GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13999, 4 September 1907, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER' 3.

Tho Counoil met at 2.30 p.m. ; PROTECTION OF' INFANT iLIFE. Hon. Dr COLLINS moved-" That it is desirable that the provisions especially iu regard ,to 'inspection at present in force for-theprotection, of infant ltfo be taken into consideration' by" tho Council." The speaker stated that New. Zealand had done a, groat deal for tho protection of infant litPi but it was possible to do more. The act of 1896 was an admirable moaeure, and had'resuttodMn gcod work being done, but it was deloctivo as. regards tho matter ofinspection;.'.. The- police,, he maintained, thbussh conscientiously doing their , duty; \vero~ unfit.'for'tho .position, because th'oro wero>many things requisite whioh were beyond their capacity. There were tions such, as .ventilation, sanitary requirements, ascertaining the condition of the body/of a child,; etc. .* "Wliat was necessary was tho appointment of trainod, nurses as ■inspectors. ■ Another point was that the keener of a. home was very often dependent upo'n tho -imoney received for infants, and this did not- tend to the proper care of children, aml'if tho polico were to be in any wav . concerned in the administration of the a^ct , it should be in <he direction of preventing infants being removed from a home whoa it was against the intereste of a child.-Receiving homes did! good work, and for many years, the Industrial' Schools Act bad been working satisfactorily. Hβ was..opposed .to a big institution, and thought? a great essential was home life for unfortunate children. With regard to milk for children, ho. advocated that tho municipalities should control tho supply, and that the milk should be properly tested from tho cow to the child. The,,Hon: Dr FINDLAY mi the subject \\[ke of 6ueh importance that the Goyernmojit for.somo time part, had been considering.',tho' best way' in which to furthor; prdteot',infant •life, and he would indicate tho' direction in which the Governmerit iritendocl to riiovo in the matter. It wae one of-the mbst important social questions wliich' modern civilisation had to face, and it was-tho duty of the Government to protect those whose helplesaneas wna not their own 'fault. Ho quoted largely'to show tho infant mortality and the decreaeo in the. birth rate, and eaid that the great inoreasa in 'infant ■■ mortality was due to causes that could be avoided. Hβ lelt that the proseiit method of inspection wa6 unde'sireble, and that homee Bhould 1 be under the supervision of trained nurses. The systemjof homes resulted in hard bargains being made for tho caro of a child. Ap- i prentices "wCro protected and dressmakers wore protected, but bargains could bo' made for the'protection of infant life under the present law.' The Government intended'to put an ond to police supervision of homes and transfers/it to. the Education Department. He was of opinion that ah officer of "tho department should have a say'in the choice; of a'home, that the Stato shouW rcceivo the money from tho parent of the child and: pay it' to tho fostor-mother, that the State : should also' have a..say in the choice of, the home, and that there- should :■ be.'inquiry' into the death of every child who had been in euoh a home, -whether it died in of after leaving the' home. The debate was adjourned until next day. THE LATE HON. MR JOHNSTON. The ■', ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved- " Tliat tho. Council places on record its high scries.of the services rendered by the late.Hon. Mr Johnston and an expression of sympathy with hie relatives." - Tho Council , rose at 4 p.m. out of -seeped to tho memory, of the deceased.

HOUSE OF EKPRESENTATIVIia

TUESDAY,. SEPTEMBER 3. Tjie House met at 2.30 p.m. CONTROL OF. INFANT HOMES. In reply to Mr T. Mackenzie, the PRIME MlNlSTEß'intimated that the control of registered infant homes under the Infant Life Protection Act would be transferred' to the Education Department. _ Authority had already been (riven, but it. would require legislation;- which would be introduced this Bcssion.

THE LATE HON. MR JOHNSTON. The PRIME'MINISTER, referring to the death' of tho Hon. W. Johnston, traced his connection wilh Parliament, and eulogised hie qualifications and tho Bcrvicea he had rendered to tho oolony. Hβ raovwl'"fhat tho Houeo Tecorda its regret at tho death' of tho Hon. Mr Johnnton, and placee on record • its high se-nw of the faithful sorvicee rendered .to tho colony by the deceased ftm'»tho loss the country, has sue-rained-by,: his death, and that the House ■oxpreseee its sympathy with the deceased's "Mr MASSEY end Mr STEVENS aleo spoke in eulogktio terms of the deceased.' Tho House adjourned at 3.30 p.m. '-. ',• MBNiNG^rrnNG. The House resmned at 7.30 and . went into committee on tho Tariff Bill. ; Tho Hon. Mr MILLAR eaid lie desired to amend the item "Boots, etc., Is• od per pair and 15 per cent, n<l valorem," bo that'fcho duty should not take effect until after Ootobdr 31, 1907. I-' Tlie amcntlmeiit was agreed to. . Class 8 (furnitare and household furriiahing) was.agreed to imaltered. At' oW 9 (china, fflass, and einheri (roods). Mr AITKEN urged that preference should be given to British-manufactured glass ■ ' < ■ : Mr MILLAR said tho reason preference vvas not given to British-made glass was duo to the fact that a combination existed jin England,., and it was impossible 'to i.proouro glass except from one firm (Pil.kingtone), and it was represented to him ; that Pilkinfftons were putting up , prices in consequence of the proforence which had ,CXiSt€d. .'■•■;■ ! ■ Mi- AITKEN said tho carao of the tßritiah combination was for solf-proteotion iilgoirist American, Belgian,' and German ■fflass. ' - - •'■■■• Mr HARDY said that Belgian glase wae iinuoh cheaper than' British; He urged that preference- should be given to British manufactures. ''Ho asserted that glass of British make was cheaper now than ever ■before.- •■''■ •" ■ . ~ ■ ■ Mr MILIjAB eaid he would coneider, the (juestion when.- dealing with the preferential tariff. ■•■.! ■ .' i IMr BARBER said they were not keeping faith' with' the utterances of tlie Prime Minister when in England, oe they were .reducing the duty on glass to' foreigners iby 3s por hundred feet,.and to English rriamifaoturers by only 2s. ; iTlie PRLME MINISTER said lie had 'jibver niatlo-a. statement that ho would support any''-English syndicate which would Kayo-a monopoly ■of the glass trade in N,ew Zealand'and penalise tho people by reason of the extra cost'that would be made in .(he erection of buildings. Tlie member for. Nowtown, ho added, had taken no notice of the amount of preference that had been granted, to British .reianirfacturers whem • making his deductions.' ■■■-'-■■ "'.■,.

■jClass 9 was agreed to unaltered. ;■ ■-1 At class-10 (tancy goods and toys, _ also sporting, gaming, and .athletic requisite not otherwise'', enumerated, including billiaid tables.'and billiard requisites, hair and toilet '■ combs, 20 per cent.) Mr MASSEY asked what was. the Minister's reason, for reducing billiard tables from 25 to 20 per cent; ; 'Mr. MILLAR explained that billiard 'tables had previously entered' under various headings—fancy goods, cloth, slate, etc. BilliaTd tables also camo in as _dimnfr ti'nlos, and it .was decided to bring billiard tables under one heading. ■Mr HARDY pleaded for cheap toys. -.. ;Mr HEKE urged Ihat playjng eartle ehoiild be prohibited, so that local industry could be benefited. ■.'■•'•'

' :Mr FISHER ui-Rod that.' as. greenstone CQiiid onlybo c'ut and polished in Germany, unmounted.. greenstone should bo allowed in free, so as to benefit the jewellers, who could mount' stone's here.

.-■v'ifir. MILLAR said the suggestion would (lefeat tho object of the duty. Thoro were a> numbci: of'greenstone in the in , feet, all tho greenstone ornaments --proserkted to tho Duko of York were looally out and mounted. If jeweHcra desired to send their' greenstone to ttermany.to bo ant and polished, (hen they ''must • lw ' prepared • to pay duty on ils return. •■•'■-.'

..jMf SEDDON eaid thai; representative: jewellers wlio'Jiad on. the llinistor ha<( stated .that the!;local cutters were only! ablb to make' two designs^—a heart an' , .a 1 bar. Further,' 1" -.y were very crude and wasteful'i m their-, work, -whereas ,t.h<\. cutters in tJirminghcn: .and- GtsTminy, hdnnff (lone this class of work for yc«.rs, were abie "to. finish tho article -without undue waste. He urged that unmonnied prnenstone should be allowed in'free.- ■ Mr MILLAR. sa.id the duty would riot in any way -interfere with the exp'ort" of greoristpne, but he was • opposed to adcirt:

' clergymen," auctioneers, publio speakers, arid teachers' sort, throats, Tossi-. cob'a will be found a'never-falling rerh'edj, •&>Jd bjf ; all.gQod jhemisteand Brocexa.' r - ■ •

ting unmounted ijreeiWtone duty free The stono wae got in the colony, and thoro were men capablo of cufctxn# it here, 6O Jio did not bm whj it should bo admitted

free. Mr FISHER urged that unmounted stono bo admitted at 20 per cent. aitd'V higher duty placed on mounted stones. Mt MILLAR, quoting a local jeweller, who had appealed foi tho romoval of the duty, said the head office of his firm was in Germany, and ho" sent his stone there to be cut ai» polished. , ,' The Hon. Mr GUINNESS, said it waa inconsietent to admit, mounted and unmounted grcenstono at the samp rate. Mr SEDDON moved an amendment to place -unmounted- .greenstone-.'pn tho Jroe liet, but this was iicgatived by 38 votes to 26. ...:■■ ■■ ; ■:,;■■ ! J

: Mr AITKEN urged that magic lanterns should bo-, placed on tho freo list, a<3 they, were .used .for educational purposes.' < ■ ■

MrWIL-ifORD said;that as films for cinematographs were on'the freo list ho con-" ' sidored that slides for magjo lanterns should also bo admitted freo. Hβ moved an amendment to oxcludo magic lantern slides from 20 per. cent, duty with a. view to their being placed on the free list when' under , discussion. ■ .7 .

Mr -MILLAR : accepted tho amendment, whioh was agreed to. ..••., . Mt MANDER moved an amendment to place sensitised.postcards on tho freo list. This-.was' negatived/by. 46 votes t0.17. ' Mr HARDY moved:,to omit the following paragraph, from .pictures, paintings, etc, 20 per ooiitu "Note. Any painting v " drawing, or ■ photograph ■. in any liaving a yeW for. jiuty exceeding £5. shall be assessed for doty., at £5,, plus'the. value of tho frame ■ and mounting, if .any, and plus ,the value of the canvas or other material upon, -which such painting, jka'wing, or photograph , - is made.' Ho said the Minister was taxing the,poor man's.boots, but TO allowing the-'.wealthy man's pictures "in praotioally freo iinde.? this\proviMr TAMER supported the amendment, which \W-accepted':by Mi Miliar j, and • which was agreed.to on the wioes. ■;-, Mr MASSEY wgod- that preference'Oβ:; granted to TOtches of British manufuoture. Mr GUttJiSS maintained that if prefcrenco wae ; grianted/to i'British-manufaotured ( watcacs it would moan that weslwuld get , some cheap watches similar to, German and Swiss' watches. Ho 'added that wo would 1)6 carrying out ti&i iritention of this Government to grant proforonco'to Bntaiii. Many vrtrtches from Swass, German, • and , American moniifactutere were not what they were represented to ba, and we should gaunt preference to British TOamitachureis, wlio placed the proper material' in the watohea. ' ,; • ' ' " '" ■'■'" -T3io item watches (20 per, cent.) was agreed to;uoaltered. , ~, ■ -. "' , At paperhanginga, whioh- are at 15 per cent, until the ond of-the year, and thereafter free,- Mr AITKEN said.-that, those paperhanginga could, be purchased as cheap , here, as in the Old Country, and ho did not think exomption frpm duty would in any way lessen tho cost of erection oE any, building. Ho urged that iE It to bring theso papers in freo it should, bo . dono immediately, as the tepapcring, of; a house was alwaj-g done in- tno epring. .no moved to retain tho dte'V „'..'■„,'' The motion was negatived % 50 votes w

11. " V The House then rose.