PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2274, 16 July 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.] LEGISLATIVE! COUNCIL. Friday, July 15. The Council met at 2 30 p.m. The Fisheries, Lunatics, and Volunteers Bills (statute revision), and the Affirmation in lieu of Oaths Extended Bill, Drainage Bill, Waitara Harbor Board Loan Bill, Taranaki County Council Loan Act Amendment Bill, and Otago Harbor Board Leasing Bill (from the Lower House) were read a first time. The Hon. F. Whitaker read a telegram from the Agent-General re the Government Insurance Department. On the Hon. W. Mahtell'S motion, copies of alleged receipts for moneys given by the Himatanga Natives were ordered to he laid on the table.

Replying to the Hon. Captain Fraser, The Hon. F. Whitakbb said that the works for the Seaoliffe Asylum were progressing as rapidly as there was any occasion for. On the motion for the third reading of the Banks and Bankers Act Amendment Bill, an amendment that it should be recommitted to strike out the clauses re punishment for defacing notes was carried by 15 to 13, and the recommittal ordered for Tuesday. The Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act Amendment Bill was read a second time.

The Land Claims Settlement Act Repeal Bill and the Sharebrokers Act Repeal Bill were read a third time and passed. The Council rose at 4 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, July 14. The Licensing Bill discussion was continued on Thursday night. The bottle license at £4O was reinserted by division of 42 against 7. Mr Oliver moved that the wine license fee be increased from £1 to £lO. Mr Bastings opposed this license altogether. Dr. Wallis strongly supported it, and after considerable discussion the motion for increasing the fee was lost by 28 to 20. Progress was then reported, and the House rose at 2 a.m, Friday, July 15. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICE OR MOTION. Mr Turnbull gave notice that he would ask if it was the intention of tho Government to give effect to certain recommendations made by the inspector of prisons, and contained in the report furnished by him as to feeding, weighing, and punishing prisoners, NEW BILLS. Tho Public Works Act Amendment Bill was introduced by message from the Governor, and read a first time. Mr Sheehan gave notice that he would move for leave to introduce a Bill to Repeal the Abolition of Provinces Act. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr DeLautour, Tho Hon. Major Atkinson said that no slight was intended in not re-appointing Mr Osborne to the Blnff Harbor Board, he having held that position since the resignation of his predecessor six weeks ago. The fact that a person had been so appointed did not give him a right to expect re-appoint-ment.

Replying to Mr Weston, Tho Hon. J. Hall said that Government could see no necessity for refunding 10 per cent, deducted from workmen in’the Government quarries at Greymouth. The deduction was made in conformity with an order of Parliament. The men were paid 9s and 10s per day, and there was no reason shown for making this an exceptional case. Replying to Mr Barron, The Hon. J. Hall said that the Government would consider the desirability of issuing railway stamps of the value from 6d to 20s, to be obtained from railway guards, and available for payment of railway fares; but the check upon railway guards obtaining money in this way was already defective, and Government had no wish to increase the risk thereby occasioned. Replying to Mr J, T. Fisher, The Hon. Major Atkinson said that a telegram had been received from the AgentGeneral relative to the Actuaries’ report on the life Assurance Department. It read—“ Actuaries report to-day; finances department declared sound ; surplus, £77,000; pronounced very good; recommend divide £60,000. Give great credit department. Instruct whether more other points.” LICENSING BILL. The House went into Committee on the Licensing Bill, Clause 126 —On the motion of Mr Jones, the clause was amended to read :—“ No female other than the wife or daughter of the licensee shall be employed in a bar more than ten hours each day,” andona division of 17to 34 the hours of attendance were changed from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Clause 218—Mr Stbwaet moved that the words “ to suit tho circumstances of any case to which such form may be applicable,’’ be struck out—Carried. On the question that the clause as amended pass, the House divided—Ayes 27 ; noes, 33. Tho clause was struck out.

Clause 22 —Mr Lundon moved that the worde “ within any licensing district ” be struck out.

Tho House divided on tho question that these words stand part of clause—Ayes, 38 ; noes, 19. Mr Button moved that the clause be struck out.

The question was put that tho clause stand 1 part of the Bill—Ayes, 38 ; noes, 33. ( Mr Pitt moved the restoration of clause i 31, “a bottle license shall authorise the 1 licensee to sell ’’—Ayes, 36 ; noes, 14. < The schedules were then passed with a few i technical amendments, and on the House resuming, the Bill was reported with amend- i ments, and the report ordered to be considered on Tuesday. 1 On the motion for reporting the Regula- i tion of Elections Bill, Mr Swanson moved its recommittal to consider clauses 9 and 16. The House divided on the question that the ' Bill be reported—Ayes, 37 ; noes, 26, The Bill was accordingly reported, read a third time and passed. Tho House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. Tho House resumed at 7.30 p.m. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Weight gave notice that he would move that the present rates for the carriage of agricultural produce were excessive, and a reduction was necessary. THE ESTIMATES. The Hon. Major Atkinson stated that the estimates would not be completed before Tuesday, when he expected to be able to bring them down. COREHPT FEACTIOE3 Bill.. On the motion of Mr Johnston the House went into committee to consider the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill. Mr Whitakbe, in view of tho last of tho new clauses proposed to be added, suggested that tho Bill as it stood should be withdrawn, and a complete Bill, embodying these clauses, brought down, Mr Wood pointed out that tho words corrupt and corruptly were employed in the Bill in a manner calculated to create the utmost confusion, Mr Gisboene pointed out that the candidate was held responsible for corruption committed by his agent, and was held in heavy penalties. An agent might be appointed through ignorance of his real character, and yet the candidate was responsible in grave consequences. Mr Stevtaet agreed in the opinion that the Bill required both interpretation and consolidation, and advised that it should be withdrawn with that view. Eor that purpose he moved that progress bo reported. The motion for reporting progress was withdrawn, and the Bill passed through pro forma, so as to enable a consolidated measure to bo prepared as suggested. JSIXJj PASSED. Tho Borough of Hamilton Boundary Bill was passed through committee and reported ■ without amendment. GAMING AND DOTTEBIBB Bill,. The Hon, T. Dick moved the second reading of the Gaming and Lotteries Bill. He explained that it had originated in the Upper * House, and that efforts in tho direction it aimed at had been made in the previous session, Representations had been made by - Dunedin and other parts of tho colony in 3 favour of the measure. He alluded to tho 3 bookmaking fraternity, whose pursuits it was , of importance should be put down. The Bill b provided that an instrument called the , totalisator might be used under strict superr, vision. Art Unions were permitted for the disposal of veerka of t.

Mr STBWABT suggested that the prohibition of juvenile performances jr ; ght have been provided for in this Bill. Mr Bastings supported the motion, and spoke of the tendency on the part of the youth of the colony to gamble and the necessity that existed for discouraging it. Ho attributed to racing sweeps a strong tendency to corrupt society, more especially the rising generation, and he was glad to find their prohibition provided for. Sir W. Fox admitted the necessity for the Bill, but regretted the compromise made in admitting the machine known os the totalisator. They wanted to remove the passion for gambling, and they could only do that by effectually checking this as well as every other form of gambling. Mr Hubstiiousb resented the imputation upon the youth of the colony, alleging that they were not by any means so much addicted to gambling as those that came into the colony from other places. Ho had no faith in the attempt to make people moral by Act of Parliament. The only way to do that was by education.

Mr Andebws spoke in favor of banishing gaming altogether. They should not encourage it even for the dispose! of works of art. He also condemned the toleration proposed to be extended to the totalisator. The Bill proposed to do something, but not to do it effectually. Mr Oliver said that if the Bill had no other merit, the fact that it would put down the means too often resorted to for the purpose of raising money for sacred purposes was a good one. Gambling was a great evil in the place, and it was of the greatest importance that it should he checked.

Mr Reeves supported the views expressed by Mr Andrews, and hoped to see the measure made effective in all its parts. The totalisator and art unions were compromises he hoped would not be given effect to. He also reprobated the system of holding art unions for church purposes. He hoped no exception would be tolerated, for by that means alone conld it be made an effective measure.

Mr Wakefield did not think the Bill would effect the object aimed at. The main result of it would be to create illegal gambling in New Zealand instead of legal gambling, and it seemed to him that they were rapidly approaching that stage of moral development when they would not be able to amuse themselves in any way without incurring a penalty. He thought it would bo a step in the wrong direction to put down the totalisator. They had |been of great service to New Zealand in checking the grosser kind of gambling. Bookmakers were the men who ought to be put down, and yet. so far as he could see, they were not touched by the Bill. These men were a perfect nuisance. No one could visit a racecourse without being pestered by them. He would not oppose the Bill, but he had very little sympathy for it. Mr Speight asked the Government if they would not make the Bill more complete, so as to put down ecclesiastical swindles. In transactions of this kind, the spirit of gambling was quite as palpable as it [was in the transactions of the bookmaker. There was no greater slnr resting on our system than that which attached to those religious bodies who had recourse to means of this kind for tho purpose of making money. The Hon. T. Dick agreed in the necessity for putting down gambling on behalf of religious purposes. He hoped the Bill would meet that difficulty. In Dunedin, it was calculated that £IO,OOO a year changed hands through gambling of one kind or another. He was sanguine, despite what had been said, that the Bill would reach the bookmakers. It not, he would try in some way to get it remodelled so as to reach them. Allusion had been made to the system of carrying on lotteries in connection with theatrical entertainments. He looked npon that description of practice as an aggravated species of gambl-ug, which ho thought the Bill would overtake. The Bill was read a second time. MISCELLANEOUS.

On the motion of the Hon. W. Rolleston, the Native Lands Frauds Prevention and Native Succession Bills were read a second time.

The House went into committee on the Chatham Islands Bill, which was reported with amendments.

The Hon. Major Atkinson intimated that in committee of supply on Tuesday he would ask leave to issue deficiency bills during the session.

Replying to Mr Gisborne, The Hon. W. Rolleston said that the information made public as to symbols of peace having been presented to the representatives of the Government at Waikato by the so-called Maori King was correct. What had taken place was highly satisfactory, and Government looked upon it as the beginning of a more satisfactory state of things in our relation with the Maoris.

The House adjourned at tea o’clock.