PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12242, 30 June 1900, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, Jttxe 29. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. ADDRESS-IN-RETLY. The Minister of 'Education, in clrsing the Address-in-Rep ly debate, said/that he hoptkl that the absence of criticism in the speeches which had been delivered meant that the Council, like the country, acquiesced in the policy and administration ■< f the present Government. He thought that the composition of the New Zealand: contingents showed that our boys received in'our State schools an education which made them strong and brave men, able to bear the trials they 'night have to face on behalf of. themselves, ■ their famiiitis and their country. As to federation, he , believed that it would be a most unnatural and a moat unfortunate alliance if New Zealand were to make . one of the States of the proposed commonwealth. CXlonelPitt, in reply, advocated the establishment of an instruction school for volunteer offififcra. His remarks in moving the Address' were not directed against necessary legislation ' and necessary progr&Ytve legislation,' but’agiiinst the floods of ■ legislation introduced in,. both- Houses without' the; slightest chance cf the Bills being carried into law, and so leading to valuable time and’ money being expended to no purpose. The Address-in-Reply was carried.' LUNATICS ' ACT AMENDMENT. ■ The Lunatics Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. .. The Council rose at 3.20 p.m. HOUSE OF .REPRESENTATIVES. ■nEKmATp tlirsE 29. " AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2:30 p.m. ' "*■ THE Holly/ AIHENZIE. The Sepaker-read-the reffigpation by the 1 . Hon. J. ft-hSl'WaUi-ifo seat. The Premier moved that the Speaker should be directed to-, issue-a writ lor the election.- He had nothing more to add to what he said yesterday,, and he was sure chat all would regret that; hk health hau compelled Mr M’Kenzie to take such a step. The motion, was oamedi BILLS. ' The Divorce Act Amendment Bill, Criminal Cede Act Amendment Bill, Sales by Mortgagees Bill, Property Law Consolidation Amendment Bill, Impounding Act Amendment Bill, and Libel Bill were in- ' (reduced and read a first- time., . ... • : . , QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Ministers said i-at the Government did not think it necessary to set up a committee to enquire into the ' fire in the Cardiff coal mine, and that so far everything had been’ done that could be done' to 'extinguish • the fire. That efforts were being made to obtain more land for settlement in Hawke’s Bay, and that ii negotiations failed, the Government would have to resort to the compulsory clause oi the Act., That a report would be tabled, later on as to’the cost of extending the railway from Te'Aro to Island Bay. The Premier said that-it was intended to introduce a.Betterment Bill. The Hon J. G. Ward said that at the time he made a-;statement at-Winton that the issue of notes as at present should be stopped, and all banks compelled to take their notes from the Treasury in Wellington, he was hot a Minister'of the Crown. As such he recognised the responsibility of the Government in the matter,-, and the difficulties attending such a scheme, but he believed that a great reform would at some time be carried out in regard to the note issue. The Hon r J. G. Ward said that the Go-' vermhent did not intend to import a bacteriologist from the Old Country to report upon the case of plague at Auckland, but. Professor Thomson, of Sydney, would be- asked to do, so. He'further. stated that the responsibility of taking action with regard tc the suppression of the plague rested with the Government, and it would have been criminal if they neglected to do so. IMPREST SUPPLY. An Imprest Supply Bill for £470,000 was introduced. ' On the motion to, go into Committee ol Ways and Means, Mr Palmer protested against the-continued efforts made to show tha t Auckland . was plague stricken. He did not doubt that the expert evidence adduced had been given ' perfectly, honestly, hut it was equally certain that other equally reliable evidence had arrived at a different result. ■ ‘ V Mr .Fowlds and Mr Napier also spoke condemning the -feverish haste shown in dealing with the case in Auckland. The Premier replied .that if the local bodies •had done , their duty, there would', be no necessity to put the law into force. He was sorry that the case had arisen, but he saw no reason why the matter should be so often referred to in the House.- It was necessary that pi-eventive action should be taken, and he reminded the House that in one colony ten days and in . another fourteen days elapsed between the recurrence of cases. • . Mr Massey asserted that great injury had been done..to trade, not only in Auckland, but the whole colony,;hy.panic legislation on the subject. . _ The House went into committee on the Imprest Bill, which passed all its stages. ■ ' . / QUESTIONS. ' 1 Answering . further questions Ministers said that attention was hieing paid to securing further Imperial orders for breadstuff's and forage-for South Africa. That the .question of setting up d Parliamentary Committee to copsider-federation was bemg considered by:-the-Government,- ydro' would'make a recommendation to .the House 1 on-the subject in a few day si- That it was intends d-to bring in .a Fidx .Rent BiR,.. That the...Goverament .intended :i6' ; bring, in a- Bill -to deal -with Californian thistle,and other weeds,,. That aBill would be introduced) to amend theMagistrate’s' Act, and limit the powerof■distress.' • THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTINGENTS.. The Premier tabled a paper showing the number of deaths .in the New Zealand Contingents in South Africa, from fever, commenting adversely .on. . the treatment sick troops . received,, and-stating that he intended to make enquiries into the matter. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENINGSITTING. ( live House resumed at 7.30 p.m. CONCILLATION ' AND ARBITRATION., The Premier moved, the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill .pro forma. Captain Russell objected to the Bill being read pro forma before the principle of the Rill wtw explained. : , Tlio House <hvided: Ayak'4B, iioes 9;; : ' The Bill was referred to the Labour Bilk Committee. ’ C HA MIIERR-GFvGOMMERCE.: The Hon ~.,!., G. Ward' moved'.-the second reading .of the Chambers of Commerce-and Alines'Regiti/ration Bill, tlic .purpose of which was to promote the commercial or mining interests of the colony by widening the scope and influence of such Chambers so that their representations may be of more value to the community. Captain Russell protested against- taking the second reading, as the Bill had just been circulated, and but few members had ;ui opportunity of reading it. He saw no reason for the Bill at present. It was not difficult for any- person to be elected to Chambers of Commerce, which hitherto had done their duty well. It seemed to him that the Bill would extinguish a number of Chambers and would enable interested persons to work a. point for a particular pur.pose.. . • IMr Lewis -opposed the Bill.- . ~ A. - .Mr Pirani thought that Stock Exchanges should ' be ..included' in the Bill, and intimated his’ intention ■ to. mpve,am amendteßnt to J

Mr Smith advereely criticised some clauses of the Bill. . ../,. ///■■J// Air Hogg -agreed that an 'effort made to. stop.'.close (liberations;) I ;:sncH/oi/; : |■ 3 Stock Exchanges, and he would include the Press Association. Air Napier defended the charge for met®* bership of a Stock Exchange. He, took ex-; ception to the qualification for memhersMib- i 1 twenty shares in a mining company/ife-p^ 1 1 |/l giving sufficient status, to;/' //.;//: Messrs Collins, Ell, Alassey, and Fowlds objected to members being called upon, to vote for the second-reading of-the;.Bill dh'l/’? such short noticei . /«/,:■;, -,/At; ./A/ 1 ;/ The Hon J. 6. Ward, replying, said that) it might be thought that the Bill proposed, a revolution. It was well Known that Chambers of Commerce were very oonserva- • tive, and the. Bill was intended to open.iho . ooors of such institutions. The Bill .didnot disturb the jn'esent mode ol.appohßii&li/ members cf Harbour B-oarls. The Bill ’ showed on its face what it intentiediithAlo^/i;: that was, to make Chambers representative', of every 'trade, in the colony. ,Any objection to the toil might be . fairly met in committee.-, j ‘J I , The second reading was carried "on/ | i voices. . ~. /W;■ Jf// 1 ii IMPRISONMENT FOR DES.fe i'-'A'l ' The Premier moved the second reading cf' the Imprisonment for Ha’ explained that' he 'intended from the jurisdiction of Justices of‘the Peace the power to niake orders for imprisonment for; debt' and vest it in Stipehdldiy,'; trates. • The result:', of many 'orders 'for imprisonment was to drive a man "into * the Bankruptcy Court. : toferred : 3to the evidence taken last session as to the mode of procedure of ■ debt collecting agencies.- The debts were not absolutely assigned to the agencies, but were transferred for the purpose of sheltering principal. The assignments were bogus,, and the debts were taken np merely -for what ■ could be got out of them. He urged- that f: ' the case should lie between tradesman and, .debtor without,toe inlervencion of agencies' ■who heaped,-up : expenses. - -- ~ ::*/ , ■ .-.Air Willard pointed to the fact that.on pertain- days .debt cases hafore'tho Court by agencies -in=-Wellington-, .numbered- about 40 orsoper cent of the whole,-moreover tins ' stamp duty-in rconnection .with such cases Was, .often evaded-by'the parties bringing actions. Theprinciple of such agencies was wrong. In most cases the creditors would make terms with a debtor, but no such arrangements would be accepted by the agencies. ' , ;?/ //,!/ , Air Willis said that he was in sympathy ), with the remarks of the previous-speaker, ; but objected'to the provision confining the operation of the Bill to debts not exceeding' £lO. , Imprisonment - for debt was' a misnomer. No man could bo imprisoned for;, debt if he were unable to pay the debt. It was only in cases where a person was in a position'to pay and would not pay, that an order for; imprisonment was made. Credit : was necessary in business, and if no means existed ; for enforcing payment, the credit* system would be greatly restricted, to/ha ■ injury of many of the poorer class. ‘ ■ ' Mr Hanan supported the Bill. Air Fisher said that the Premier would, if ho passed the Bill, earn the gratitude of a large, number of the poorer class of people - for relieving them from a feeling of terror, ■ tyranny and oppression. He commented) strongly on the methods adopted by certain .tiv debt collecting agencies and the persecution to which poor people-we re subjected thereby. § He quoted a return showing that in of one agency with a nominal capital £4OO, the principal owned £370, carrying on the business under the cloak of sis respectable men bolding five shares each. Air Guinness supported the Bill. ’ He ‘believed that if the assignor and assignee of a such debts were joined in any action, fewer ; cases would be brought befpre the Court.' fi - Mr Cam'cross said that since the measure *1 was last before the House, Ke had changed I: his mind on the . subject, a - result due ‘to J greater knowledge than ho .formerly -pos-/-sessed- The -state of affairs- prevailing .i»4' ! -'-' •Wellington with ■ regard to" the r actidn <kf agencies was appalling, and he thought . the Premier should be congratulated’ updn- J|i che introduction of the Bill. 1 ' ! 'tlw - Air Collins strongly supported tbe'BiU.'iv-||| Air Napier supported-the’Bill. • He that he often regretted that members of tile// legal.profession lent themselves to such aJ r “ work of torture by acting for debt-collecting,., - ■agencies., //" ’ r ‘ ■'/-A■ / After further debate the-second reading j ‘of the Bill was carried on the voices.’ The House rose at 12.‘50 a.m.