LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4406, 12 July 1901, Page 7

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THURSDAY, JULY 11

Th 0 Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p m.

New Member. The Hen Charles Louissou took the oath and his scat. New Bills. The Hon W. C. WALKER introduced the following new Bills;—Police Offences Act Amnedment Bill, Young Persons’ Protection Bill, and Chinese Immigrants Act Amendment Bill. These were read a first time, and the second readings made an order of the day for Friday. The hon gentleman gave notice that on Friday he would bring down (he Property Law Amendment Bill, Co-operative Act Amendment Bill and the Mortgages of Land Bill. The Local Authorities Indemnities Bill passed by the House was introduced by Mr Walker.

Chairmanship of Committees-

Th e Hon R. H. J. REEVES moved, without. comment, that it is desirable that the standing order of the Council be amended so that an annual ballot be taken for the election of Chairman of Committeees of th e Council, and that it be an instruction to tho Standing Orders Committee to prepare the necessary new order.

■ The Hon D. PINKERTON briefly seconded the motion. The Hoh W. C. WALKER , said he thought that a little more might have been said by the mover and seconder of the motion. What happened in the Council on the previous day was the result of bad counsel. It should not be taken for granted that such would be happening each year. He saw no reason for the ballot being introduced at all, except the desire oy members to avoid the consequence of an open vote.

The Hou W. D. H. BAILLIE said he was personally in favour of open voting. There was a chance under the ballot system of the Council that a third member might be allowed to attain a position through the anxiety of certain members to keep out one of the two others. There was, however, a. lot to be said on the side of the mover of the motion.

The Hon W. C. SMITH moved that th e debate be postponed for a week. There was no urgency in the matter, and it was desirable that absent members should be given time to arrive and to take part in the discussion. Th e Hon T. KELLI saw nothing to be gained by postponing the motion. The matter should be left to the Standing Orders Committee. The Hon R. H. J. REEVES, speak* ing to the amendment, said the trend of opinion of late years both in England and in the colonies had been in favour of the secret ballot. Many members on an open vote might possibly not vote against a candidate because he happened to be a personal friend. The opinion was expressed by a large number of members that the motion should bo postponed in order that absent members might be given a chance to attend. The Hon G. JONES said the ballot movement was brought in in order to enabl e members to vote without fear or favour for ans' member of the Council. Ho could not see that any good purpose could be gained by the motion for adjournment. He saw no reason why the Government should b e given th 0 right to say who should be aopointed to the Chairmanship of Committees. The Hon A. L. SMITH briefly favoured the ballot, .and deprecated the mo* tion feeing postponed. On a division being taken the motion for adjournment was carried by 21 to 10. Prjday of next week was fixed as the date for the debate to be resumed upon.

Hospital Nurses Registration. The Council went into committe e to consider the Hospital Nurses Registration Bill.

After a desultory discussion, in which it was agreed that a copy of the register of nurses to be ■ kept in accordance with the proposed Act be published in the “Gazette” annually in the’month of January, and also that the Minister in charge °f the Bill would carefully consider the trend of its interpretation clause, the Bill was reported to the Council with amendment, read a second time, and its third reading made an order of the day for Friday. The Council adjourned at ten minutes to 4 p.m.