PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13796, 8 July 1908, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

[lIY- TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ' Tuesday. /■'■■ "_ s ■ Thic House met at 2.30 p.m. - )' ," > WELLINGTON HARBOUR BILL. On" the motion of Mr. WILFORD, the second reading 'of the Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Bill wa« postponed -until Thursday. I■ ■ PARLIAMENT HOUSE Six*.. The PRIME MINISTER gave notice to move on next sitting day, "That a joist committee of both Houses be set up to consider the question of the best site upon which to rebuild the House of Parliament."' Mr. W. T. WOOD suggested that the committee be given power to consider other eites besides Wellington. Mr. LAURENSON said that Wellington was, 'certainly not the best place for, a capital, owing to the high cost of land. Mr. AITKEN said the question before the House was not whether the site of the capital should be changed, but that a committee should be set up to consider what site would be the best for the re-erection of Parliament Buildings. The Hon. C, H. MILLS supported the ■ proposal, and suggested t Picton. Sir J. G. WARD said he. had not contemplated that the question of a capital site would be raised. The committee was not set up for that purpose. BILLS IN COMMITTEE. The Meikle Acquittal Bill and Incorporated Societies Bill passed the committee stage without discussion. ACCOUNTANTS BILL, In committee on the New Zealand So-ci->!;y of Accountants Bill, Mr. WILFORI) moved. " That in subsection C of section 7 the word 'five* be 6truck out, and the word ' two' inserted ; also, that for the words •Now Zealand,' there be substituted ' any part of the British Empire.' " He argued that five years was too long a period of practice to* demand before accountant* shall be deemed eligible to be registered as public accountants. Mr. ELL said he had been informed that three years was the period asked for, by the New Zealand Accountants' Association. Mr. JAS. ALLEN preferred three years as the period required to either two or five. The discussion was carried on by Messrs. Izard, Buddo. Aitken, .Malcolm, Laurenson, : andßaume./ ■ The PRIME MINISTER stated that he would accept the first part of the amendment if the member for Hutt made the period three years instead of two. He 4 hoped, however, that the member for Hutt wonld not press that part of his amendment extending the facilities provided in that clause to all parts of the British Empire, as this would enable men of worthless character to come here from other parte of the King's dominions and practice accountancy. \ Mr. WILFORD replied that safeguards : against such a. contingency were provided I by other subsections of the same clause, and also by clause 8. - ;• :, > 'After some' fu.iher discussion, the first. » part of the amendment was carried, and the second part was negatived. ' v' Mr. MALCOLM moved, "That in the same ; subsection the words ' satisfies the board' be altered to ' submits satisfactory evidence ' to the board.'" The:amendment was negatived. Mr. WILFORD moved, "That section 2 of , clause 10 be struck out, and that section 1 of clause 10 be altered to permit of an appeal.from! the decision of the board." . jfhe amendment was agreed to. :' •-■ ' *;.•-. Mr. BUDDO moved, "That in section. 2 lof clause 35 the words, 'a public accoc ■-;- - anli or,' be struck out." 'T- r > ' \ The PRIME MINISTER said the .proposed amendment would destroy the value ' of the Bill- .- .' . • On a division, the ' amendment was lost ,1 by' 33 votes to 15. : ' ■' ~' ' , ■ Mr. POLAND moved, " That in subsection - 3of clause 33. the word " initials' be struck ' out, and the.word 'title' be substituted ; therefor." . ..'/,■' "' '. '■'■.",'On a division, the amendment was lost by 43 votes to 15. : The House adjourned at 4.30 p.m. ■'..'.' . The committee resumed at 7.30 p.m., and ' continued the consideration of the Bill. ~ Sub-section 3 of section 34 was amended [- by.the addition at the end of the clause of ' the words, " and shall be gazetted." ...." • The Bill was then passed through comy mittee. ■ -'. ~* ' \'~' ■ CORONERS AMENDMENT BILL. ' . The Coroners Amendment Bill was next ', taken in committee. " - :. : '<;. Sir;/W. J. STEWARD asked how the : Attorney-General was to be maoe acquainted with the facts upon which he should de- '"'. I cide whether or not' an inquest should be held. in the presence of a jury. : '■■ Mi-. C. M. GRAY pointed" out that the > difficulty was overcome by sub-section 2of * clause 2, which permitted a coroner to hold 1 \an inquest with a jury if he thought fit. , 5 ': Mr. IZARD protested against aflowing an • inquest to be ; held . in* the j presence of a * justice of the" peace without a jury. There 1 should be two justices :in cases where a ' : stipendiary magistrate was not the coroner. 1 Mr, A. R. BARCLAY said the clause was 1 an insidious attack on -the jury system. 1 He would place more faith in the verdict of •>. a jury than in that of a single individual. : . The Hon. J. McGOWAN said it would be * a good jibing not only if juries were abolish- * edl, but if inquests also were done away & with. More inquests were held than was 5 necessary.: He moved, "That sub-section " 2 of clause 2 be amended by .deleting the " words 'or by jurors' : and ;; inserting 'either * with or : without jurors.'",- <-,- 1 'v After several other members had spoken j- the Hon. - J.. McGOWAN moved to: report * progress, which was agreed to. ! THIRD READINGS. r : The Meikle Acquittal Bill, ' Incorporated s , Societies Bill and New Zealand Society of -, Accountants Bill were set ; down for the * third reading on the next sitting day. . The House then went into Committee of [ Supply. . . ta . . . ~ , ' > " .- . [ FINANCIAL ) STATEMENT. f ;At 8.25 p.m. the Colonial Treasurer, who on rising was, received with applause, began to, deliver the Financial Statement, and -oc- - 7! cupied one hour and '25 minutes in its de- " livery. « Mr. MASSEY asked the Prime Minister i when he proposed to take the financial de--3 bate, and pointed out that important Parliamentary papers necessary to the proper I comprehension of the Financial Statement 8 had not vet l>een supplied to memlwrs. He I instanced the reports of the' Railways, ;; Lands, and Advances to Settlers Departq ments. . ■■- ; . • '.■■■'..-, e Sir JOSEPH WARD said he proposed to ft begin the debate next Friday night, a Mr. MASSEY said it would be quite im?ossiuie for members to be ready then, 'hey must have the papers he had asked for. 1, The PRIME MINISTER said he wished i, to expedite the business of the country, but i- he did not wish to inconvenience members >y or take any unfair advantage of them. He le would see that the papers asked for, or as :k many as possible, were supplied to mem- '« l«rs. He would ask them to pass the m Loan Bill,'to ■■ which there could be nc t, reasonable opposition, on Thursday, an<3 r- would appoint. nest Tuesday night for th« 8.: commencement of the debate., *1 Progress was then reported, , x, : ARBITRATION AMENDMENT. ■?P The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitra "? , ftion Act Amendment Bill was introduce* a by Governor's message, and the Hon. J. A t-n Millar gave notice to move the second read ing pro forma on th© next sitting day. he V The House adjourned at 10 p.m. so "'. ,-.-.■ - ' -■"•.■■•:■■■ ■ ■;-'.• -:'■-' ' - ■■.' ■-- ; .-•■>'• at .■■;' , : . ... .. . . .v'. :