FRIDAY. OCTOBER 22. In the Legislative Council.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 37

FRIDAY. OCTOBER 22. In the Legislative Council.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The Hon. Dr FIN.DLAY resumed tho debate on the Address-in-Reply. Referring to the Naval Conference, he pointed ont that the Prime Minister went Home for the sole purpose of fuithering the interests of the Empire and the Dominion. Dealing with the Nati\<? Kind question he said that they had to take a- broad view of the subject. Jt t-hov. ,-i\ great ignorance to assume that the Nati\e land question could be settled off hand. He admitted that much more must be done than had been done, though hf contended that a yreat deal had already been done. Speaking of the milk supo!\ question, he stated that power was to he given to the municipalities to control this supply by arrangement v» ith the dairy farmers if passible, but if not. then by the establishment of dairy farms. A pure milk supply was essential, and as a last resource this power would be asked for and would be given. He appealed to the sympathy of all in his efforts to effect prison reform. The time had come to remove New Zealand from the position of being one of the most backward countries in the matter of prieon reform. He condemned the prison system which made retaliation paramount and which ran throughout almost all the prison systems to-day. The aim of modem reform was not the criminal but society, and he would have none of any i-yst-pm that did not protert society. Uiider the system which he proposed there would 'oe less punishment and more encouragement. Sut where a criminaJ was hopeless he

a I would remain in prieon for the rest of his c I life. Last year in the Dominion 5500 r j persons were sent to gaol, and of these s \ upwards of 3000 had been convicted baj fore. That was a shocking waste which y | deserved serious consideration. The s i dead loss on every prisoner was £30 per j annum and then there was the cost of n 7 . the oourts and the police, which brought c the dead loss up to £70 or £80 a year, n There were too many principles to be i- adopted. One was the indeterminate y sentence. There should be a minimum i- penalty, but release should not be made & j at the end of the term until a judge of I the Supreme Court was satisfied that it >• was safe for society to release a prisoner. d Then there should Be classification in '■, the gaols and encouragement held out for reform. Under the system proposed d they would be able to send out men ! qualified for farming and various oceupa- ? j tions. He condemned the practice of I hounding down ex -prisoners instead of " | holding out a hand of encouragement to r them. By introducing certain industries ■ i into the prisons the cost of maintenance ' could be reduced, and if a prisoner chose to work a little harder than required he ' would receive some remuneration. The c object was to protect eociefcy, but was there not a still higher object in the r salvation of men 1 . The Hon. Mr MACDONALD having ' , spoken, and the mover having replied. , the Address was adopted, and the Council ' I adjourned until Wednesday. s | In the Houst of Representatives, fc A LOCAL BILL. Mr KOGAN moved the second reading . i of the Wanganui Catholic Lands Bill to c j authorise the leasing of a valuable block j of land at Wanganui and the removal rj of the church and convent to another % I site equally suitable. The second read- . ing was carried without debate. | WORK OF THE SESSION. ! Sir J. G. WARD made a statement , outlining the woik of the session. Bills j dealing with advances to settlers, loans . ( to .public bodies, land finance, settlement, . , and national annuities, would be introj duced. also legislation embodying t-he r ; Government's proposals regarding defence 1 j and making provision for the payment 1 | for the Dreadnought presented to the k * j Imperial Government. When this bill* 3 was introduced he (the Prime Minister) t proposed to make a statement dealing t with the work of the Defence Conference. I A bill amending the land laws would also s be introduced, and, he hoped, passed this i session. Important proposals connected a with Native lands would be brought' - down, and the House would be avsked to - deal with the licensing difficulty in the - King Country. Bills would be intror duced dealing with miners' trouble and - hospital and charitable aid. These were » • the most important measures, which would receive precedence over all others, j FIRST READINGS. i I The Land Settlement Bill and the j ', ; National Provident Fund Bill were in-fcro- j 3 ' duced by Governor's Message, and v.'ere £ read a first time. HOSPITALS BILL. The Hon. Mr FOWLDS moved the \ . second reading of the Hospitals and 3 Charitable Institutions Bill, winch repeals ■ i the act of 1908. and makes substituted f | provisions, abolishing the distinction beI tween hospital and charitable aid boards ! and combining the functions of main- | taining hospitals and administering chari5 table relief. He said the bill was not ' r I perfect, but he believed that it would \ ' ies>ult in a reform ot the present system, I which would be for the good of the country. He reviewed the problems con- '_ . nected with chaiitable aid. drawing com- ; parisons with the Biitish system. The _ • election for boards would be placed on r ; a more satisfactory basis. | Mr MASSEY appnned generally of the , bill, which would be much improved in > ' committee. '. i Messrs M'Laren. Herdman. Davey, [ | Hall, Reed. Witty, Stallwonhy, . ' M 'Donald, and Dr Buck suppoited the , bill generally. . j Mr FOWLDS replied, and the second reading was canied y^i the \oices. I