PARLIAMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 19 August 1910, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [United Peess Association.] WELLINGTON,. Thursday. Tu the Council this afternoon the debate on the second reading of the Crimes Act Amendment Uill wa,s continued by 'The Hon. Mr Carmeros.s. who generally approved of the 'measure, which lie said had the nobble aim to elevate the criminal. He. however, urged that provision be made limiting the age of those seiii" 1o {lie reformatories. ■ It would be a mista'ke to iplaee in reformatories men who had spo-nt 'many years in criminal pursuits. In regard to reaching the prisoner •• trades, he thought■ it was- "to the interest of (varies unions, as. we'll as .the criminals, thafc the latter should have ronie means of earning a livelihood upon their liberation. Mr Lou;ghnar.. commended the new system of .prison -reform, and defended the x n "°P osa ' to teach prisoners trade. He believed the proposed system would" prove a very fine one. It was 'based upon rational me'thdfls 'of- treating criminals.

u\lr iMoGowao did no't think it right 'to use the funds of the State to teach skilled trades to those who forfeited 'their places in society. It was certainly 'wrong to pamper criminals in 'the way proposed. He condemned the proposal for a Prisons Board, maintaining that the Minister had no right to shirk liis responsibilities.

The debate was adjourned, 'and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF EEPEESENTATIVES

In 'the House the Mines Act Amendment Bill was introduced :by Governor's message, and was read the first time.

Ke.ply.in_g t o Mr T. "K. Taylor OChris-tchureh). -the Hon. G. Fowdls said he would 'take step s to see that the decision of the House" I'ast session to keep Honor out of drill sheds 'was given effect to.

The [Petitions' Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make regarding the petition- .of Frederick Tetley..

Mr J. Duncan- ('W-airau) moved that the mat'ter Ibe referred 'back to the Committee for a reconsideration. He outlined the facts of the case. Which showed that Tetley, a working carpenter, had taken a contract from the iMarlb-orough Education Board for the erection of a school at L.ydia Bay. On the completion of the contract a sum of £62 lOs was due to Tetley. Tha't sum had iboon forwarded in ibank notes by post to Tetley, but the notes had been lost through the wreck of the s.s. Penguin. Tetley had (brought 'an action against the Education Board, but had lost the ca-e, though 'the judge wrasof opinion that the Bank of New Zealand was liable. The bank refused to make good the money lost, •as the .numbers of the notes had not been noted.

The Hon. G. Fowlds said the case •was a hrad one; but the Government could not accept any responsibility The set rotary cf the Marlbo .-ougli Edueat-cn Board l>ad gone ou-si'do of his functions ir cashing :h ( cheque, and forwarding the notes to the contractor.

The Hon. K. MeKcnzie se:pDort"d the amendment. He thought, that a vote should be placed on the supplementary estimates to provide Te?Jey w-ilh the sum.

After further discussion, which was eh;ef]y favourable to the amendmenv it was put, and agreed to. ' The following loe a J Bills passed then- second readings: Hastings Eleetnc Power and Loan Empowering, the Chr.istehureh Tramways District Act 1906, Amendment, the Nelson City Drainage Loan Empowering, the Gishorne Harbour Act 3903 Amendment.

The second reading 0 f the Town (Boards Amendment Bill was moved !bv the Hon. D. Budd/o, who explained that the Bill empowered the Town Boards to rais-e rates for water sup-P-IT- lighting, sanitation, and the estaibl'shment of public libraries. The second reading was carried.

The House went into eommdttee on the i>tone Quarries Bill.

The House J'ose at 5.30 .p.m. In tlie House in the evening progress was* reported on the Stone Quarries Bill.

Mr Sidey moved the second' read

ing of the Public Health Amendment Bill, which provides that if, on titcertificate of a district health officer, any 'building which is in a ruinous state, or is •insanitary, the local <tuthoritv may require the owner to pull down the same. Mr Hanan considered the Bill .gave too great a power to the legal 'bodies in deciding whether ibuildings are insanitarv or not.

•Mr Buddo said the provisions of the Bill might operate harshly on the oivn.pi-.--. who had no say as to whether buildings shouldl remain. He admitted- that the provisions in the Public Health Act are insufficient to meet, the case of insanitary dwellings, aud further power ought to be given vo the district health officer and local authority to wipe out slums. lie suggested that the Bill ought to fl)- 1 amended so as to allow the owner o 'state his ease before a Magistrate. Mr Duncan. (Oamaru) opposed the second reading.

Mr Hogg considered tin; Bill oughl co have tbeen introduced lung ago. Dr Kangihiroa approved of the Hilto. the interests of the public health. He 'adduced figures showing how intimately the .public heal'th was connected with the housing of the people. He also quoted the Hon. ■'ohn Burns on the Town Pl-jrnni-ng (Bill, which made landlords liaiblc for fot "keeping their houses in a fit state .for human habitation. The power .-hould be vested in the Pu'b lie Health Department, and ought not to be divided between two authorities.

Mr Wilford said the object of the Bill could oniy ibe attained by n slight alteration in the principal" Act. The provision in the Bill giving r. magistrate full discretionary power was objectionable as being too arbitrary. Mr T. E. Taylor (Christchureli) supported the Bill. Large numbers of houses in the cities should have been puil-led 'down before this. The co-t of the necessary destruction ought to .be borne .by the community. It would 'be better _to leave the power iu the hands of a Council rather than with a magistrate. •Mr Wright said the wholesale destruction of dwellings would lead to increased rents.

Mr Laurenson su}:>ported the Bill. He considered Wellington was a badly built city. Mr Poole said the salvation of the citie s depended on the medical authorities having power to condemn insanitary structures.

Mr E. H. Taylor (Thames) said the laud question had miteh to do with high rents and the existence of slums in the cities. It was time that tlie towns -were planned, and no hou e should have less than a quarter of an acre of land.

Mr Hall considered the Bill should havebeen a 'Government one.

Mr Ell considered that under the existing Legislation there was quite sufficient ipower conferred on the medical offipers in connection with insanitary dwellings. Mr McLean considered the Bill •would require modification in Committee.

Mr Ilogan said the Bill was quite unnecessary , as sufficient power \va.-- u'nde-r the Public Health Act.

Mr Xgata pointed out that now the local authority was -allowed to use its discretion in requiring (buildings to be .nulled down;'four under the Bill before the House the district 1 health officer was giver* the power. Mr Sidey having replied, the second reading wa s carried' .on the voices.

The House Went into committee on the Legislative Council ■Reform Bill. On. clause 3. which provides for the election of Legislative €Ollll- - iby the electors.

Mr Forbes moved an amendment that the House of Representatives should elect members of the Council.

The Hon. J. 'Carroll moved to report progress, and the rose at J2.10.

In explanation of his interest in the fioinan Catholic carnival which' he opened in Christchurch on Monday evening (says the "Lyttelton Times' V the Governor (Lord Islington) urged the nct'd for renewed vitalitv in spiritual matters. "We live/"' lie said, "in an age when many of us are apt to look too much perhaps upon the material side of life, in an age when the religion which some of us were taught in our younger .day s is looked upon with less anxiety and more indifference than it might be. Every occasion should be taken by those in responsible positions to stimulate and encourage in every way thev can those who are working to nvomote theCih'ureh's work—a work which becomes daily of more increasing value as it undoubtedly becomes dailv of increasing difficulty." Speaking 0 f bazaars, His Excellency "said: "You are employing in this carnival wellrecognised methods of obtaini.no- as much money -as yon can from "3-oiir friends by means of a bazaar. * T don't say that a bazaar is the most origm'al method you might have devised, but until some person with ;l very fertile imagination can invent some new device, we shall have to look upon bazaars as the best means of attaining the ends you L'ave instituted."

The medical examination of sohool children is cue of the features of the German educational system. In his lecture tot he Christchurch Educational Institute- the otlher evening, says the "Pvess," Dr. Denham said that the •majority of (progressive towns i u Germany had appointed school dootois, who earned out characteristically thorough examinations of the pupili. Directly the doctor noticed anv defect he em formed the headmaster, who. if the child's eyesight or hearing were bad, took care that a better position was allotted to it If the .child"were i-eally ill. . a note would be sent to the father, on whom lay the responsibility for future action. The result of the system was- that iat the end of the school period, the father invariably consulted the doctor as to what he considered would be a fit occupation for h.i« .-on from a health point of view.