PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 48, 25 August 1904, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

* YESTERDAY'S SITTINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. CORONERS BILL. After wo went to press yesterday tho debate on tho Attorney-General's motion to go into Committee on the Coroners Bill was continued. Tho Bill aims at eliminating juries, makes Stipendiary Magistrates coroners, and authorises Justice** of tho- Peace to act as coroners in en*« of the inability of & Stipendiary Magistrate to do «o. Too Hon. 0. 0. Bowen agreed hat tliero were Justices and Justices, also jurors and jurors. A* to Justices, any objection wits met by .the appointment, of tho particular Justice (to act as coroner) being placed in the hands of the Magistrate. As to jurors, the present coroners' juries were chosen haphazard, not by panel, as in criminal oases. Ir Scotland the system of an officer conducting the preliminary examination worked well. The Attorney-General, in replying, declared that the commission of the peace included many men of tho highest intelligence, one of ' whom nad not long ago become Stipendiary Magistrate — Dr. M' Arthur. He' quoted a return to show the great number and cost of inquests, and said ir view of this great unnecessary expense the Bill had boon framed. The motion to go into Committee was carried on the voices. In Committco clause 1 was passed wiUiout amendment, and progress was reported. INDICTABLE OFFENCES SUMMARY JURISDICTION. In Oommitoe on the Indictable OSonces Summary Juriif otion Bill, The Attorney-General explained the object and effect of clause 2 in limiting tho right to trial by jury. The Act of 11)00 (section 6) had given the right to trial by jury a wider scopo than was intended. After debate, the clause passed tinamended, as did the remaining .clauses. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. Tihe Sohool Attendance Bill pawed through Committee without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. BOXING RESTRICTIONS. In Committee on the Police Offenoes Amendment Bill, The Hon. J. Rigg moved the postponement of clause 2 (interpretation), which describe* a "boxing contest" aa including "boxing match, boxing competition, and boxing exhibition." Tho motion was rejected by 16 to 8. Clause 4 (no boxing contest to be held except by permit granted to a registered association) was postponed, the 1 AttorneyGeneral agreeing to this course on the representation of tho Hon. Mr. Rigg. ' The other clauses, all pawed unamended, and progress was reported. The Council rose at 4.25 p.m.