GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6147, 30 July 1881, Page 5

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

' [BY TELEOBAFH.—FBESB ASSOCIATION.]; • iLEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, . :• '-■■ '■'■ -..- ••; :.'•-:•. • ~,••• ••; ■■•: i The Council met at 2.30. . ;.. ■'.'■ ' BILLS ADVANCED. 1. ' '"' .The 'Medical Practitioners Society Bill (Dr. 'Grace), was/read a first time. The Inspection of' Machinery Bill was read a ; third time,; and:the Port Chalmers Ceine-,-tery Bill, a second time. Other business was postponed. .' ." ■ ;> The Council rose at 3.40. ■"-'..■ ■■'•■'■'■■■ '■ :■ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ■■•;:-.■■ -.-::■ -Friday. • ■■■■■■■ "■' ■■ The House met at 2.30. ; :..-.. PETmONS AGAINST JUDICIAL OFFICEBS. ■ . The Goldfields. Committee brought up their report on- the'petition of W. J. Flynn and fifty-nine others, praying for the removal of Mr. Warden Robinson from Mount Ida. The report stated that, the petition itself does not allege any failure of justice under the administration of Mr. Warden Eobinsori,|the action of the Warden in the case of Woodward and Rathien, application being supported by Mr. Haggett, the law adviser to the Land Board. . The report concluded as follows:'—Your Committee take this opportunity of adding to their report the followingsuggestions in regard to petitions addressed to the House of Assembly against judicial officers :—That no petition alleging charges of maladministration against magistrates should be received by the House for; consideration unless such charges have firat been represented tethe Minister of Justice, and been refused consideration, or . have . been dealt jwith by him. unsatisfactorily to the petitioners; and that all petitions to be in order, should : distinctly allege that, the representations they contain have been so referred.: to the ...Minister and refused consideration, or have been unsatisfactorily dealt with. Your committee add this recommendation, believing that members of the House are made use of in many cases by dissatisfied practitioners and disappointed suitors to cast undeserved aspersions, under cover of petition to the House upon judicial officers. .

Mr. DkLatjtotjb said the petition on which the report proceeded had been forwarded to him, and he had felt bound to present it, although he believed its assertions were incorrect. He moved that the report be remitted for consideration to the Standing Orders Committee. . '

. Sir.W. Fox said that the right to petition the Crown was undoubted, but the right to petition Parliament had grown out ot a practice to which attention might very fairly be directed. In fact he doubted whether there existed such a right.

Mr. Rolleston said that the constitutional point could not bo considered at present. He agreed in the motion remitting the report to the Standing Orders Committee. That course would serve the purpose in view, and have the effect of discouraging frivolous complaints against judicial officers. :He believed that .no. more efficient officer than Warden Robinson was in the public service. Mr. Speight agreed in the opinion that tho right of petitioning Parliament had been greatly abused. He knew of a case in which a disappointed suitor had exhibited a petition outside the door of the Court to have the magistrate removjed, and had got the signatures of all disappointed Stigants. He hoped the House would protect officers from gratuitous insults of this kind. The motion for remitting the report to the Standing Orders Committee was then put and carried.

DEATHS IN LUNATIC ASYLUMS. Replying to Mr. Andrews, Mr. Rolleston said that he was in accord with the hon. member as to the desirability of the Press being communicated with, so that its reporters might have an opportunity of being present at inquiries into the death ■. of patients in Lunatic Asylums, and steps would be taken accordingly. THE DITORCE LAWS. : '.-.'. Replying to Mr. Seddon, ' ' ' Mr. Hall said tho amendment of the divorce laws proposed last session was before the Judicature Commission with.the view of providing tho necessary machinery forgiving effect to such amendment. ■•■•■.' ; ■ ■ USE OF FIRE-ARMS BY BOYS. Replying to Mr. Stevens, ,:.-. : ; Mr. Dick said that restrictions in the use of fire-arms were enacted by the Public Works Act, and when the Consolidation Bill was under consideration facilities • would be given for the hon. member introducing a clause prohibiting the indiscriminate use of such'arms by boys. . . ; PUBLIC DOMAINS. . Replying to Mr. Andrews, • Mr. Rolleston said provision existed in the Public Domain Board Act for an annual audit being made of such Board's funds. That of Christchurch was established under a special Act, and that very necessary provision had been omitted. Steps would, however, be taken for supplying the omission in the general measure now under. consideration. COUNCILS AND ROAD BOARDS. Replying to Mr. Finn, :. .'.-.■'. Mr. Hall said that if it was thought necessary when the counties' scheme was under consideration, provision could be made to compel Councils and Road Boards to comply with section 13 of the Public Works Act, a provision which at present was being neglected. . : REDISTRIBUTION OF SEATS. Replying to Mr. Barron, Mr. Hall said that the Redistribution of Seats Bill was ready, and would be introduced without delay. When before the House, ample opportunity would be given for its consideration, until which time.the Government did not consider it requisite to afford an opportunity to enable the House to indicate its opinion as to whether it was desirable to increase the present number of representatives. ■ DOMAIN BOARDS. . Replying to Mr. Andrews, ' Major Atkinson said the Government did. not intend to bring down a Bill this session to amend the Domain Act to make Domain Boards elective. : \ ;. BILLS ADVANCED. " The following Bills were read a second' time:—Crown Suits,' Diseased Cattle, Public Reserves, Employment of Females and.Others, Companies, Bank arid Bankera Act, 1880, Amendment. : v The Borough of Hamilton Boundaries Bill passed through committee. . ■■ The Gaming and Lotteries Bill was partly considered in committee. ■ :Tbe House adjourned at 5.30. , The House resumed at 7.30.- -. The Gaming" and Lotteries Bill was further considered in committee. "" ■

■Clause 8: Use of totalisator. ; iMr. Suephard objected to this instrument being legalised, and moved " That the proviso in the clause 'except the [same be used in conformity,' &c., be struck oni:" ■'. On the question that the clause stand as printed the House divided. .Ayes, 30; noes, 27. Passed as printed. .y, '■' .•' - Clause 9 : Chinese fan-tari. ' , •' ..'•

':'. ,Mr. GEeEOE invited MivDickiwho waa in charge of the Bill, to explain what fan-tan was;;'." "". ;..' '• .'■ ••' :'■■ : , :,i: \ ,- w - '■'■' '-'■'-'■

' Mr. BoWEK thought 'this should certainly be done.' He. questioned whether fan-tan was .much worse than a game at 100. ' : • '~ I Mr. Speight hoped Mr. Dick would not corrupt their morals' by doing anything of the kind. '

:•■ "hb. that fan-tan-waa Chinese for chess '. •' -:-, : ! .

■ iMr. Reeves thought it might bb as innocent as kiss-in-the-ring. Hβ suggested that if: Mr. Dick did. not know what it was he should postpone the clause Tin til he learned the'game'., ' . "'/ * •'■ - ■'■ • ■ • ■■'-• : . admitted that he knewnothing about- the' nature of the game. They must have seen that the 'Chinese had beeh : brought up in various parts of the colony charged with playing thisgame, and it had been declared illegal by the' Bench. The Bill had come down from the Council, and ho doubt the members of that body knew all abont it. ; ".. '■'■;'■ '. " ; '-'■■" •

Dr. Waixis said fan-tan was a game where a lot of Chinese stood round a table on which a lot of counters were thrown down. Then one Chinaman swept all the counters uj> except one, : arid it depended which corner of the table that counter was nearest who won.

Mr. Bowen eaid that was an-attempt to pursue the Chinese further than tha European. The former was only prohibited from gaming in public places,' whereas the latter could under this Act be pursued_inte his 'own house. He considered that unfair. : I Mr. SHEEUAN said that while thejr were fj^ltaW 1 hope* it wouia. not .bo ■ strubk ov^^HnS : J that; «»;.*?. f^^f^-i^

from Chinese gaming-houses had become a perfect nuisance, besides' demoralising the rising generation. J_* ~,_;.'■_ . Mr. Levestam said it might be. a. highly intellectual game for all ithey knew , , and 1 he thought, until they had more informaitidn, it would be unfair to come to any adverse conclusion on the subject. • ;•■... ■ Mr. Barrok concurred in the opinion that gambling was corrupting a great.. many Europeans. :■. .'•'■•■'.: .■• :

After further discussion,

■- Mr'.'-Macakdrew suggested that the matter should be left to the local government bodies. -

Mr. Barbon moved, "That;the words 'stcheck pool'be inserted." • Agreed to on the voices, * On the question that the clause as amended be passed, the House divided-rAyes, 39; noes, l±. ■ '

; Clause 12, penalty. Mr. Babbox proposed, " That the penalty of £100. be struck out, so as to leave the Justices no option but to commit the offenders to gaol." Question put, "That the words £100 stand part of the question." The House, divided—Ayes, 28; noes, 24. Clause 13, penalty on persons receiving money on condition of paying money on event of any bet. :..•'• Mr. Andrews' proposed, " Thai; " the penalty be imprisonment without the option of a fine."

The House divided on the question: "That the clause remain as printed—Ayes, 30; noes, 13. : -

Clause 15, exhibiting placards or advertising betting-houses.

Mr. Stevexs argued that it would not be fair to expose the proprietor or publisher of a newspaper to the penalties of this clause, simply because he might, though inadvertently, publish an advertisement.

. Mr. DeLautour thought that it was the person who caused the advertisement to be inserted, and not the newspaper proprietor, who was aimed at, and he suggested an alteration leaving out that impression. Mr.' Dick said that the penalty, even in its application to the newspaper was nothing uncommon.; They were liable for advertisements of a libellous" character. Still he would not oppose the amendment. Clause passed as printed. Clause IS: Penalty for establishing a lotttery. Mr. Andrews moved that the portion of the clause empowering the Colonial Secretary to grant licenses for the disposal of works of art, &c, by lottery bo struck out." Mr. Jones moved that the words in addition to works of art "or literature" be added. • The amendment was carried. Mr. Reeves moved the addition of the words "or mineral specimens," which was carried. Mr. Seddon moved the addition of the words, "mechanical models," which was carried. The House divided on the question that the clause as amended pass. Ayes, 26 j noes, 10. Clauses 19 to 23 were passed as printed. The House rose at 1 a.m. .