PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12643, 25 August 1904, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

' [BX TELEGBAPH.—PKES3 ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday. I-Tub Legislative Council met at half-past ! two p.m. | , BILLS PASSED. The Land Drainage Bill was read a £hird ; time and passed. , The Indictable Offences Bill and the School Attendance Bill were reported from Committee, amended, and put through their final stages. BOXING CONTESTS.* The Police Offences Bill was committed, and all clauses passed except clause 4, prescribing the conditions under which a boxing contest may be held, which was postponed for further consideration. CORONERS BILL. After a brief discussion, during which several members took exception to the abolition of the jury system and the appointment of justices" to" act as coroners in the absence of magistrates, the Coroners Bill was committed, and progress was immediately reported. " The Council rose at twenty-fire minutes past four p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday. The House met at half-past two p.m. THE LIQUOR LAW. Mr. Witheford presented a petition containing over 7000 signatures, praying that discretionary power be given to magistrates in regard to the endorsement of licenses for breaches of the Licensing Acts. A large number of smaller petitions to the same effect were also presented. LEAVE . OF ABSENCE. One week's leave of absence was granted to Mr. Tanner, on account of sickness. MAORI FORESTS BILL. Mr. Carroll gave notice to introduce the i Maori Forests Bill. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time: Public Morgues (Sir W. Steward), Nelson Town School Site Exchange (Mr. Graham), Petroleum • Mining (Mr. McGowan), Public Health Act Amendment, Water Supply Act Amendment, Maori Antiquites Act Amendment, Rating Act Amendment, and Local Bodies' Leases (Sir J. Ward). V COOK ISLANDS BILL. The Cook and other Islands Government Act Amendment Bill was brought down by Governor's Message. Mr. MASSEY raised the point of order that the Message from His Excellency was received by telegraphic despatch, and did not, therefore, comply with the Standing Orders, which laid it down that a Governor's Message must be in writing. Sir J. WARD urged that the practice was not an unusual one, and had been done scores and scores of times, aud had never been challenged' before. It had happened for 25 years that the Governor had in his I absence from Wellington sent official com- j munications by telegram. His official telegrams had been accepted by the Auditor i and Controller-General as sufficient authority for payment from the public fund. The authority ought to be accepted when transmitted by a responsible Minister. The SPEAKER upheld the point raised by Mr. Massey, and ruled the introduction of the Bill out of order. QUESTIONS ANSWERED. In reply to questions, Ministers stated— That the question of granting commissions to officers of cadet corps is now under consideration. That the School Teachers' Superannuation Bill is now being worked out. ~ That the Government cannot see its way To reduce the price of postcards to one halfpenny. That the question of reducing the sheep tax is now under consideration. That 'no representations urging an increase of the present, duty of 20 per cent, on woollen textiles and hosiery have beejfi received, but suggestions have been made as to restriction of shoddy materials which are ; receiving the consideration of the Govern- ! ment. I The remainder of the afternoon was oc- ' cupied with discussing the answers given ; by Ministers to questions. j The House rose at half-past five p.m. The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. • ' MARRIAGE RESTRICTIONS REMOVAL BILL. Mr. FIELD moved the second reading of the Marriage Restrictions Removal Bill, which provides that a man may marry his mother's brother's wife, and a woman may marry her mother's sister's husband. He said that to satisfy hypercritical objections he would alter his Bill to provide that a ; man might uarry his mother's deceased brother's v. "?l«w, and that a woman might marry her father's deceased sister's widower. The Bill was thrown out by 35 votes to '21. COUNCIL REFORM BILL. The House went into committee on Sir W. Steward's Legislative Council Reform Bill. Mr. TAYLOR, at clause 3, moved to amend the clause so as to read :—" From and alter the passing of this Act no further appointments to the Council shall be made by the Governor." He thought it was time the House had an opportunity of saying whether any more appointments should be made by the Premier. Sir J. .WARD strongly opposed the amendment. There was no justification for the sweeping change proposed by Mr. Taylor. While he admitted there might be room for reform he believed the country was in favour of the retention of the Upper House. As a rule, the Legislative Council had fallen in with the great legislative reforms of recent years, and he believed that the Chamber had been subjected to a greatdeal of criticism they had not deserved. The other branch of the Legislature had been so progressive in particular matters of public opinion that they had occasioned considerable displeasure from an entirely different standpoint from the members of the Opposition proper. The result of the popular election of the Uppei House would be to place there class representatives, principally men of means aud prominence, who would prevent the carrying of any legislation. Mr. T. MACKENZIE urged that there should De some basis of qualification for a seat in the Upper House, as he believed if the same kind oi appointments were made in future as in the past, the country would pre- ' fer to see the abolition of the second Chamber. , Mr. MASSEY agreed with the bicameral system. The Legislative Council was a necessary part of our legislative machinery, but he was opposed entirely to the present nominative system. If the members of the Legislative Council were elected by the peo--1 ple themselves they would get an Upper House that would prove satisfactory to the whole colony. In order to test the feeling of the House on the question he moved a prior amendment to make the clause read as tallows:—"From and after the passing of this Act the Council shall be elected as hereinafter provided." Mr. HALL-JONES expressed himsell in favour of the unicameral system. An elective Chamber would be waste of time and money. He favoured the principle of a revising committee of, say, 12 members, elected by the House, to go through Bills, and point out the necessary amendments. Sir W. STEWARD said that to pass measures and then wait while they were revised by a committee (/. experts would mean prolonging the session. Mr. RUTHERFORD supported Mr. Massev's amendment. Mr. HANAN contended that it was in accordance with democratic principles that there (should be only one Chamber. Mr. ELL asked "why the Government did not carry out their promise, made in the speech from the throne, to bring in legislation lor the reform of the Upper House? Mr. HALL-JONES: You will get it presently. Mr. MASSEY: In the sweet bv-and-bye. Mr. BUDDO suggested that Sir -W Steward should agree to amend the Bill in the direction of abolishing the present nominative system in favour of the elective system . Mr. W FRASER preierred an elective Upper House, elected, it possible, directly by the people. 1" r *

Mr. HOGG thought the country; could very well do ? with only ■>■' mt> Legislative Chamber, but the.present Council had done very good work, • and he could not see his '■ way to support Sir W. Steward's Bill. : Mr. McGOWAN considered an improvement could be effected by continuing the present nominative system on a population basis, by giving each district representation in the upper House in proportion to its population. He contended that the present Upper House had exercised its functions as a revising body in an unbiassed manner, and had done good service to the colony. Sir W. STEWARD said he had no objection to Mr. Massey's amendment, inasmuch as it affirmed the principle that the Legislative Council should be elective. Mr. FLATMAN opposed both amendments, and thought that.the question was one that should go before the country at next election. Sir W. RUSSELL regarded the proposal that the Upper House should consist of revising barristers as useless, inasmuch as the Upper Chamber should not be merely a revising body, but should act as a check on the policy "of the Government in power. After further lengthy discussion, a motion by Mr. Wilford to report progress on the BiP was lost by 46 to 17. • On a division Mr. Massey's amendment was negatived by 55 to 27. The division list is as follows:—For the amendment (27): Alison, J. Allen, Bollard, Buchanan, Davey. Duthie, W-. Eraser, Guinness, Harding, Hardy, Hawkins, Herdman, Herries, Kirkbride, Lan<*. Lewis, Mander, Massev, T. Mackenzie, Tleid, Rhodes, Russell, Rutherford, Symes J. C. Thomson, J. W. Thomson, Vile. Against the amendment (35): E. G. Allen, Bedford. Benuet, Ruddo, Carroll. Duncan, Ell. Field, Fisher, Fiatman. Fowlds, A. L. D. Fraser, Graham, Hall. Hall-Jones, Hanan, Hogg, Houston, Jennings, Kidd, Laurenson, Lawry, Mc-' Gowan, McNab. Mills, Parata, Remington, Sidey, Steward, 'Taylor, Ward, Wilford, Willis, Witty. Wood. Pair : For the amendmentßarber. Against the amendment —K. M. Smith. Mr. MASSEY asked whether, it having been decided that the Council should not be elective, it was now competent for the House to 20 on with the Bill. • The CHAIRMAN ruled that the House was competent to do so. Mr. TAYLOR said the onlv way in which members could now express their dissatisfaction with the Council, as at present constituted, was to vote for his amendment. Mr. Taylor's amendment was rejected by 49 to 13, those supporting the amendment being Messrs. Bedford. Duthie, Ell, Fisher, Fowlds. Hall-Jones, Hanan, Herdman, Laurenson, Lethbridge, T. Mackenzie, Taylor, J. C. Thomson. Mr. HANAN moved a fresh amendment to the effect that a revisory chamber of 12 members shall be set up. Mr. HALL-JONES supported the amendment. Just before midnight a motion by Mr. Davey to report progress on the Bill was carried by 56 to 28. HARBOURS BILL. The Harbours Act 1878. Amendment Bill {Mr. Millar) was amended in committee to exclude from its provisions. land taken for roads and railways. * The House rose at ten minutes to one a.m.