HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4413, 20 July 1901, Page 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY, JULY 19, The Speaker took the chair at 10.30 a.m. New Bills. The messages introducing the Land for Settlements Act Amendment Bill and the Government Advance© to Settlers Bill were considered in committee, and the Bills introduced The Referendum 81l On the question that the amendments made in committee on th e Referendum Bill should bo agreed to, Mr PIRANI moved as an' amendment that the Bill should bo recommitted in order that a new clause might be considered providing that the polling in connection with the Referendum should bo taken through the, post. He urged that unless the Referendum were taken in this way, it would bo a farce. Mr MONK supported the amendment, and said ha did not believe it would bo possible to have a Referendum unless electoral rights wore issued. The PREMIER did not think that Mr Pirani was serious. If the Standing Orders allowed any amendment rejected in committee to b© brought forward again on the question of the consideration of amendments made )n committee, it was time that the Standing Orders were altered. He field, that any tampering'with th© ballot in a Referendum Bil ought not to be permitted. Any change in the electoral system qught to be brought down by amendment of the main Act. If the amendment now before the House were carried, this would bo the last of the Referendum Bill as far as he was concerned. Mr MASSEY alleged that iq the Patea electorate the Government organiser, Mr Edwards, had been travelling about offering , roads and bridges on the eve of the election. (Derisive laughter from the Premier.) Mr Massey insisted that he was prepared to prove it. Tho lion. J. McGOVVAN ridiculed tlyj statement of Sir Massey, pointing out that 'undue influence at an clec* tion was • more likely to be _ on the side of wealth. The .Minister held that it would be impossible to carry out the polling by post, because of the delay which would occur, and he maintained also that the secrecy of the ballot would be interfered with. Mr' T. MACKENZIE objected to the action of Mr Edwards in travelling nheut a district at the lime of an election, and said that if tho Government candidate were defeated for Patea it would bo because of the presence of Mr Edwards in that electorate. After considerable debate, tho motion that th e amendments made in committee be agreed (o was carried by 44 votes to 13. tho amendment proposed by Mr Pirani being rejected. On the question that tho Bill'ho read a third time. Mr ELL moved the recommittal of the

Bill in order that a sub-section of clause 14 might be further considered. This was lost on the voices, and the Bill was read a third time; without debate, and passed. Police Offences Bill. The Police Offences Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. Tho House adjourned at 12.45 p.m.