GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10421, 25 July 1895, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21. ' The Council met at 2 30 p.m. THE'CONTAGIOUS WSE4SES ACT. The Hon. W. JENNINGS presented a petition from Auckland praying for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act. BILL PASSED. The Adulteration Prevention Acts Amendment Bill was read a third time aud passed. DIVORCE BILL. The Divorce Bill was committed, the Hon. Mr Bonar occupying the chair in the abseace of Colonel Baillie. In clause 3, which provides that three years' absence shaU be ground for divorce, . Tbe Hons. C. C. BOWEN and W. C. \\ ALKER expressed tho hope that the clause would not be accepted, and that Mr MacGregor would be content to make tl.e-princinal grouud for divorce that of adultery. It w&b urged that the bill, if passed, would, by collusion, make divorce easy, and, after discussion, The Hon. R. PHARAZYN moved an amendmeut that the time of desertion be extended to four years. Working men would be principally affected by the bill, and ho thought, at j any rate, four years' desertion would be sufficient grouud. A working man with a large family deserted by his wife was in a deplorable condition, and if he obtained relief and was enabled to re-marry, his offspring Would have the advantage of a stepmother to look alter tbem The amendment of Mr PHARAZYN that four years be substituted for three was carried by 13 to 12, ami the subsection as amended was ogre'ed to by 14 to 11. ■ The Hon. W. H. REYNOLDS gave notice to move an amendment making insanity a c»uee for divorce.

The Hon. J. RIGG gave notice of a further amendment making imprisonment for 10 years a ground for divorce.

Clause .4—-"Divorce may he substiluted for judicial separation after three years' separation "—was struck out by U to 12. Progress was reported on clause 25, with leave to sit again.

FIRST HEADINGS. The Family Homes Protection Bill, the Criminal Code Amendment Bill, the Adoption of Children .Bill, the Auckland and Ps-rnell Endowment Land Bill, the Evidence Further Amendment Bill, and the Hamilton Gasworks Bill were received from the House and read a first time.

SECOND READINGS. The Hon. P. BUCKLEY moved the.second reading of the Native Townsuios Bill, which came from the House. The bill chiefly provides for acquiring Native land in the Upper Wanganui river lor the erection of an accommodation house for tourists.

The bill was read a cecond time and referred to the Native Affairs Committee The COLONIAL SECRE TARY moved the second reading of the Juries Act Amendment Bill, the principal-object, of which-was to do away with the distinction of juries, abolishing the terms of "common" and «• special" jurymen. Another provision was to enable the judge to discbarge a jury whenever he considered that there was no chance, of their asjreein°- on a verdict. The bill, instead of lowering juries' dignity, as it was asserted, was calculated to raise their status and place all juries on the same standing.

After discussion the second readinc was agreed to, and the bill was referred to the Joint Statutes Revision Committee. The Council adjourned to next day.