PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 64, 12 September 1912, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESEHTATIVES. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS, The House continued its sittings after The Post went to press yesterday. The afternoon was chiefly occupied in discussing Ministerial answers to questions. THE MAKRIAGE LAWS When the House met at 7.30 p.m. it went into committee on the Marriages Validation Bill, fathered by Mr. R. M'Callttm, and designed to validate marriages between a woman and her deceased husband's nephew. The Bill was challenged at the outset, and on a division there were 26 votes for it and 26 against. • The Chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the measure. A motion by Mr. Hine to report progress, was discussed at some length, but by no means seriously. After considerable discussion the motion to report progress was lost by 39 to Mr. Davey moved an amendment to make the measure both retrospective and prospective. The proposal led to a long debate on the question of consanguinity in connection with marriage, and nipre tHan one 'member expressed the opinion that if such alliances as were dealt with under the Bill were not legalised they would take place all the 'same, more or less to the detriment of society. On «he other hand, a section of the House expressed aversion to lightly tampering with the marriage laws, but all through the debate members discussed the possibilities with a view to illustrating possible happenings, that did more to entertain visitors than conduce to the passage of the Bill, which was condemned Tby more than one member as having been very badlydrafted, and not of the kind that should be brought before the House in such a law and incomplete form. Eventually Mr. Davey withdrew his amendment. Mr. Ngata moved an amendment on more legal lines, but having 'a similar effect. • Mr. G. W. Russell took advantage of the occasion to suggest that the time of the House could be saved if private members' BHls had first of all to go before a Grand Committee of the House, which would decide as to whether the measure was worthy of engaging the time of Parliament, and thus prevent such a vaudeville fchow as had been going on for the past two hours. It was long after ten o'clock when. the amendment to make the Bill both retrospective arrd prospective was carried by 34 to 23. A consequential amendment was also agreed to and the Bill was reported with amendments. DAYLIGHT SAVING Mr, Sidey's New Zealand Mean Time Bill, otherwise known as the Daylight Saving Bill, was the next on the list. Mr. Sidey, however, said he recognised that the 'Bill had no chance of passing, and he moved to report progress. Mr, G. W, Russell approved the methods adopted by the mover of the Bill. He recognised that there was a majority of members in favour of the Bill. He again emphasised the necessity for a grand committee to decide upon the advisability of the introduction of Bills' into the House. The motion to report progress was •greed to, and the Bill was defeated,