PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4493, 22 October 1901, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MONDAY, OCTOBER 21. Th.o Acting-Speaker look the chair at 7.30 p.m. Maori Lands Bill. Tho Hon. J. Carroll moved the second reading of the Maori Lands Administration Ad, 1000, Amendment Bill pro forma, in order that it might bo referred to the Native Reserves Committee. —• Tho motion was carried on tho voices. Paniroa Native Reserves Bili. The Hon. J. Carroll moved the. second reading of the Rariroa Native Reserves Bill. Mr HERBIES said a very unconstitutional course had been followed in regard to this Bill and the previous one. Neither had been sent down by Governor’s message, and ho certainly thought that a Bill containing an appropriation clause as this ono did should bo sent down by tho Crown. Tho ACTING-SPEAKER ruled that if it was necessary to have a Governor s message concerning tho Bills, it could be sent down before the third reading. Mr A. L. D. FRASER said tho Bill only provided for a certain tribe succeeding to the property. There should he provision for their descendants.^ The motion was carried on tho voices. Tho Bill was then committed, passed through without amendment, and tho j third reading fixed for Lc-morrow. Fisheries Encouragement Bill* The Fisheries Encouragement Bill was committed. In clause 2, providing that the bonus paid for canned and cured fish should be paid for tho year ending August 31st, 1903, Mr Napier moved as an amendment that December bo substituted for August. Ho explained that bis reason was that Parliament might then con„ sider a further paying of bonuses. Tho Hon. W. HALIaI ONES consented to this, and moved the striking out of subsection 2of clause 2. The effect of removing tills would bo that the bonus would ho continued for only a year. Mr R. THOMPSON said ho did not see any good in continuing tho bonus, as the trade was only falling 6ff. Mr MILLAR advocated tho continuance of tho homes. If it wore up good giving a bonus to fishing, it was no good paying fruit and dairy experts. The motion was carried. The Bill was then reported and read a third time and passed. Education Boards Election Bill. Tho Education Boards Election. Bill, as transmitted from the Legislative Conn | oil, was passed through committee, with the addition of three new clauses pro., riding for advertisements notifying tho elections, the nomination of candidates by two electors, and for extraordinary vacancies being filled within fifty days. It was then, passed through its'final stages. Inspection of Machinery Bill. The Inspection, of Machinery Bill wa« passed through committee, with the addition of a new clause providing that any person who has been in charge of an engine for throe years should be entitled to sit for examination for a firsts :lasa certificate. The measure was then read a third time and passed. Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. Tho Hon. W. HALL-JONES in moving the second reading of the Hospital md Charitable Aid Boards Election Bill, explained that hitherto tho members of these bodies had been elected by County Councils, Borough Councils. Road Boards, eto., and the Bill was to provide for the election hy the electors of the County and Borough Councils, Mr HERRIES said tho present way of electing Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards was very satisfactory. It seemed fair that tho Boards should bo elected by the Councils and Road Boards, as they wore elected by the electors. Ho had certainly heard no complaint yet about the manner of election, at least from country districts. Mr COLLINS drew attention to the fact that there was no provision in the Bill or in- the original Act as to who should be eligible for election, and the Bill did nob provide for nomination. He advocated the appointment of women on these Boards. Mr T. MACKENZIE said the Boards were nob sufficiently in touch with tho people. Hospital trustees wore sometimes frequently re-elected hy the bodies responsible. If the election were carried out by the people, a great deal more interest in the institutions would result. Ho believed that women should bo eligible for election on the Boards. He congratulated the Hon. Minister on the measure, and he thought it would ho appreciated by tho public. Ho thought asylums should have been included in the Bill. He urged also that doctors appointed to hospitals and charitable aid institutions should bo men of large_ex_ Perience and practice, and not just fresh from medical schools. Mr G. W. RUSSELL opposed tho measure. Ho said there were seme seventeen Road Boards in tho Canterbury district, for instance, and it would he very expensive to carry out elections there. The whole thing would bo too expensive. ' Nothing had arisen to justify this measure, and it had been promoted because certain local bodies in Christchurch had refused to elect women on the Boards. ' After further debate the Bill was read a second time on the voice*. Trustee Amendment Bill. Tho amendments in tho Trustee Amendment Bill made hy the Legislative Council wore not agreed to, and managers were appointed for a conference with managers from tho Legislative Council. Public Trust Office. Tho Public Trust Office Amendment Bill wag read a second.time. Ghatham Islands. Tho Premier, in moving tho second reading of tho Chatham Islands County Bill, explained that it was simply to provide for some system of local government on the Chatham Islands, as there was none there at present. Mr T. PARATA opposed the Bill. He said the local authority would tax the natives, and tho natives would have no voice in tho matter. _ He contended that tho Bill should bo printed in Maori. and circulated in order that tho native members could understand it. The Premier n'greed to postpone the Bill till the following day in order to have the last speaker’s request acceded to. New Zealand Ensign. The Premier, in moving the second reading of the New Zealand Ensign Bill, explained the reasons why tho former had not received assent at Home. Tho proposed New Zealand ensign was the flag of the Royal Naval Reserves, with tho Southern Cross represented on the fly. Considerable discussion anont the former Bill ensued. The second reading was finally carried on the voices. The House rose at 12.30 a.m.