TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 99, 23 October 1903, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. DEADLOCK O~N~ STATE FIRE INSURANCE BILL. Tho Managers to the Conference re tho Council's amendment in tho State Firo Insurance Bill reported that no agreement had boen arrived aU The Attorney-General said the Council's amendment in itself was not objected to by the House, but the other Chamber considered that tho Council had oxoo4ded itA privileges in amending a money clause. Ho pointed out that the fate of tho Bill won alfrcU.'d, and ho moved that the Council agrt>e to the request by the House for a further conference, thu Council's representatives to be Sir Henry Miller (who was on the first Conference) and the lions T. Kellv and Carncrote. The Hon. J, Rigg said tho Council knew clearly that ito Managers wore claiming the right to amend money olauttca iv what they called commercial Bill* — an attempt to extend its privileges. Ho suggested that rather than jeopardise the fate of tho Bill the Council should waive ita amendment and state a question on the point nt i**ue for tho opinion of tho Crown Law Oiticers in EiigUuid, Tho Hon. W. Bolt mov«T that tho Council waive tin amendment without prejudice, allow tlie Bill to p»*», and submit thu point for the decision, of the Crown Law OHlcern in England. The Hon. Sir Henry Miller said tho point at issue wn« n groat liiftonon) on««, nrwing under a now condition of things, and tho Council should dpi dopiiu* .t«olf of tho power to nuieml such Bills. At the Conference the Premier himself admitted that the old idea that M>o Council could not mnond Billa that hud reference to mnuoy in them had i-xplodvd. The Council, uid«* it aaAortvd its righ(« to amend Nuch uicnaur^ us the State Vire lrwtuntnco Bill, added Sir Henry, would go a long v_y towards committing political suicide. The Hon. Sir Alfred Codman thought tho Council should agree to a second Conference and could then, if no agreement wns arrived at, discuiw its futuie attitude. Ultimately Mr. Bolt's amendment was withdrawn, and the Attorne.v-0-rn»r«l'« motion for v second Conference agreed to. (Left siting.)