LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1749, 13 September 1905, Page 20

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5. Hon Colonel PITT gave notice that Jjext sitting day lie would introduce the following new .bills: —Kaiapoi Native Reserves, Coalmines Acts Compilation, and Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation. Practically the whole of the afternoon sitting was taken up with debates on feports from the Public Petitions Committee and local petitions. The debate on the lands question (as reported elsewhere) was continued. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. The following bills were read a first time: —Kaiapoi Native Reserve, Coal Clines Acts Compilation, and Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation. LOCAL BILLS. The following local bills were read a second time: Petone Corporation Waterworks, Wellington Hospital Contributors and Society for Relief of the Aged Needy Exchange, Dannevirke Education Reserve Transfer, Wallace Hospital District, and Gisborne Harbour. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7. KAIAPOI NATIVE RESERVE. The Kaiapoi Native Reserve Bill was read a second time on the motion of the Hon Mr Pitt. It provides for the vesting of certain native lands at Kaiapoi in the Church Property Trustees as a site for a church and other purposes. COMPILATION BILLS. The Coal Mines Act Compilation Bill and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill were read a second time pro forma. SHIPPING AND SEAIMEN. The Shipping and Seamen’s Act Amendment Bill was taken in committee. The clause setting out the time within which application may be made under the principal act was extended to the expiration of three months after the coming into operation of the act (as soon as the Royal assent has been received). Further amendments were made providing that the second mate on a ship of one hundred tons register or upwards, running more than three hundred miles between terminal ports, shall hold a certificate not lower than that

of second mate of home trade ship; that service certificates may be granted to a person who for twelve months has been engineer of a pleasure yacht, missionary ship, or fishing-boat; that the master of every foreigtt-going ship shall deliver the official log within twentyone days of the date of termination of the agreement with the crew the master of an intercolonial or home trade ship shall deliver lists of the crew to some superintendent in New Zealand within twenty-one days of the date of termination of the agreement with the crew. The following new clauses were added:—Every master or owner of a ship who fraudulently engages or suffers to be engaged any duly certificated master, mate, or engineer to serve for the purpose only of enabling the ship to clear, and not for the purpose of the whole voyage, and every master, mate, or engineer who so engages .himself, commits an offence. If any certificated master, mate, or engineer engaged to serve as such on board any ship quits tbe sbip before or on the commencement of her voyage, he shall be deemed’, unless the contrary is shown, to have been fraudulently engaged as aforesaid. Tbe Hon Colonel Pitt gave notice of intention to recommit the bill for tbe purpose of inserting another new clause, .making provision for the recognition of certificates issued by the Board of Trade to masters of fishing-boats. WALLACE HOSPITAL. The Wallace Hospital District Bill was put through .. committee without amendment, and read a third time. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. SHIPPING AND SEAMEN. The Shipping and Seamen’s Act Amendment Bill was recommitted, and provision made that a valid certificate of competency as skipper of fishingboats granted by the Board of Trade under the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act shall entitle the holder thereof to be master of a fishing-boat under the principal act. OAMARU DRILLSHED. The second reading of the Oamaru Volunteer Drillshed Site Bill (Hon Mr Jones) was carried on the voices. MARRIAGES VALIDATION. The Marriages Validation Bill was taken in committee. It provides that marriages with deceased wife’s niece or deceased husband’s nephew prior to the bill shall be valid. . A proviso was added on the recommendation of the Statutes Revision Committee that the bill shall not render valid any such marriage in any case where either of the parties shall thereafter before the passing of the bill have lawfully intermarried; with any other person, nor shall the passing of the bill deprive any person of any property which he or she may lawfully have inherited or become entitled to prior to tbe coming into operation of the bill, or affect any lis pendens. Objections were raised by one or two members to the provisions of the hill, and a motion was moved that the chairman leave the chair.—Lost by 20 votes to 4. When the bill as amended was reported, tbe Hon Mr Jones gave notice that he would move for its recommittal, in order that further consideration might be given to the proviso. The Council rose at 3.20 p.m.