N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2905, 17 November 1909, Page 35

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10. IMPREST SUPPLY." The Council met at 2.50 p.m. TJbe Imprest Supply Bill, received froir j the House, passed all its stages. I INFERIOR COURTS PROCEDURE, j The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the j second reading of tbe Inferior Courts] Procedure Bill, which repeals section 7 of j the Judicature Act, and similar provisions o ; " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1908," and • substitutes more extensive provisions *->r ] ijhe" pui*pose of preventing the proceedings ; of the inferior courts from being invali- j dated by technical and formal error. Tbe second reading was carried after a ■discussion, and the bill was referred to the ■Statutes Revision Committee. DESTITUTE PERSONS. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the ■second reading of the Destitute Persons Bill, -which he explanied repeals and' reenacts, 'with numerous alterations, " The Destitute -Persons Act, 1908." Most of the- alterations made by the bill related to 1 details of judicial procedure, the definition of -"near relative" with special reference • to adoption and to illegitimtae relationships, power to order payment on account ■of ' past "'maintenance, an amended definition of "parent," with reference to the liability of a parent for deserting children, better provision as to the attachment of in. t satisfaction of maintenance -orders, further provisions making it dn indictable offence to desert a wife or child "Hj leaving the Dominion, and provision oi' giving effect in New Zealand to affilia- •: ioji and maintenance orders made in Australia. The bill was. read a second time, *nd was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. , The House met at 2.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In answer to questions Ministers stated that : * It was not proposed to inquire into the operations* of the Colonial Sugar Co. It was proposed to ask the House for authority to enable the beet sugar industr .to be established on a proper footing in New Zealand. Mr Justice Edwards' s remarks on November 4 that the Commissioners for the Consolidation of the Statutes had intr.o- . <luced,imyorlant changes in. legislation with out calling the attention ' of , Parliament thereto had been referred to the membersof, the commission for any observations they might wish to make. It was not intended to place a duty on imported coal. • ' FINANCIAL STATEMENT. In the evening the Financial Statement ■was brought down by Governor's Message at 8.25, and its reading occupied till 10.25, when the House rose. -" • . THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11. The Council met at 2,30 p.m. The M'Lean Institute .Bill (Hon. Mr "Wigram) and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Bill (Hon. Mr George) were read a third time .and passed. ' The Council then adjourned until Wednesday, 24th inst. The- House met at 2.30 p.m. LOCAL BILLS. The following local bilk were read a tlird time and passed : —Wellington Water Supply Loan, Moneys Diversion, Waimari County, New Plymouth Recreation and Racecourse Reserve Exchange, Borough of South Dunedin EmMoweruu? Amendment, Auckland and Sub-•i-ban 'Drainage Amendment, Timaru • '.orough Loans Consolidation, and Elles.:.:pre Domain Board Empowering. MARRIAGES ACT AMENDMENT. a the motion to commit the Marriage Ut Amendment Bill (Sir William .Steward), providing for marriage between ;i .deceased wife's niece and a deceased husband's nephew, the Hon. Mr Millar opposed the bill on the ground that it. -came dangerously near allowing marriage "between blood relations and opened the door to bigamy. Subsection 2 required to be entirely redrafted. Sir WILLIAM STEWARD said he would "be the last person in the world to sanction the marriage of blood relatives. Mr MILLAR -said the bill practically meant validating certain marriages which had been contracted since the passing of the act of 1896, and which under the existing law were invalid. , Sir WILLIAM STEWARD said it was ■contrary to public policy to prevent marxiage between persons except on the ground •of consanguinity. At present a man could marry his deceased wife's sister, but not ihis deceased wife's, sister's daughter, though the latter might be a most suitable person. Mr MILLAR moved as an amendment that the words " but before the passing -of this act " be Inserted between the words " parties " and " lawfully " in subsection 2. Tlie amendment was carried by 38 votes to "17. ! On a motion that the bill be set down ior consideration next sitting day, Mr ] ARNOLD moved that the bin be recom- j milted with a view to reconsideirng the j amendment to clause 2. This was agreed i to by 31 votes to 26. Qn , the House going into Committee again, Sir WILLIAM STEWARD moved that Mr Millars amendment be struck out. On the motion being put it was lost ■bj 38 votes to 12. In the- House this evening the Marriage Act Amendment Bill was reported ■with amendments. MUSICIANS BILL. The House then went into Committee •on the New Zealand Society Musicians . Bill, and progress wa« reported. 1

NATIVE LAND LAWS. A bill to consolidate and amend the Native land laws was received by Message from the Governor, and was read a first time. MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE. Mr DIVE moved the second reading of j the Mutual Fire Insurance Amendment Bill, giving power to effect insurance on . premium note or share principle. J The motion was carried on the voices. | IMPORTED COAL. ! The Government states that it is not I intended to place a duty on coal, although \ the quantity of coal imported for the ; year ended 31st December, 1908, exceeded ; that imported in 1906 by 80,341 tons, j The quantity produced in New Zealand ! during the same period increased by 131,439 tone. PUBLIC SERVANTS AND POLITICS. In reply to Mr Witty, the Government to-day 6tated that it was inadvisable for civil servants and railway men to take a prominent part in either local or general politics, and the rule forbidding this had been adopted after mature consideration. Past experience had bhown clearly and unmistakably that when members of^the public service had prominently identified i themselves with local politics they had ultimately come into conflict with one section or another of the local residents, and complaints as to the discharge of the functions of their offices had arisen, to the detriment of the service. In their own interests, therefore, it was undesirable to relax the regulation. GANGWAYS ON TRAINS. The Minister of Railways says that gangways for. the use of passengers passing from car to car have been in use on cars attached to express and mail and the more important passenger trains for about ; 12 years. During that period over 95 I million p.assengerb have been carried by I the railways — the greater bulk of them by the trains mentioned, — and out of this vast number of persons only one fatal accident has occurred to passengers j using the gangway. The matter of pro- ' viding an additional safeguard to the , gangway it., however, receiving attention ' at the present moment, but even where gates are provided to the car's platform, it is a matter of difficulty to keep them shut owing to the thoughtlessness of passengers, who in many cases open them after the trains are in motion and leave ; them so. Guards and other members of ' the railway staff are constantly closing ' gates. i INFERIOR COURTS PROCEDURE. ' Speaking on the second reading of the Inferior, Courts Procedure Bill in the Legislative Council yesterday Dr Findiay' ( said that if the bill had been passed years • ago it would have reduced the earnings of nearly every lawyer. It proposed to remove many of those technical pitfalls j which had aiiways been a fruitful source j oi fees. The history of the improvement i of English jurisprudence showed that the lawyers had from time to time done their best to cut their own throats so far as fees were concerned. Thousands of convictions which had been properly passed had -been quashed owing to some .small technicality. This class of legislation, while it did not amount to a policy measure, was legislation not only for the day or the year, but for years to come. It sought to improve that body of jurisprudence* that had come down to the present generation with what were now considered defects, but which in eailier times were essential for the protection of the subject. The more the Government removed technical defences the better it would be for justice, the administration of law even for trade and commerce, and dealings between man and man. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS DEPARTMENT. A return submitted to the House to-day shows that the net profit made by the Advances to Settlers Department last year was £63,835, as against £48,449 for the previous year. The sum of £209,248 has been written off in regard to loan flotatioa charges, £60,000 has bt»n transferred to the reserve fund, and £44,189 to the sinking fund, the balance on the profit and loss account being £50,742. The total profit made by the department since 1899 is £354,181. PETITION FOR COMPENSATION. Colonel Gudgeon, late Resident Commissioner for the Cook Islands, who has j been a member of the civil service' for over j 40 years, is petitioning Parliament for the '. sum of £1666 (being at the rate of one month's salary for each year of service), in connection with his recent retirement. Colonel Gudgeon states that one of the inducements held out to him by the late Mr Seddon when he accepted nis kite position was that his salary would be raised from £500 to £700, and that his claim to compensation on retirement would be- favourably considered. LIMITATION OF PENSIONS. Some doubt has arisen in the minds of some people as to the intentions expressed in the Budget regarding pensions to civil servants. Sir Joseph Ward stated, in j repjy to a question to-day, that after the j existing rights expire no member of the | public service will be entitled to a higher pension than £250 a year. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12. In the House of Representatives several • members urged ,the Government to deal j sympathetically with the claims of Maori ' war veterans. The Native Land Bill was read a second time, and referred to the ' Native Lands Committee. The Hospital i and Charitable Institutions Bill was con- ! sidered in committee, and progress reported after clause 64 had been passed. Some needles are so small that 4000 only j weigh Joz. |