GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10422, 26 July 1895, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THURSDAY, JULY 25. The Council mat tf, 2 30 p.m. MOTIONS The Hon. S. E. SHKIMSKI moved that tho cvideuce recently givon in the Chrietchurch Resident MugUtvaWa Court in connection with tue sale of mWicating li quO r on Sundays and the judgment, on as.nm be kid upon tho table at an early datfi —Agrood to. The Hon. J. MACGREOOR moved that the graud jury systum, bbiuj. unnecessary, it be abolished, and the Goverumenl; be requested to bring in a bill to that effgoi. Tha hon. fjentleman said taut New Zealand, althongh in rainy respects far ahead of the riotar colonies, was far behind them in tho matter of grand juries. The Bjstem was an effete and haphazard one, and entailed upon tho country a great and uaelw33 expense.

The SPEAKER said the motion was a totally different one from that of which Mr BUcGre-or had given notice, and thereforo it could not" bo put. i

The original motion was withdrawn, and Mr MacGregor gave notice of the amended motion tor the following day.

FAMILY HOJIES PROTECTION BILL The Hon. Mr MONTGOMERY moved th° second reading of the Family Homes Protection Bill, which originated iv fch« House rhe H0n..8. C. J. STBVBNS said tkt the bill was needless inasmuch as at the present lime a man could do vary much what the bill sought to accomplish. He drsirad to point out tliafc a person with very gcod intentions at the tiir.o of making a settlement might become involved within 12 month?, and his family would therefore be deprived of the benefit; he had hoped to Besure. There were other points in the bill, such as the recovery of i-ht-^s, which would require the closest attention 'of the Council.

The second reading was 'agreed to on the voicts. CRIMINAT/CODE BILI,; The ATTOItNEtf-GKNERAL moved the second reading of the Crimiual Code Act Amendment Bill, which name trom the House The Hon. G. M'LHAN opposed the bill cm ' general grounds. If the bill rested at, clause 2, repealing the acfc of l*sfc year, he should agree that it would be of service.. He entirely dis- ' agreed with the proposition to raise, the age of | consent. He thought that girls ot » loose character wtio enticed boys should be »cvcre!y punished, because ho believed that Ihesc sireus were at fhtj root of a great deal of the criminality of boya. The Hon. W. JENNINGS-objected to the remarks of Mr M'Lean. He thought boys could very well take care of themselvss. He considered tho age of consent should be raiFed. The Hon. J. A, BONAR ridiculed the idea of Again raising tbe age of copneat., Iho' Hon; J. KERR would' support any' bill the effort of -which would "be to protect our girls. .After further debate, the second reading* was carried on the voices. SECOND KKAPINGS. * The Adoption of Children Bill and the Auckland and Parnell Endowment Lands' Bill were read a. second time, ami the latter was referred to the Waste Lands Committee The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Evidence Further, Amendment Bill and the Cosoniisaioners' Powers Bill, vrhich were introduced in the House.—Both' bills wore read a second time. ' CD. ACT BEPKAT, BILL. The COLONIAL SECRETARY movc-d the second reading of the Contagiouj Diseases Act Repeal Bill, which camo fcom the Hon»o. - The Hon. Dr POLLEN strenuously opposed the bill. The act had bceu on the Statute Book for a great number of years, and virlunlly it wss a dead letter. He should advise tho Government to let well alone, and not endeavour to repeal an existing act which in 1869 pasfed the Lower Houbo at one pitting and without one dissentient voice. Every magistrate and 'police inspector had borne testimony that in sny town or. borough in which, the act had been in operation its effects had been,most 'effective. Ihe ton. gentleman gnva several instances which had come under bis notice, showing t'Jo necessity for retaining the act on tho Statute Look-. It would, in his opinion, be dongerous to repeal the ac:, and therefore he moved a<? "n amendment that the bill be read a second time that day six months. Tfa^n l 0- Sir G> WHITMORE also opposed the bill. The women who were averso to the existing act, fortunately for thenuelvee, -were I totally ignorant ot the effect of the act or they ' would not desire it& repeal ihß Hon G M'LESASr, in opposing tho repeal of the bill, remarked that Dr Pollen dtsarved the thanks of the Council and country , tor his outspokenness pn this question, snd he guaranteed, if the act was put into forc° in , evpry town and borough in the colonj prostitution would be .diminished by a hundred per cent. t . The Hon. It. PHARAZYN. regarded CW tagioiu ' DiaeßMui Acts as positive evils nnd *a being calculated to increase the evils they Eonghfc to eradicate ralhcr than.to diminish then1.. V", T? on.-.5- JBNNINGS 'strongly tupported the bill, and in support said if fcho act wero maintained it would have the effect of building up vested interests in the profession of prostitution which tJie Lsgislature and country would ever regret With scorn, h? hurled back the imputation of Dr Pollen that Auckland was an immoral place. The Hon. J. UIGG mcvsd the adjournment i oi the debate, which was agreed to j .The Council adjourned till next day.