HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1695, 24 August 1904, Page 60

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW BILLS. The following bills were read a first time: —Water Supply Amendment (Mr Bollard) and Mining Act. 1898, Amendment (Mr Witheford). The latter bill, the mover explained, is to enable a dispute in regard to drainage between the Waihi Goldmining Company and the Waihi Grand Junction, to be heard directly by the Supreme Court, which was not provided for under existing legislation. Whichever way the case went, an appeal would he made, and it was absolutely essential to get the case into the Supreme Court to enable evidence to be taken. COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT. A message was received from the Legislative Council intimating that the time-limit of two years fixed by the House in subsection 2 of clause 3 of the Counties Act, as the period within which the Minister may disallow any by-law, had been strifck out, and proposing instead no time-limit. Sir JOSEPH WARD said that as the -will of the House had fixed the period at two years, he moved that the House disagree with this and other amendments made by the Council in the bill. Managers were accordingly appointed to confer with managers from the Council. STUD BILL. The Stud Bill, providing ror the compulsory examination and licensing of stallions, was committed. Sir JOSEPH WARD, in reply to the leader of the Opposition, informed the House that the Minister for Agriculture would endeavour, as far as possible, to meet the contentions that the compulsory clause should not he enforced. The MINISTER for AGRICULTURE said he would have no objection to provincial districts, if they passed resolutions against the bill, being given the n on-compulsory option. Discussion ensued at some length in opposition to the compulsory clause. Ultimately. Sir Joseph Ward moved that the bill be referred to a Special Committee of the House, to enable them to go into the bill and report upon it. Mr MASSEY did not see why the Joint Stock Committee of the House could not deal with this matter. He read a number of telegrams from horsebreeders, asking that the licensing of stallions’ be made optional. Progress was reported on the voices, on the motion of Mr Rutherford, with a view to the bill being referred to a committee. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. The School Attendance Amendment Act (amending the present act in the direction of enabling notices of truancy to be served on parents by means of the post) was passed through committee, with minor amendments. POLICE OFFENCES. The Police Offences Act ’Amendment Bill (for the regulation of amateur boxing in a proper manner and the suppression of professionalism) was committed. Mr GUINNESS thought that the penalty imposed by the bill upon every person found present at a boxing contest, just the same as upon the promoter of the contest, was too drastic. The bill gave power to the police to arrest persons who might be entirely innooent of’the fact that they were witnessing an illegal exhibition.

Sir JOSEPH WARD explained that it was to prevent these “slogging” competitions that the fine was imposed. He was prepared to amend the clause governing .this point to read, “Unless he leaves the piemises or place when requested by the police.” The clause was amended in this direction. The Bill was under discussion at the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. A new clause was added providing that “ A copy of every permit granted for a boxing contest by the Inspector of Police shall be posted on the door of the hall in which the contest is to bo held.” Mr MAJOR moved a new clause:— “Any person is liable to a fine not exceeding £5 who at any time within one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, in any road or street, in any borough or town district, or within ten miles of any part thereof, drives any vehicle without having affixed thereto a white light showing the direction in which the vehicle is going.”—The clause was ruled out of order, as having been already rejected in another bill. Sir W. J. STEWARD moved a new clause: —“ No person under tlie age of fourteen years shall be allowed to discharge firearms unless he is a member of a cadet corps, under a penalty not exceeding £5, which penalty shall be recoverable from the parents or guardians.”—The clause was lost on the voices. Mr GUINNESS moved the addition of a clause providing that the regulations to he made by the Govemor-in-Council under the act should be submitted to the House as soon as possible after being gazetted and submitted to a committee of the House as mining regulations are submitted. Sir JOSEPH WARD thought the suggestion was a cumbrous one. The regulation of boxing was entirely different from the regulation of mining, in which large vested interests were concerned. He was willing to place the regulations before the House, but objected to submitting them to committees. —The clause was rejected by 30 votes to 19. The bill was reported with amendments. SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL. The Shops and Offices Bill was committed and after discussion a motion to report progress was lost oh the voices, and the committee stage of the bill was proceeded with. Mr R. McKENZIE moved to alter the title of the bill to “The Barmaids Abolition Bill.” Lost by 40 votes to 9. On consideration of tlie ■ interpretation clause, Mr GRAHAM proposed that solicitors’ offices should not be included in the definition of the term “office.” He thought if this bill passed in its present form it would deprive lawyers’ clerks of many of the privileges which they now enjoyed. Mr DUTHIE moved, as a prior amendment, in the definition of offices, to exempt offices in which any person is employed to do professional work. Sir JOSEPH WARD could not accept this amendment, believing that it would deprive people engaged in offices front tho sanitary and other benefits which it was proposed to confer by the act. Sir JOSEPH WARD pointed out that there were certain sanitary matters connected with shops and offices which were not provided for in the Municipal Corporations Act. If any member could point out any clause in either the Municipal Corporations Act or the Public Health Act, governing sanitary arrangements for the two sexes, lie would report progress. Mr DUTHIE, quoting from the Public Health Act. 1900, maintained that that act provided for ample provision being made for both sexes. Sir JOSEPH WARD was much obliged for the way in which the act had been interpreted by the hon member. As a matter of fact, the provision quoted did not apply to municipalities. It was a case of lawyers differing. Mr Duthie’s amendment was carried by 32 votes to 21. Progress was then reported oil the bill, on the motion of Sir Joseph Ward. GAMING AND LOTTERIES AMENDMENT. The Hon J. McGOWAN moved the second reading of the Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, which extends the provisions for suppressing lotteries, declares the Chinese game of pak-ah-pu a lottery, and also makes fantan an illegal game. The second reading was carried by 44 votes to 3. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. " Sir JOSEPH WARD moved the second reading of the Payment of Members Bill. This provides that if any member of Parliament absents himself for more than fourteen days, there shall be deducted from his payment (except in tlie event of sickness) the sum of £1 5s per sitting day in the case of a member of the Legislative Council, and the sum of £2 in the case of a member of tlie House of Representatives. It fixes the salaries of the Speakers of the two Houses at £6OO per annum; Chairman of Committees of the Council at £300; and Chairman of Committees of the House at £4OO. (Mr YILE gave notice of his intention

to move in committee that the honorarium of members of the House be reduced to £240, and that of members of the Council to £l5O. Sir JOSEPH WARD thought Hie present honorarium was only sufficient to meet the expenses of members. He believed that the hon member’s constituents were in a minority in asking him to bring forward this amendment. Tho second reading was carried on tlie voices. The House rose at 12.15 a.m. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17. The House met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND READINGS. The Church Reserves Bill (Mr Flatman), vesting in the Ciiurch Property Trustees, Canterbury, certain reserves, was read a second time. TRUSTEES EMPOWERING BILL. Mr WITTY moved the second reading of the Stephen Cole Moule Empowering Bill, to enable the trustees of tho late S. C. Moulo to provide out of the income of the estate for the maintenance and benefit of the family of deceased during their lives, and authorising the Colonial Treasurer to pay subsidy to the Ashburton Old Men’s Home, on a trust bequeathed to that institution. The hill was read a second time, and referred to the Committee of Selection. QUESTIONS. The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to questions. The House adjourned at- 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. TOWN DISTRICTS BILL. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Town Districts Bill were agreed to. GISBORNE HIGH SCHOOL. The Gisborne High School Act, 1885, Amendment Bill was read a first time. LAND BOARDS. Sir W. J. STEWARD moved the second reading of the Land Boards Bill, the object of which is to make Land Boards partially elective on the Parliamentary suffrage, the elections to to held simultaneously with the county' elections in November; the number of members of the Board to be six, of whom the Commissionei's shall be ex officio members, two shall be nominated by the Government and the remainder elected by the Parliamentary electors. Sir JOSEPH "WARD agreed that there was a general desire for reform. Very often the difficulties were caused, not by the constitution of the Boards, but by tlie views of the members and the manner in which they carried out the duties imposed upon them by statute. By making a majority of the Board elective, they were in reality taking the responsibility o-ut'-oi the hands of Parliament. He had ho. said he was in favour of the continuation of the present system, but lie pointed out that they were proposing, on the initiative of a private member of the House, to entirely alter the system. Ho thought it premature to try to effect such reforms until there was an opportunity of laying before the Commission which it was intended to appoint at an early date all the information as to land tenure and administration that could be obtained. The Crown tenants would hav.o to receive some consideration. He knew of many cases of friction which could not have been avoided by a Board elected as proposed by the bill. He (the speaker) would like to see the number of members increased, so as to prevent the occurrence of deadlocks. He would not oppose the bill, but advised the mover to await the evidence of the Crown tenants before persevering with it. Mr MASSEY expressed surprise that the Minister of Lands had not replied instead of the Minister for Railways. Ho contended it was the system, not the men, that were to blame. Men had been appointed to the important position of members of Land Boards who knew nothing whatever about tlie settlers and their conditions. Tlie result was friction from one end of the colony to the other. He doubted whether a sufficient number of electors would vote to make the elections satisfactory. There ought to be representation for Crown teai ants. He was sure the Royal Commission was intended to shelve the whole question. (Cries of “ No, no.”) Mr HOGG: You have a keen imagination. The Hon T. Y. DUNCAN said Crown tenants were already represented, and would be more as time went on. It was wonderful there were not more complaints about the Land Boards than there were. The hulk of the complainants were not farmers: they wore amateurs. He believed the freehold was not wanted by Crown tenants, because they remembered what had happened to those who had had tlie freehold. Wliat came of the Studholme freehold, sixty thousand acres of the best land in Canterbury ? They had to part with ©very bit of it, and they had the freehold. At 1j25 a.m. Mr Heko moved the adjournment of the debate. Lost by 24 votes to 21. Mr La wry briefly resumed the debat®,

and Sir William Steward having replied, a, division was called for. The seocnd reading was carried by 27 votes to 13. The bill was then referred to . the Lands Committee. The House rose at 1.50 a.m. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18. The House met at 2.30 p.m. WELLINGTON CITY LEASES, The third reading of the Wellington City Leasing Rill wa© carried on. the voices, Mr Duthie intimating that he desired to withdraw the new clause of which he had given notice when the bill was in committee the other iiight. HOKITIKA HARBOUR EMPOWERING. The second reading of the Hokitika Harbour Board Empowering Bill was taken. The bill gives power to the Hokitika Harbour Board to dispose of certain endowments vested in the Board, and to further, improve the Hokitika harbour.' Objection was raised, in the course of debate, to the endowments being parted with f<xr all time. The second reading was carried by 45 votes to 14. STRATFORD HOSPITAL. Mr Byrnes moved the second reading 1 of the Stratford Hospital District Bill, which was agreed to on the voices, after ik short debate. LOCAL EMPOWERING BILL. The second reading of the Borough of South Dunedin > Empowering Bill was moved by Mr Sidey. The debate was interrupted by the 5-30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. The debate on the South Dunedin Empowering Bill, to givo power to borrow money and purchase land for streetwidening, was continued by Messrs Millar, Bedford, Reid, Arnold, Duncan, Ell, Aitken, Barber, Graham, J. Alien, ‘and Major. Alter Mi* Sidey had replied, the second leading was agreed to on the voices. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, - The third reading of the School Attendance Bill was moved by the Hon W. Hall-J ones. Mr BAUME regretted that the bill - had not been referred to the Education ’ Committee. He thought the attendance. would he better increased by punish- * ment of the child, rather than of the parent. Truant schools were provided for in the Education Act, but none had yet been established. The bill was read a third time and passed. POLICE OFFENCES. The amendments made by the committee in the Police Offences Act Amendment Bill were agreed to, and the bill read a third time and passed. ADMINISTRATION. The Hon J. McGOWAN moved the eeccnd leading of the Administration Act ...Amendment Bill, which has been passed by the Legislative Council. The measure, he stated, was introduced to put into effect certain recommendations of the Judges of the Supreme Court, . Mi’ MASSEY said it was quite evident to him there had been gross carelessness somewhere, in allowing Registrars to grant probate without the sanction of the law. The sooner the bill was passed to validate probates so granted the better. The Hon J. McGOWAN, in reply, said when the bill was in committee he was quite ready, if the House decided, to accept any amendment in the direction indicated in the speeches. He was glad to eee that the bill had such strong support as that of the Judges of the Supremo Court, Tho second reading was carried on the voices. EVIDENCE BILL. The Evidence Bill (the Son J. McGowan), which has already passed the Legislative Council, was read a second time on the voices. It consolidates and amends the several acts for the amendment of the law of evidence. LAW AMENDMENT. The Hon J. McGOWAN moved the second reading of the Law Amendment Bill, already passed by the Council. The bill was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 11.5 p.m. FRIDAY,AUGUST 19. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW BILLS. Tho following bills were read a first time: —Land Boards Empowering (Sir W. J. Steward); Bruce Licensing Poll, - No. 2 (Mr J. Allen). THE ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply for further consideration of the Estimates.. Native Land Court, £9720; Maori Land Administration, £2989; Maori ■; Counoils, £IO9O. Mr HERBIES, referring to the appointment of the hon member for the Western Maori district a© a member of the Waikato Maori Land Council,

any member of the House should be appointed to any public office to which remuneration was attached. No judicial position should be held by a member of the House. It was a violation of the expressed opinion of the House, and the hon member for the Western Maori district should bo asked to resign his seat on the Council. The Hon J. CARROLL said it was true that such was the expressed opinion of tho House, and it was an opinion that ha endorsed —that it was not desirable for members of the House to sit on legal bodies. Last year the native member for the Western Maori district was appointed to a seat on. the Maori Land Council for the Waikato district. The question was then brought up whether it was advisable that members of Parliament should have seats on such tribunals. He had 'approached the lien member and suggested to him the propriety of resigning from the Maori Council. He (the Native Minister) did not think it was a violation of the expressed wish of the House because lie did not believe that the wish of the House was in that exact form. However, lie was still of that opinion. He might say this, though, that the hon member had not had occasion to sit on the Maori Council from that time to this, and, furthermore, he had declared that it was not his intention. to take any part in the deliberations of that Council. Sir MASSEY drew attention to the increased expenditure on Maori land admin !>t ration. What had the colony got for its expenditure'-? The result ithe people of the colony had been absolutely nil. The natives themselves were not satisfied; and this was seen from the numerous petitions brought before the House asking for an improvement in the native land administration. He moved, “That the vote £2989 for Maori land administration, he reduced by £l, as an indication that the administration is not satisfactory.” After a lengthy discussion Mr Massey's motion to reduce the vote was lost by 30 votes to 24. The discussion was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. 'Em votes for Maori Land Administration and Maori Councils were agreed to. PRISONS. Total vote £30,411. Sir W. RUSSELL pointed out that while tho number of prisoners had decreased, the number of warders had increased. He also pointed out that the cost of maintenance was larger in certain gaols that at others. The Hon J. McGOWAN replied that the segregating o>r prisoners at tree-plant-ing-camps demanded increased supervision. The cost of maintenance was generally lower at the larger gaols than at the smaller. There were four tree-planting-camps at tho present time, and tho cost of huts had to be taken into consideration. At the Auckland and Wellington gaols the prisoners weie able to break metal and make bricks for sale. Mr LAURENS ON asked the Minister to take into consideration the establishment of a superannuation fund for prison officials. Mr BAUME wanted to know if the Minister was going to do anything in the way of pension reform. A complete change would have to take place in the selection of warders and the whole question of prison management if they were going to do anything to regenerate criminals. The Hon J. McGOWAN said the rule with regard to warders was that they should be men of sound health and good physique. He thought he might say they would compare more than favourably with warders in any other country. It was not the business of the department to provide men with money on leaving prison. Ha thought Magistrates should inquire into prison offenoeo, hut it was absolutely necessary there should be a means of enforcing discipline in the hands of the officials. Mi’ ELL pointed out that there was no comment in the report on the fact that there were more children in the gaols this year between ten and fifteen years old than last year. The Hon J. McGOWAN said that when children were sent to gaol they were only detained there pending transfer to an industrial school. They weie not allowed to intermingle with prisoners. There were no children in gaol, in the ordinary sense. The justice vote was passed unaltered. POST AND TELEGRAPHS. Post and Telegraph Department (salaries) £332,008. —Passed unaltered. Telegraph Cable Subsidies.—The Postmaster-General intimated that the deficiency on the Pacific cable for the year 1904-5 was estimated at £89,810, of which New Zealand’s proportion was one-ninth. Conveyance of mails by sea, £57,541; inland mails, £53,638; mails by railways, £22,500; maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines, £31,000; miscellaneous services, £56,200. Passed unaltered, after debate on various details of departmental administration. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT. Vote—£4o,Bs9. —Passed unaltered. Progress was reported, and the House