PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 27, 31 July 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council continued its sitting after we went to press yesterday. PURE FOOD. The Pure /ood Bill was read a second time (the debate is reported elsewhere). PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Public Trust Office Amendment Bill, which passed the House on the 19th inst. He explained 'tho Bill on the linos followed by the Premier, and mentioned 'incidentally tha* some slight defects would require to be remedied in committee. Tho Hoii. O. Samuel said ho was rtot surprised that tho Attorney-General had anticipated some criticism of tho drafting of the Bill, but he was surprised that he (Dr. Findlay) had been unable to show some necessity for the Bill itself. The Destitute Persons Act was deliberately framed on liberal lines and was specially designed to meet cases which this measure was supposed to be particularly applicable to. if a close examination of the last-mentioned Act wer© made, it would be found that there was no necessity' ipr the Bill before the Council. There was an apparent want of sufficient cause for its introduction. In many respects tho Bill was very imperfect; and ho proceeded to indicate in what directions it failed, and encroached ori recognised rights by con-cre-to illustrations. He repeated that tho l^w us it stood at present was sufficient to meet all cases, and he hoped the Attorney-General would earenstly reconsider the whole question. The Hon. H. Feldwick suggested that tho Bill rliould bk referred to tho Statutes Revision Committee. Tho Attorney -General, replying to Mr.' Samuel, said he thought the hon. member's conclusions were based on a misapprehension of the truo meaning of the provisions of the Destitute Persons Act. This law applied only to "destitution," and i.hi; maximum amount recoverable under it wns 20s per week. Ho did not suggest that the Bill would pass in its' present form, but ho was prepared to accept any reasonable limitations and amendments introduced in committee. The Bill would be a valuable addition 1 to the statute- book. The second reading was agreed to, and the Council rose at 4.45 p.m.