PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 4, 17 July 1894, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

FOR THE WEEK. July 10. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. A. Bill to amend the law concerning illegitimate children, so as to enable them to be ligitimatised upon the marriage of their parents, was read a firsis time on Mr McGregor's motion. HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES. ELECTORAL SIGHTS. Mr Thomas McKenzie gave notice to move, on going into Committee of Supply, that electoral rights be granted to the women of the colony. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE. The Hon Mr Seddon moved, That Mr R. Guinness, member for Greymouth, be appointed Chairman of Committees. He spoke of the great ability and impartiality shown by that hen member in the position last session. He also mentioned that the Government had offered the appointment to Major Steward, bnt he had declined it. Mr Mitchelson offered no objection to Mr Guinness* appointment, but he hoped that hon gentleman would act more impartially in the chair than he had! done last session. The motion was agreed to. BELLAMY'S. Mr George Hutchison moved, That the House agree with the report of the Joint House Committee to the effect that the sale of liquor be allowed in Bellamy's for the present session only. On the division the motion was earned by 84 to 28. July 11. CRIMINAL CODE ACT. On the motion of Mr Guinness, the Criminal Code Act 1898 Amendment Bill, to enable a jury in criminal cases to return a verdict of «' not proven," wai read a second time. FEMALE LEGISLATION. Dr Newman moved the second reading of a Bill to admit women to the General Assembly of New Zealand. He held that as women now possessed the franchise in the colony there was no reason whatever why they should be subject to the disability of not being allowed to sit in Parliament. The division on the second reading resulted in a tie. Ayes, 28; noes, 28. The Speaker said the women of New Zealand had behaved so well in the exercise of tbe franchise conferred on them by the last Parliament that he felt it his doty to confer a higher privilege on them. He should therefor© give Lis casting vote for tbe ayes, in favor of the Bill, and declared the second reading carried. PHARMACY BILL. Dr Newman moved the second reading of tbe Pharmacy Bill, to consolidate and amend the law relating to pharmacy. After a short debate the motion was agreed to on the voices. PROHIBITION. Mr McGuire moved the second reading of the Importation and Manufacture of Intoxicating Liquois Prohition Bill. He claimed that the measure struck at ihe root of the liquor difficulty. The motion for the second reading was lost by 89 to 12. Jdy 12. QUESTIONS. In replying to questions it was stated that if the Education Boards did not themselves provide for appeal for teachers in the case of grievances arising the Government would introduce legislation nest year in that direction; that it was not intended this session to introduce legislation enabling women to be appointed Justices of tho Peace, but a Bil! to ellow the appointment of women as official visitors for gaols and lunatic asylums wai) now before the House; that the regulation would be r/ucHshed requiring a police constable to produce a certificate of character as to his prospective bride before he receives permission to marry. INSTITUTE OF JOUBNALISTS. Sir E. Stout moved the second reading of the N.Z. lasiituise of Journalists Bill, to provide for the incorporation of the N.Z. Institute of Journalists. He said the Bill had pasued in the Legislative Council last year* but it was merely meant to give legal status to a voluntary association. Mr Duncan moved the adjournment of the debate on the ground that member -i had not an opportunity of studying its provisions. The Hon Mr McKenzie supported the adjournment of the debate, which was carried by 88 to 20. GAMING BILL. The House went into Committee on the Gaming Bill. Clause 3: Selling totr.Hsator tickets to or purchasing for rn "nfant, an offence. Mr Russell (Riccarton) moved an amendment to provide for imprisonment only for betting with an infant instead of a fine or imprisonment. Captain Russell (Hawke's Bay) was very anxious to see the Bill get through, but if this ame ->d*uent were insertod there woidd be no chance of its passing. The amendment was lost by 44 to 15, and the clause passed. Clause 5 : Limitation of totalizator licenses. Mr W. Hutchison moved an amendment, the effect of which would be to abolish the totahsator altogether. The amendment was lost by 32 to 24, and the iotalisator retained. Sir Robert Stout moved that seventy-five licenses for the totaliaator is the year be granted instead of fifty, as proposed in he Bill. Captain Russell said that sc sure as the totahsator licenses were limited, so sure they would have bookmakers, as racing would go on in any case. He suggested that tbe House shod 1 fix the number of days on which raclog should be held, say under two hundred. The Hon, Mr Seddon thoug" i tbat

two licenses should be granted to metropolitan or other clubs. Mr Lawx-y urjed that the matter be d&tered till ciier the racing conference met, and moved that progress be re^oried. Lost by 40 to 18. July 18. AUCTIONEEBS ACT AMENDMENT. The Auctioneers Act Amendment Bill passed through committee. BEVISION OF STANDING ORDERS. Sir Maurice Q'Eorke's closure proposals were rejected by 41 to 12. The following time limits were agreed to : That no memLc, shall cpon!: more than half an hour on any del&ts, except in debates on tiia Ad.'i-ess-in-Roply, Ilxneial 3j£'.e :.: ■ no-ccnS-denca motion, moving the second reading of a Bill, or on the Appropriation Bill, when members may s;:eak one hour. In committee no member shall speak more than ten minutes at one time, or more than four times on one question, provided the rule does not apply to the member in charge of a Bill, or a Minister delivering a Financial Statement. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Flatmen is to move that the revenue derived from the totalisator be doubled, and that ijb go to the old age pension. The difference in the amount of salaries paid to school teachers must, says the Minister of Education, be galling to many of them, and Parliament would have to be asked to take action. Friction having taken place between the Publio Trust and Audit Departments, the Cabinet will consider the desirability of a Select Committee enquiring into the worlring of both departments.