PARLIAMENTARY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 8568, 24 August 1904, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY.

LKGKLATiTJ-: COUXCTI.. i :.'; Cti'.mcil met at 2.30 [vni. Tii& .Scii'-ol Attendance Oil!, received ttxai the othsr Ciuruter, was re;>d ci second tiir.e, without debate. The Attorney-General moved the =ccond rcafJ>«2 of tlra Police Offences Bill, prohibiting boxing contests, <?xe»'pt under a permit granted by_ the district police inspector in the application of some duly registered club or association. Mr Bieg said that the object of tlie Bill wa& to establish boxing monopolies in centres He objected to handing boxing ever to a select few. There wens sufficient safeguards at present. Mr Scotland thought that ropes should be abolished from the boxing area as dangerous. Mr George approved of the Bill. Under present conditions some of the contests were simply prize fights for door money. The Bill would prevent that. Mr Borwcn supported the Bill, as bmcini required to be under effective control. Mr Jones said that the Bill would eliminate the brutal and blackguardly element at boxing contests. Mr Baldey supported the Bill on similar grounds. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. The Land Drainage Bill was again recommitted for some technical amendments, :ind reported as amended. Hie Council rose at 4.20 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.50 p.m. Sir McLachlan "Was granted one "week's leave of absenoe oil account of urgent private business - Sir J. G. Ward gave notice to' introduce ike following Bills:—'Public Health Act Amendment Bill, 'Maori Antiquity Act Amendment Bill, Rating Act Amendment Bill, and Local Bodies Lessees Bill. Coal Mines Act- Amendment Bill (the Hon. Mr McGowdn), and Weights and Measures Act Amendment Bill (Sir J. G-. Ward) were read » first time. Hie Sale of Foods and Drugs Bill was intrc/JuM'l by Governor's Menage, and read a first time. In raply to Mr Massev, Sir J. G. "Ward said the Bill was framed on general lines. It was designed to prevent the adulteration of food and drug.?, and to protect the public from imposition. Sir J. G. Ward announced that he had received lite following cable message from the Deputy Postmaster-General at Ottawa with regard to the proposal that New Zealand should participate in the Vancouver service:—"l'liis Department considers the delay caused by steamers calling at Auckland would seriously -weaken the service ; rejtrel therefore unable to agree to your proposition." Sir Joseph Ward added that tliid message "was in reply to a se:ond cable message sent urging the claims of New Zealand to a partnership in the service, end stating that the Federal Government had intimated its willingness that Queensland should drop out. Apparently nothing further could be done in the faoe of the objection raised by the Canadihn Government.

Ik reply to Mr Massey, Sir J. O. Ward said that lie thought the present contract had' twelve months to run from April next. Oct the motion cf the Hon. Mr Dtmcan a Select Committee was set np to conaider thi Stud Bill. In committee en the Evidence Bill objection was raise:! to clause 25, which. provided tli.it an affidavit or declaration sworn" in any place out of New Zealand might ba received as ovidence before amr Court in New Zealand. It was contended that a declaration which had not been-subjected to crcss-exnniiiiation should not bo accepted as -against personal evidence in the colony. The Hon. ITr McGowan agreed to take tlto vr.;.o of the House ca the point, and :!:e clause was thrown out on the voices. Mr Guinness moved a new clause to provide that any document in the possession of any Minister or officer of the Crown shall be producible as evidence in any action nniess tin: Judge or Magistrate ratal that it is confidential. Tfse Km. Mr McG-owna opposed the clause on the ground that it was not wise to place in the hands of Magistrates the power t-> say what shall be considered confident i:<l and what not. Sir 7. 6. Ward said that it would be a very oxirj ordinary proceeding to give a Court the power of obtaining communications between the beads of Departments ant! their subordinates.

Mr Harries objected to the Court being placed in a position from that of » private party to & civil suit. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7 30 p.m. Farther discussion took place on Mr Guinea's' proposed new clause, which "was thrown out by 29 votes to 23 votes. The Law Amendment Bill was committed. At clause 5, which limits to twelve years the time within which wills may be impeached, a proviso was added that the clause should not come into force until twelve months after the passing of the Act. Clause 10 which proposed to give trustees under a deed -or will power to expend a portion of the capital of the trust money or to borrow money for the improvements of the trust property, was amended so as to limit tho borrowing powers to one-half tho vatae of the property. The Gaining and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill was committed. In clmse 2, slr Herries objected to the provision making the penal provisions apply to porsnns taking part in the management or conduct of lotteries or schemes outside tiie colony which were legal in their cocntiy. The Hen. Mr McGowan said that the Parliament of this country had declared it illegal to hold lotteries and therefore unless tha State took further action the law already passed would prove inoperative by the sale in New Zealand of tickets in foreign lotteries Mr Massey pointed out that the Government was every year putting up lands for ballot, and he considered that tnis amounted to a lottery. Hie clause was agreed to. Clanse 3, under which the Chinese game of pakapoo is declared to be a lottery, provoked considerable discussion.

'Mr Hone Heke wanted to know why the Chinese were to be limited in their games and recreations, whea lotteries at church bazaars were allowed to proceed without interference. Mr W. Fraser thought it was right to Surah Europeans found in a Chinese gambng house, bat seeing thai Europeans were allowed to participate in various games of chance, he objectod to panislhing Chinese for doing the samo thing. Th© Hon. Mr 31'Gowan said that- the police shsuld be assisted in preventing the vor.lh of the colony being demoralised by frequenting Chinese dens, associating with the occupants and possibly becoming opium slaves. Mr Alison moved to strike out subsection 1 of the clause (which declares pakapoo to be a lottery), and substitute therefor "any person other than a. Chinanun found on the premises -where the Chinese game of fan-tan or pakapoo, or any game is played, shall be liable toa penalty sot exceeding £IOO.

The subjection was struck oat on tlte voices, u<d the Hon. Mr jrUowsn (hereupon mov«d to rop-.rt progress on the Bill vlifcii was carried bv 4-i-vftta-, to 15 votes. The Admitiisitatiac Act Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 2 w.is ft rack out. On Mr A. L. D. Fraser's mr.tion, a new clause was inserted to provide that Bisect Coart Jadcce. as well as Supreme C- -art Judges, shall havo jurisdiction to grant probate and let tons oE administration of estates of deceased persons. The Hon. Mr M Gowan moved a new c!:itiffO providing for the safe custody in v,me jrait.ible i)laco in YTcllEngt-on of c*?rvfied copied of .ill wills hereafter era r. tod and nuking provision for the inspection by ih-y public of all s-ne'r. v-Jlls. to or. the \o:ecs. The Bills which had pissed through mk-v,-o~c then reported. The Ho-ase rc«o at 12.45 a.m.