LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 268, 13 November 1907, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. THE ELECTION OF SPEAKER

By 22 votes to 8, the Council decided to amend the Standing Order the election of Speaker and of Committees, by substituting the system of nomination of .candidates (in writing) in lieu of the present form, which gives Members the right to vote and ballot for a Member without having obtained his consent. It had previously been pointed out that the existing practice sometimes resulted in a Member of ■the Council having one vote cast in Jlis favour, when he neither desired nor sought either of the positions referred to. FACTORIES BILL. The Factories Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The ATTORNEY - GENERAL moved the second reading of the Flour and Other Products Monoploy "Prevention Bill. The Hon. Mr LUKE approved the Bill; which, he said, would be more preventive than operative. The Hon. Mr GEORGE did not think that the Bill would have much effect on prices, but he would support it. The Hon. Mr ANSTEY opposed the Bill. He said that the duty on wheat worked out at l-3d per loaf. The Bill, he predicted, would be unworkable. The flour-millers bad a monopoly in New Zealand, but they had not yet developed "ring" tactics. As a matter of fact, the margin between the price of wheat and flour was less since the trust had been formed than was the case previously. The Hon. Mr RIGGr said that the 3EHII would do no injustice to ths farmer. He supported the measuye because it would have a good effect m .protecting the people from the operate Hon. Mr KELLY declared that prices would jump up and down too -apidly for the Bill to be any use. ?The best way to give the people cheap bread would be to take off the duty Mr WIGRAM said that there was little doubt m his min-1 that the particular emergency the Bill bad been designed to meet had X one past. That would be his reason for opposing it. He did no& think -that the measure, even if it were -nassed, would ever be put into active operation. , r The Hon. Messrs Bcehan, a'c€ardle, Marshall, and Loughnan also supported the Bill. ■ In replying, Dr. Fmdlay said that ihe Bill had been well received by the oreat majority in the House. When That was so it was not wise to treat any reform asked for with ridicule. The Bill would let daylight into things. He instanced what had occurred in Christchurch the other day at the agricultural implement xa -quiry. A widespread but wrong, -mpression had been removed, and m this way a great deal of good, had fceen accomplished. The masses -*ould not suffer greater wrong than to labour under a blindfold sense ot inThe lCßill was read a second time and committed. Clauses 1 to 5 were passed with verbal amendments. Progress was then reported, and ihe Council rose at 4.55 p.m.