HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 216, 11 September 1908, Page 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m

COMPULSORY VACCINATION

Mr LAURENSON presented a petition containing 11,259 signatures, rpraying for the repeal of compulsory vaccination.

AN AGGRIEVED OFFICIAL

On the report of the Petitions Committee on the petition of Thomas Walker, late manager of the Weraroa State Farm^lndustrial School, for redress, that the Committee had no recommendation to make, Mr LAWRY said that Walker had been one of the most competent officers the State ever had, but having incurred the displeasure or animosity of a Government official he been dismissed without reason assigned, and a satellite of Mr Fowlds, who knew nothing of farming, had been put in his place. This was the most disgraceful job he had ever heard of. Mr HANAN, Chairman of the Education Committee, said that there was | no claim for wrongful dismissal in the petition, but only claiming for alleged defamation of character. Mr Hanan objected to the House's being used_ as a Supreme Court to hear an action for defamation of character. If the petitioner were agrieved he had the usual remedy. . '\ ; The report was referred back to the Committee. IMPOUNDING BILL. . The Impounding Act Amendment Bill was reported from Committee with amendments. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE BILL. In Committee on the Agricultural Produce Sale and Importation Bill. The Hon. Mr MoNAB explained that the object of the measure was to induce indent agents to exercise proper care against selling any produce which they had reasonable cause to believe contained seed of any injurious plant, or to be affected with any disease. - ■■_. Mr REID moved to amend Clause 3 by adding after the word "seed" the, words "in a state fit to germinate. This was agreed to. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.