place, m the Houso early in tho afternoon .on the work, or overwork,, of..Ministers of tho Crown, and on tho question of whether further appointments to tho Ministry wero required and 'desired. The Prime Minister indicated that Mihisters performed moro work than-the country, was perhaps aware of but ho was non-committal over the suggestion of strengthening the Ministry. - Some members took.the". opportunity of telling tho world how hard-worked private mqmbors really were. The Police Offences Act Amendment Bill was then .'put through its third

reading. . ... , . The Second Ballot Bill was taken in Committee, and evoked a long discussion. Tho opposition to the measure was -very pronounced, and early in the-evening the Primo Minister,, .apparently .recpgnising tho determined nature of the- .antagonism to the measure, submitted . a compromise m the form of an amendment to the-effect that the second ballot should take place only in cases in which the candidate at tho head of the poll- at tlio first ballot obtained a majority: of less than 500 over.tho second man on thfe r list: Mr.. Massey pointed out that this aimed a serious blow at the principle of. tho Bill.' -Tho amendment, however, mado the measure less objectionable to tho members' opposing i it. Mr. Massey moved a further amendment to the effect that the second ballot should be held only when tho first candidate.'obtained less than 250 votes. ' This was ; negatived, and tho new proviso, embodying ' tho Prime - Minister s amendment.".was. agreed.to.; Thereafter tho Bill in its .modified form .'■liad. a fairly easy passage through' Committee. .. .