LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7265, 22 October 1910, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

A DEADLOCK ENDED. When tho Legislative Council met yesterday afternoon it was reported that tiro deadlock which had occurred between the two Houses, over the amendmeats made in the Indecent Publications [>ill by the Lower Chamber, had been satisfactorily ended. The report was received from the Council’s representatives at the conference which was hold tho previous evening. In moving the adoption of the report the Hon. Dr Findlay, Attorney-General, f.aid that it would leave the Bill in very much the same condition as when it left the Council with these exceptions:—Tho absence of guilty knowledge will bo no defence in any prosecution, except whore tho prosecution is for distributing an indecent document. With regard to a pfo.-ocution for distributing, a defendant will be permitted, to show that he had no reasonable means of knowing that the dc/iumont was indecent. Dr Findlay added that it had been agreed to delete tho clause giving a constable power to arrest without warrant. Tho report was adopted without further comment, intimation being received shortly afterwards that the House also had agreed to what tile conference had done.