PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12569, 2 August 1901, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tbtjksday, August 1. \ AFTERNOON SITTING. Th'e Council -met at 2.30 p.m. TRAINING SHIPS. . The adjorned debate on the motion of the Hon W. T. Jennings for the establishment of training ships, was resumed. The 'Hon W- 'Montgomery said that ho thought that' a training ship should be used for boys of good character only. The Hon R. ! R«ves protested against tha narrow view of the last speaker, and contended that reformatory training afloat wa& much more effective than 'training on shore. The Hon W. M. Bolt and the Hon H. Fold-wick supported the motion. The Hon H. Gourley advocated' a proper training ship, nob 'one moored' in a harbour. The Irion W. C. Walker quoted tho evidence of naval authorities that reformatory boys -were not admitted' to the Royal Navy. The Hon W. 'T. Jennings, in the course of his reply, stated that mismanagement and toss irregularities had led to the' abandonment of the Kbhimaramara . ti-aining schooner, but notwithstanding that, out of !?iixty-Sve boya placed on the ship, thirtyei"ht had become ; apprenticed to a seafaring life, and most of them -were doing well. . .i tt The Hon W. T. Jennings, on the Hon W. C. Walker's suggestion, withdrew from the motion tho word "unanimous," which was in the sense, that the project was tho "unianimous recommendation of both branches of the Legislature." . . The motion, as amended, passed on the voices. , RBFERENDTBI. The adjourned debate on the second reading of the Referendum Bill was resumed. The Hon W. C. Walker, in.reply, said that they had already had the application of the principle to one question, and there were other questions, most of which could be answered by a simple "aye" or "no, 1 to which tho referendum might well be applied. There should be a referendum day in every three years/elections of local bodies to be held on the same day. It had been said that the Bill was a blow at the Council, yet there was.scarcely a provision of tho Bill that was not in the Australian Commonwealth Constitution, under which the Senate also /was. given more power, especially in regard to money Bills, than any other Upper Chamber in the world. If he thought that Parliament was going to shelter behind 1 the referendum, he would be very sorry to propose it. If the Bill was thrown out, he hoped that the opposing members would,''before, its reappearance, refresh their minds on the subject, and on the state of. public opinion with regard to it. On the motioni of the Hon W. M._ Bolt, tire debate was further adjourned till tomorrow, by 18 bo A 3. 'The Council rose at; 4.20 p.m. ' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thubsdat, August 1. \- /_ i AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p,m. SCHOOL TEACHERS'SALARIES. The Premier laid on the table the report of the Royal Commission on staffs of schools and salaries of public school teachers.. , Mr Jackson Palmer expressed a desire to see the educational system brought into conformity with the systems in force in the Australian colonies. ; Mr T. Mackenzie pointed out that this colony was peculiarly constituted geographically, and a schema had to be framed to meet these peculiarities. If the smaller eudcational districts were to get the assistance they deserved, it would be necessary to adept a colonial scale, based on a SA 2s 6d capitation. Mr Pirani said that he thought that the powers of Education Boards should be extended in regard to the appointment and removal of teachers. , . . The Premier said'that, it was not advisable to debate, this question at present.Members should carefully study the Commission's report. He did not believe in making our whole education system uniform', °as he considered the differentiation that existed at- present really improved the system and gave a more complete scheme than existed in Australia. This colony, he contended, had nothing to learn from Australia in this respect. He had not yet perused the Commission's report, so that he could not: say whether or not: he thought its adoption advisable. The Government would carefully consider tho report and do what was thought best for teachers and : schools. He ivas pleased to hear that the Commission had not found very great difficulties in the -wayyand that they could keep within the £4 capitation limit. If, however, an ideal or scheme could be obtained for half a crown increase in the capitation, he would give it his assistance. If advisable, the Government wouldXbring down proposals on the whole question, and they could ,be debated in conjunction with the Commission's report. -.-. BILLS. The New Zealand Ensign Bill' (Right Hon R. J. Ssddon) was introduced aind read a'first time. The Wellington Harbour Board Act, 1879, Amendment Bill passed its final stages. ;■' • • The Patea Harbour Bill passed through committee. The Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways Act, 1900, Amendment Bill, Remuera Waterworks Construction Empowering Bill, and Templetcn Domain Board Empowering Bill were read a second time. The debate on the second reading of the Wellington City Recreation Ground Bill, to enable the City Council, after a poll of ratepayers has been taken, to purchase the 1 Miramar Estate and convert part of it into a recreation ground, was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. eveningTsitting. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. , After further debate the second reading of the Wellington City Recreation Ground Bill was carried by 37 votes'to 10. 1 ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.. The division on the second reading of the Hon W. J. Steward's.-Elective Executive Bill was taken without further debate, with the result that the Bill was thrown out by 31 votes to 22. . ■ : , ' The following is the division list :• For the Bill (22):— Messrs Atkinson, Buddo, Collins, Ell, Graham, Guinness, Horasby, J. Hutcheson, J. Lang, Lawreason, Lethbridge,\T. .Mackenzie, M&ab, Meredith, Monk, 1 Pirani, G. W. Russell, G. J. Smith, Steward, Tanner, R. Thompson, a nd J. W. Thomson. _ „ Against the Bill (31) :—Messrs E. Lr. Allen, Arnold, Barclay, Bennett, Bollard, Carncross, Carroll, Duncan, Fisher, Flatman, A. L. D. Fraser, Hall-Jones Hanan, Hardy, Hogg, Houston, Lawry, MGowan, R. M'Kenzie, Millar, M;lls, Morrison, Napier, Palmer, Parata, Rhodes, Stevens, Svmes, Wilford and Willis and Captain Russell. •••■'■ , Pairs i— For the Bill—Messrs Massey and M'Guire ;. a.gainsfe the , Bill—Sir Joseph Ward, Mr.E. M. Smith. • _ . The Whip.? state that tlie Pacrs is not complete. LIBEL BILL. Mr Fisher moved the second reading of the Libel Bill (No. 1), which, he said, w?s intended to protect the citizens of. this country. The Press already had sufficient

protection, and what was wanted was greater protection for the public. As for the argument that tho libel law of New Zealand was many years behind that of England Mr Fisher said that attempts were being made to repeal the law passed in England, because of the terrible power which it placed m the hands of the Press. He quoted statements from certain papers in regard to himself and characterised them as infamous, and held that it was time the Government stepped in and put an end to such form of criticism. The procedure under his Bill would be simple, as the case could be heard before a Magistrate and without a jury. Mv Mills said that he didl not think that the Press should have power to make statements injuriously affecting the character of any man, but he did not think that the method proposed in this Bill would check that. He strongly condemned the Bill which would require renovating, lock, stock and barrel before it could be of any use. Mr T. Mackenzie opposed the Bill, believing that the Press of this country was properly conducted. As for the clause stipulating that damages ccnld be obtained if any information affecting commercial interests were published, he pointed out that the Press did not have at the present time sufficient power to publish information concerning the London produce trade. Mr Collins said that if the Bill were passed it would be absolutely and entirely inoperative. He opposed the second reading. , Mr Barclay suggested that the Government should take up the whole question of libel. He would vote for the Bill now before the House. MY Fisher, in replying, said that the Bill would do away with tho possibility or necessity of instituting libel actions, as recourse could be had to the Magistrate's Court to settle differences in a summary way. On a division the second reading was negatived by 26 votes to 21. The following is the division list: Ayes (21)—Messrs Barclay, Duncan, Ell, Fisher, Flatman, A. L. D. Fraser, Guinness, Hall, Houston, Laurenson, Lawry, M'Gowan, R. M'Kenzie, Millar, Mills, Morrison, Napier, O'Meara, Parata, Seddon and Wilford. Noes (26) —Messrs Arnold, Atkinson, Bollard, Buddo, Carncross, Collins, Ha,n», Hardy, Haselden, Hogg, Hornsby, J. Hutcheson, Lang, Massey, T. Mackenzie, Meredith, Monk, Palmer, Rhodes, Stevens, Steward, Tanner, R. Thompson, J. W. Thomson, Willis and Captain Russell. No pairs were recorded. SCHOOL CHILDREN'S DRILL. Mr Guinness's School Children Drill Bill was put through its final stages. EIGHT HOURS. Mr G. W. Russell's Eight Hours Bill was committed. . After "considerable discussion on Clause 3, Mr Jackson Palmer moved to report progress. Mr G. W. Russell said that he did not wish to include dairy workers or farm la bourers within the scope of this Bill. He said those who voted for the motion to report progress voted to kill the legalising of the eight hours principle. . Eventually the motion to report progress was carried by 33 to 19: CYCLE BOARDS. Mr Fowld's Cycle Boards Bill was committed. ■• On,Clause 2, Mr< Wilford moved to report progress, and after a short discussion, the motion was agreed to on the voices.' RABBIT NUISANCE. Mr. Hogg's Rabbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill was committed. On Clause 2, Mr Napier moved to report progress. This was agreed to on the voices. ,' The House rose at midnight.