PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3118, 25 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' Friday. The House met at 2.30 p.rti. PETITIONS. Mr Jones presented two petitions from 40 and 45 of the unemployed in the Waitaki district, asking the Government to give them work. NOTICES OP MOTION. Mr Stewart to ask the Grovernment why the names of certain telegraph operators were sent to the Australian Governments, and if any replies had been received from Such Goyefnraerits. Dr. Wallis to' move , in favor of Hare's system of representation; arict th'asfc rSo Licensing Bill he considered satisfactory which did not provide for compensation in case of licenses being taken away through local option. Sir Gk Grey to ask if it was intended to establish a school of mines at the Thames. Sir G. Grey to move on Thursday for leave to introduce a bill to provide for a better system of local government. Mr Fulton gave" notice to ask whether the Government intended to bring down a rneasirie for the more effective suppression of wife dWe'rfciori, thereby preventing the deserted women foecdrnin'g chaiyeable on the' colony. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was stated that the Government had under consideration the propriety of introducing this session an amendment of the Qualification of Electors Act of 1879 in the direction of giving votes' to leaseholders and ratepayers ; the Act now in operation gave full power to open for sale on deferred payments land in Canterbury now held under pastoral lease —plans and reports on those lands were in course of being prepared, and when they were completed further explanation as to the intentions of the Gfovernmenfc in the matter would be given ; the Government did not intend introducing a Native Lands Sale Bill this session — some such measure would pobably be brought in next session. TIKST HEADINGS. The following bills were introduced and read a first time :—Bill to make provision for regulating and conducting the election of members of the House of Representatives ; the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill (Johnston) ; Masterton and Greytown Lands Management Act, 1871, Amendment Bill (Dick). LICENSING- BILL. The House went into committee for the further consideration of the Licensing Bill. A motion by Mr Turnbull that the license fees be made colonial revenue instead of local was negatived on a division by 54 to 5. A motion by Mr Murray that pocket license be treated as colonel revenue, and not as the revenue of the locality where the license was issued, was also lost. Clause 126 was on the motion of Sir William Fox altered to read that no woman other than the licensee should be employed in the bar of a licensed house more than eight hours each day. On the motion of Mr Bowen it was agreed that no female except the licensee shall, with or without her consent, be employed in the bar after 10 p.m. In clause 129 Sir William Fox moved that tea, and coffee, &c, should be supplied at all times at the bar of a licensed house. The discussion on the motion was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The Hoxise resumed at 7.30, when Sir W. Fox's amendment making it imperative to supply tea and coffee in bars was negatived. On clause 134 being read, Sir W. Fox moved an amendment to prohibit licensees from cashing cheques drawn by any one but the person supplied with liquor, his object as explained being to prevent publicans getting hold of men's cheques on leaving employment and keeping them till it was almost said to be exhausted. He detailed a number of instances in his own neighborhood of this "lambing down" process. The amendment was negatived. Mr J. T. Fisher, to provide against " lambing down," moved an addition preventing any publican receiving payment in advance for liquor, and rendering any sum so received recoverable oven if the liquor was supplied, and ifc was agreed to On clause 154 being read, Mr Sutton moved to allow houses to be opened from noon to two, and from eight to ten on Sundays. Sir W. Fox strongly opposed the proposal, which was negatived on the voices. Mr Murray moved an amendment that all public-houses within a mile of any pollingbooth should be closed on election days. The amendment was withdrawn after some discussion, during which Sir W. Fox suggested the propriety of all elections for local bodies in a district taking place on the same day, as in America. Captain Russell proposed an amendment to exempt clubs from having to close at ten on week nights and all Sunday. After discussion the amendment was withdrawn and the clause passed, on the understanding that the bill would be recommitted for the further consideration of the whole question of club licenses. Mr Bowen moved to insert the words " ten miles " in place of "three miles" in the clause definitir.g bona fide travellers, but the motion was negatived by 33 to 18. Several amendments were proposed on other clauses, but none of an important nature were made. Those to make complaints about habitual drunkards being heard in private instead of open court were negatived. Mr Bastings, believing that time was only being wasted over the Bill, which would never pass, moved that the chairman leave the chair. The Premier strongly opposed the abandonment of so valuable a measure, and Sir W. Fox also opposed the proposal, which was supported by Mr Barron. The motion was negatived. After further discussion clauses 168 to 229 (the last) were then agreed to. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 12.50. THE DTTNEDIN EXHIBITION. During the sitting the Premier said the Government could not consent to any adjournment of the House to enable members to attend the Dunedin Exhibition, but if any considerable number of members wished to go the Hinemoa would be placed at their disposal.