TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 19 July 1901, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho Speaker took the chair at 10.30 a.m. FIRST READINGS. Tho Lands for Settlement Act Amendment Bill and tho Advaucos to Settlers Extension Bill were brought down by Governor's message, and read a first tiino. THE REFERENDUM. Mr. Pirani moved to re-commit the Referendum Bill, so as to insert a new clause providing that the polling in connection wiiti questions submitted to the referendum shall be conducted through tho post. The Premior referred to the fact that a similar amendment had beeu negatived in Committee, and urged that the Standing Orders should be amended so as to provide that such an amendment could not again be moved when the Bill came up for its third reading. Mr. Pirani — You did tho same thing yourself last session. Mr. Massey, in the course of a fighting speech, supported the holding of the referendum on tho day of the- general election. As regards voting' by post, the Premier had spoken of secrecy of the ballot. ,A lot- the Premier cured, about secrecy of tho ballot or freedom of conscience when the Government organiser (Mi. Edwards) had been influencing the j?alea election by promises of roads and billets. The Minister for 'Justice attributed bribery and corruption to the power of wealth such as was represented iv the' Opposition. Voting by post had failed, and would fail. M>. Millar affirmed that the effect of the present Bill would be to throw power into the hands of centres of population, whore the people could more easily attend for tho purposes of the referendum than the country electors could. Mr. IJang referred to the use of the cooperoive system by the Government to influence elections in various ,parts of the colony, by removing co-operativo labourers to those pa,rts just in time to qualify them as voters. The Premier had refused an amendment by Sir Robert Stout to five co-operativo workers electoral rights, t had been denied that Mr. Edwarßs was an organiser employed by the Government, -but when Mr. Edwards was appointed to the position he had stated that he was appointed by the Premier. Tho motion to re-commit the Bill was eventually rejected by 44 votes to 13, and the amendments made in the Bill in Committco were agreed to, and tho Bilfcwas read a third time on the voices and passed. « ' . POLICE OFFENCES. The amendments made in Committee in the Police Offences - Amendment Bill were agreed to, and it was then put through it? final stage. Tho House adjourned for luncheon at 12.50 p.m., and resumed at 2.30 p.m. LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS. When tho Premier moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement's Act Amendment Bill, an outline of which appears in another column, (Left sitting.)