PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM THE PRESS' GALLERY. (Fboji Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 8.- •' 'Mr Thomas Mackenzio lias given notica to move, in connection with tho Otago Harbour Board Bill, an amendment as follows;—" Provided that no portion', of tho 6aid loan shall •bo expended on tho Upper Harbour until convenient and sufficient access, to, and accommodation for, 12,000-ton boats is provided at tho Lower Harbour." . .

In tho House this evening Mr.E.6, Allen referred to tho proposal to convert " Tho Camp" on Otago Peninsula into e homo for the criminal insane. He «ai| that a vigorous protest by the Tcsklenta o{ tho Peninsula had bcon made against " Th® Camp" being 'used for thai purpose.' ' I(j was understood that this property was acquired wherein to houso tho ' ecnilo patients of tho colony. There were hundreds of such patients, who should not be kept in tho ordinary mental hospitals. Ha, admitted that. the authorities had matin reasonablo provision to prevent escapes, but-there was no guaranteo that patients would not escape, and that was what alarmed the residents. Tho harbour eid« of the Peninsula was largely used as, a summer resort for tho people of Dunedin. Tho property-owners complained that .tha introduction of dangerous patients wouls deprcciato the value of their properties Ho hoped tho Government would abandon tho idea of tho project. . A QUESTION OF PRINTING.

Tho question of printing the evidenes given before the committeo on the Caversham Gas Bill was discussed in tho Houso this afternoon. Mr Flatman moved that ib bo printed. Objection was' taken to thisbecause of t.hp unnecessary expense and tho 'xact that tho. evidence was on quite * bill from the on© now submitted Tho motion was lost on tho voioee, and i| was decided gimply to lay tho evidence o£ tho tablo .of the Home.