PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2554, 5 July 1895, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, July 4. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. THE CURRENCY QUESTION. The Hon T. Kelly resumed the interrupted debate upon the Hou J. Rigg’s motion for a committee to enquire into the monometallic currency question, and also to enquire into the advantages or otherwise of a State Bank of issue and deposit, &o. • After a discussion the motion was lost by 17 votes to 10. PINAL STAGES. The Animals Protection Act Amendment Bill, Uniforms Bill, and Dog Registration Act Amendment Bill passed their final stages. SECOND READING. The Adulteration Prevention Acts Amendment Bill, introduced from the House of Representatives, was read a second time, and its committal fixed for Tuesday. The Council at 4.15 p.m. adjourned till the following day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, July 4. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. PATEA FORESHORE VESTING BILL. This local BUI was read a second time on the motion of Mr G. Hutchison. PROPERTY LAW CONSOLIDATION ACT AMENDMENT DILL. On tho motion of Mr G. J. Smith this Bill was read a second time. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT ABOLITION BILL. Mr Morrison moved the second reading of this Bill, urging reasons for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, except in oases of fraud. Mr J. W. Kelly opposed the Bill, and Mr H. D. Bell supported it. The Premier said he had ever supported abolition of imprisonment for debt, and wont on to point out abuses of the existing law. It had been stated, bo said, that no one was sent to prison nowadays for debt. In 1893 1003 judgment summonses were issued, 333 commitments being made and 21 persons sent to prison. In 1892 342 persons were committed, and 20 sent to prison; while in 189jl tho returns were oven worse. There had boon grave abuses of the law by Justices pf the Peace—business men whohad seats on tho Bench having a follow feeling for their business friends bringing cases into Court. If only because it did away with this abuse by limiting the power of dealing with judgment summons to Magistrates, members ought to vote for the BUI. He condemned the credit system as a curse to the Colony. In the course of further debate Mr. Willis moved that the Bill be read a second time this day six mouths. After a lengthy discussion tho motion for the second reading, was lost by 38 votes to 24, and the amendment carried on the voices, tho Bill being therefore killed. NEW ZEALAND JOURNALISTS’ INSTITUTE BILL. Sir Robert Stout moved tho second reading of this Bill, which is tho same measure as introduced during the past two sessions. Tho opponents of the measure urged that it was setting up a close corporation, but this was denied by tho supporters of the Bill, who contended that it was only granting journalists the samo concessions that were granted the members of other professions. Mr Tanner moved, as an amendment, that the Bill be read a second time this day six months. Tho motion for the second reading was carried by 38 to 22. THE midland railway. The resolution arrived at in Committee of Supply yesterday, empowering the Government to expend £SOOO on certain portions of the Midland Railway, was agreed to. FAMILY HOMES PROTECTION BILL. The Minister of Lands moved the second reading of this Bill. It was a departure, he said, from the ordinary legislation of the House. Members must know that there aro people who aro in a position such as to enable them to set aside for all time to come a homo for their family, and this without the slightest injustice to their creditors. It was very easy for persona who occupied good positions to got into difficulty through financial institutions, and it was provided by this Act that no claim could be made against them for their homo, whatever else they might have to sacrifice. Pull provision was made for the protection of the creditors before a homo could bo brought under tho Act. It would, perhaps, be objected that the value to which any home could bo protected, .£IOOO, was not enough. He would point out, however, that a home worth .£IOOO would always be a homo for a family, and that if a person looked up, say, £SOOO, in this way it might at a future time hamper him when he wanted money. Despite this ho was not wedded to the £IOOO. Sir Robert Stout had much pleasure in supporting the Bill, which was the samo as the measure introduced by himself. He disagreed, however, with tho limit of £IOOO. Mr H. D. Bell suggested committee amendments. He . thought the limit of £IOOO sufficient. ■ OMr T. Mackenzie believed the Bill to be a step in the right direction, and congratulated the Minister upon it. Messrs McGowan, Maslin, G. J. Smith, and Buddo supported the Bill. Dr Newman thought that only persons with 10 or 12 thousand pounds would avail themselves of the provisions of tho BiU. Messrs Flatman, Buchanan and O’Regan suggested committee amendments. The Minister of Lands replying, said the objections made to the Bill were all committee objections; Regarding the objection raised to locking up money in the land, there must, of course, always bo somebody’s money locked up in the land. The second reading, of the BiU was then agreed to. contagious diseases act 1869 repeal BILL. This BiU passed through its final stages. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This Bill was, passed through committee with tho addition of a new clause, moved by Major Steward, rendering it unlawful jor the authority, of any industrial school to confine any inmate in any dark room, or to place him on a bread-and-water diet for a longer period than 3* hours. The BIU was read a third time, and passed through -its final stage. The House adjourned at midnight.