LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1911, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. The. Council met at 2.30. Tho Imprest Supply Bill was put through all its stages.

The 'Attorney-Genciral informed Hon. \Y. Barr that the retiurn of the number of members of union employers and union workers would be prepared and laid on the table.

On the motion of tlxe Committee on the. Mental Defective Bill the Hon Mi. Paul sug^est-ed its reforenco to a iselect committsd. as thero were matters which could mere effectively be threshed out there than on the floor of the Council. The Bill wa* on tlv; right lines, but did not touch the bedrock of the difficulty. He contended that we ousrht to stop the building of mental defectives. The effect of propogation of these was such as to 'demand tho fullest discussion, and the people of the country looked to Parliament for the betterment and purity of the race. Hon. Mr. Jenkinson also advocated the, sending of tha Bill to a Select j Committe-?. ! ;Hon. Mr. Anslcy thought that beforo draslic steps \ve:xj taken to deal with the mental defectives wo ought to arm ourselves with a 2"ood deal more scientific knowledge than \v<; possessed. , Hon. Mr. Jones moved the adjournment of the debate. At the suggestion of tha AttorneyGeneral the debato 'was adjourned until 8 p.m. -'He would, ho said, have a.i opportunity of consid&rang the suggestion to refer the measure to a Select Committee.

Tlv? Attorney-General moved a resolution of appv>eciat. : 'on of tho public services of the late Mr. Flatman, and of sympathy with his family. Council then rose until 8 p.m.. out ot respect to the momorv of d-ccased.

The Council resumed at 8 o'clock,

The Atto:»n-ey-Ge i neral stated that he had considered the question raised by Hons. Paul and Jenkinson as to referring the Bill to a Select Com-mi';'i'-0 and had come to tho conclusion that seeing the lateness of the session it would be better to proceed in ih-? ordinary way. The questions raised by Hon. I\';r. Paul wer-o outside tho range of the Bill and presented difficulties. •To cover these matters they would acquire not a month, but three months tor committee's consideration. It would, he thought; be 'better to deal with the Bill! as it stood that -even ing and further action could be considered next session. The Bill, if not all the good hoped fo:i, was at least an immense advance upon th.i existing law. The Council then went into committee on the Bill. Progress was reported yd Clause 24 without any amendment having been made.. The Council rose at 10 o'clock. ,