AN OBNOXIOUS MEASURE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8052, 29 October 1897, Page 4

AN OBNOXIOUS MEASURE.

DEBTS RECOVERY LIMITATION BILL. THROUGH SECOND READING IN THE COUNCIL. [Parliamentary Reporter.] Wellington, to-day. In a perfunctory and half-hearted way the Minister of Education yesterday moved in the Legislative Council the second reading of the Debts Recovery Limitation Bill, giving practically no reasons for his sponsorship of this " Liberal" measure. The Bill was, he explained, designed to shorten the time from six years to two within which actions for debt could be brought. The second portion of the Bill attempted to solve a difficult question by providing that there should be no recovery of debts under £20 for goods sold. It was a matter for consideration whether the Courts of Law should be used so often by creditors to recover debts.

Opposition to the Bill was led by the Hon. Mr Oliver, who said that it proposed to upset the whole foundation upon which the trade of this country had been built up. The passage of the Bill would strike ;i most serious blow at the colony's prosperity. If Ihc principle that credit was a wrong thing was true, it should apply to large as well as small debts. Holding these views he moved that the Bill bo read a second time six months hence. The Hon. Mr Shriniski characterised the measure as a dangerous one, and said it seemed to be educating the people to be dishonest, while Mr Scotland pointed out that in the case of bankruptcy the share of the small trader would simply go to swell the share of the large trader. The Hon. T. Kelly supported the Bill because it would be a means of bringing about cash payments for small accounts, while the Hon. Mr Bolt, in taking the same view, thought that a three years' limit would be a proper period. On the other hand the Hon. Mr Arkwright, another appointee of the present Administration, characterised the Bill as one of the most mischievous of measures, and said that by its introduction the Government were going out of their way to make themselves unpopular and ridiculous. The Hon. Mr Pinkerton supported the second reading in order that a workable measure might be made of it in Committee, and the Hon. Mr Jones also supported it and denounced the credit system. la replying, the Minister of Education said the Courts were being misused in the collection of debts, and the system required amendment and consideration. A tie was the result of the division, the

voting being for the second reading (14) ' Hons. Baillie, Barnicoat, Swanson, Smith' W. Kelly, Kerr, T. Kelly, Jones, Jenkinson) Harris, Reeves, Pinkertou, Bolt, and W. C' Walker. Noes (14): Hons. Reynolds, C. Walker, Richardson, Shrimski, Arkwright, Rigg, Honar, Stevens, Oliver, Johnston, Grace, Williams, Holmes, and Montgomery. The Speaker, in accordance with Parlia. mentary usage, gave his casting vote with the ayes so as to advance tho Bill a stage.