PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2197, 28 September 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. THE COLONY’S FIRST GOVERNOR. Replying to Mr. Beehan, who asked if the Government would take into consideration during the recess the desirability of erecting a statue in Auckland of Captain Hobson, file first Governor of the colony, tho At-torney-General said he could only reply in the words of the late Mr. Seddon when a similar question was asked in the other House that if a movement took place by the people of Auckland to conserve the memory of Ciptain Hobson by the erection of a statue iu Albert Park, the Government would be prepared to consider the question of granting a subsidy. INDICTABLE OFFENCES. The Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Bill was passed through committee with verbal amendments, read a third time, and passed. PROTECTION OF ANIMALS. The Attormey-Goneral moved the second reading of the Animals Protection Bill to consolidate and amend the law for the protection of animats and the encouragement of acclimatisation societies. Ho explained the

various provisions. Mr. George said that no doubt a consolidated Act as proposed was desirable, but various amendments were necessary. If tho present conditions continued for a few years no lav/ would be required, as. the Act of 1832 protected the enemies of rabbits —stoats, ferrets, weasels, etc. — and these would demolish the game. He would move in committee to repeal the clauses of that Act relating to tho protection o-f the natural enemies of rabbits, which were becoming v greater nuisance than the rabbits themselves. He pointed out that under the Bill it would bo impossible for him >:r anyone to obtain game noler sbo went out and obtained it himself. He urged that provision should be made to absolutely prevent the use of live decoys. He animadverted upon the cruel practice in certain cases of enclosing bares for tlio chase, leaving one small outlet for escape, and then returning a hare that is lucky enougjh to "get away for a further cliase. He would, move in committee to prevent that cruelty connected with sport. He also entered a protest agadnst-pigeon matches with live birds, and objected to the proposed protection of wallabies or opossums, which became a cur se to a country. Mr. Jenkinson took exception to the*, provision’ prohibiting the killing of game other-than deer between 7 p.in.. and 6 a.m. Jttris ho considered nb.-urd. ■.>£". ,'

The second reading was agreed to, and the Bill was, referred to the St itutes Revision',Qbiliniittee. -- . c6DIFYING*SSj£RINE INSUR- - ANC’E'LAW. The. AttorrtpfcGenoral moved the second reading* of .the Marino InsurJauco Bill to codify tho law relating to marine insurance. "'lie Minister- explained that tho 'Bill, differed in‘no material respect from- tho English Act, savo in so far avrnus necessary to harmonise the '’provisions with New Zealand stuttutcs.v . . Tho second reading was agreed to. . METHYLATED SPIRITS. v The -Attorney-General moved the second reading of tho Methylated Spirits Bill, from tho other House, the principal object of which is to prohibit the purification of methylated spirits. The second reading was agreed to. Tho Council rose at 4.15 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. I THE MILITIA.

Tho Premier made a statement in reference to an interview with Col. ■Robin, which appeared in Wednesday’s “Evening Post,” by which it appeared that jt had been decided to take steps Jo call out the militia fo.* aotivo training. The Premier stated a misapprehension had taken place. Ho explained that on September 12th, at a meeting of tho Council of Defence a recommendation was made that the necessary action he taken to carry out tho provisions of the Defence Act Amendment Act, 1900, clauses 4 to II inclusive. He explained that the question of preparing the militia rolls had not yet come before him or the Acting Minister for Defence. Ho added that under the clauses in the Act of 1900 referred to there was no power whatever to call out the militia. Tho Government had no iirteivtidn of doing anything of the kind, and it had never been suggested either by the Defence Committee or the Government. What was intended tinder Col. Robin’s original memorandum was an entirely different thing. Tho Defence Council ought to know the

nominal strongth of thoso capable of taking pant, or serving iu tho militia, at least at every seaport. Unless this knowledge was in tho possession of the Council, it was not doing its duty. Tho Government was not in favor of conscription or of the militia being called out, and the Defence Council had not suggesiod it. LAND TAX BILL. Tho llouso went into committoo on the Land and Income Assessment Bill.

At clauso 17 (“No convoyanco, transfer, declaration of trust, settlement, or other disposition of land, ‘whether made before or after the passing of this Act,’ shall bo effective so us to oxeinpt tlio porson making tho same so long as ho Tern mis or is in possession or in receipt of the rents or profits of any such laud whether on his own account or on account of any other porson from any graduated land tax which should have become payable in respect of such laud had no such conveyance, transfer, declaration of trust, settlement, or other disposition taken place, and for the purpose of this Act the person so making the saino shall, while lie remains or is so in possession of tho laud or in receipt of the rents or profits thorcor. he deemed, though not to the exclusion of tlio liability of any other person tho owner of'the said land), .Mr. \v llforu said lie intended to move that tho words “whether made bef »f e or after the passing of this Act bo struck out, as under tho clause there was no limit to the time thev could back. Ho strongly

supported the clauso in reference to future dealings, hilt was opposed to it embracing conveyances, etc., that had already taken place. Mr. IV. Fmsor said the clauso would press heavily oil tho caso of a man who held land under mortgage. Some means should be devised to prevent hardship in cases where a genuine transfer had taken place. Mr. iSidcy said he agreed with Mr. Wilford in not making the clause retrospective. Mr. Massey said in eases where a man had a mortgage on his land and could not obtain the mortgagee’s consent to cut up the land, he would be penalised under tho Bill, ns, no matter how much ho desired to subdivide his land in order to eseapo the graduated land tax, he could not do so. He urged that something needed to be done to meet such cases. Tho Premier said mortgagees were not usually opposed to divisions of estates, as they thereby obtained additional security. The amendment was negatived by 2S to 18, and tho clause was agreed to on the voices.

Clause 18 provides that an equitable owner of land should be liable for graduated lnnd tax as if he were tho legal owner. The Premier, in reply to a question, said he was advised that it did not apply to Native land and leases. The clauso was passed without amendment. Cknise 19 provides that trustees are liable for the graduated tax as if they were beneficiarily interested ill the land.

Mr. Herries was of opinion that the clause did not meet the case of the Public Trustee and the West Coast Settlement Reserves. Tho complaint \ms that as the Public Trustee held the lands as a wTlole he was not able to get tho reductions for individual owners that ho would got if he held them in severalty. The clause was passed nnamended. Clause 20, which provides that for the purposes of the graduated t-ax no deduction is allowed from the unimproved value on account of mortgage money or unpaid purchase money. The Premier said that if this provision was not inserted it would defeat the object of the Bill. The House adjourned at 5.30 j).m.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. —ll a.in., Rev. William Grant, “Tho Disciple’s Request”; 2.30 p.m., Young Men’s Class (Whinray’s Hall); 3 p.m., Young Women’s Class (Townley’s Hall); 7 p.m., Mr. C. Palk, “An Unsolved Problem.” Strangers and visitors mado heartily wclcomo to all’ these services. Wesley Church. —To-morrow : Morning, li, Rev. C. Griffin. Subject, “Unseen, Yet Loved.” Evening, 7, Rev. C. Griffin. Subject, “God’s Temptations and the Devil’s.” Afternoon, 2.45, United Bible Class. Special Gift Sundfay. Strangers cordially invited. Baptist Tabernacle. —Sunday, at 11 a.m., “World-wide Dominion and Entering its Government” ; evening, at 7. “Work By and With the Master,” W. Corrie Johnston. Special mission meeting at 8.30 for consultation and prayer. All Christians invited.