PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9261, 26 September 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

+ A PEOPLE THAT SAT IN DARKNESS.

(From Our Parliamentary Beporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An almost unique Incident occurred in the House shortly before the supper adjournment last night. Mr Fowlds was strongly inveighing against the action of certain members in attacking Mr Stead for his pro-Boer writings, when slowly the electric light 'got lower and lower, and finally went out altogether, leaving the House and precincts in absolute darkness. It was useless adjourning, as every part of the House was as dark as the Chamber itself, and so the debate proceeded. Members, of course, waxed humorous over the failure of the electric light to stand what the member for Auckland was saying, and matches were lit in all directions, while the Acting Chairman of Committees lost no time in having a couple of candles brought in to enable him to guide the House through the thorny paths of the Estimates. In about three minutes, however, the light again made its appearance, candles were ignominiously ejected, and the House resumed its normal state. BREACH OF PROMISE. A few interesting opinions on the question of breach of promise of marriage actions were voiced by members of the Legislative Council yesterday during the discussion of the Law Amendment Bill. The clause under consideration set forth that in any action for breach of promise of maniage not more than £550 should be recoverable as damages, except where the plaintiff proved to the satisfaction of the Court or jury that she had been seduced by the defendant. The Hon. C. C. Bowen said he wondered how ever the specified sum had been arrived at. What had induced the Statutes Revision Committee to. add £50 to the £500 originally in the Bill? Colonel Pitt explained that the £50 had been added in order to enable the plaintiff to have a trial by jury, if she so preferred it, as under the law a breach of promise action for over £500 must be tried by jury, and under that amount by His Honor -the Judge alone. He (the speaker) thought the question of damages should rather be a question for the Court, as proportionate to the position of the parties and merits or demerits of the case. It might be that a trifling lover was a wealthy man, and £550 would be nothing for gilding a lady to him. The Hon. C. Louisson said he objected to the clause. ■He could not see how the amount was arrived at. There was no justice in. it. The amount should depend on the position of the parties. There might be individuals who might think it very_ cheap amusement to be allowed to trifle with a girl's affections for £550. A man might become engaged to a girl for a year or two without any serious intention, knowing that he could get rid of the bargain at any time by paying £550. The Minister of Education (Hon. W. C. Walker) said the action for breach of promise of marriage was the most unworthy that ever soiled a court of law. In nine cases out of ten the woman was not worthy of consideration who appealed to the Court. His opinion was that the woman who could parade her feelings in open Court and assess them at so much in pounds, shillings, and pence, and have them assessed by the Court at the figure she demanded, or less, was not a woman at all. (Cries of "Oh," and laughter.) He, therefore, as the clause stood, agreed with it. There were cases, of course, where the plaintiff had been seduced by the defendant under promise of marriage. The woman who was so case-hardened as to put up with an assessment of her feelings in damages in money by the Court was unworthy of consideration. The clause was struck out by 18 votes to 7. THE LIBERAL ORGANISER. Much comment has been caused by the following circular issued by Mr Arthur Edwards, Liberal Organiser, to the electors of Patea: — "In view of the possibility of another election, it is necessaiy that we should at once put forth all the energy at our command to see that every elector entitled to a vote in the Patea electorate is on the roll. In the event of the late election being declared null and void, the writ will be issued immediately, and as the roll will then be closed, it is imperative that no time be lost, and we should be alert to get on the roll all whose names have been struck out for not voting at the last election, or whose names have never been on the roll before. When we remember that the last election was decided by the narrowest majority possible, a single unit, the value of each individual vote is apparent, and we cannot impress too strongly upon every elector the absolute necessity for his or her one particular vote Will you do your share in the coming struggle by seeing that your own name and the name of yoHir friends and neighbors are on the roll? A copy of the roll and forms for enrolling electors can be obtained at any post office. When the form is signed by the elector and witnessed by another elector whose name is already on the rojl, it should be posted to the Registrar of Electors, Patea No stamp is needed." PRIVATE MEMBERS' LEGISLATION. In the Legislative Council yesterday private members' legislation was taken. The Invercargill Reserve Leasing Bill was read a third time. The Law Amendment Bill was put through Committee. The Counties Amendment Bill 1901 (to safeguard the right of the Waimakariri Road Board), the Statutes Compensation Bill, and the Miners' Rights Fee Reduction Bill and the Shop and Shop Assistants Act Amendment Bill (providing a statutory weekly half-holiday for chemists) were read a second time. The Cigarett Smoking by Youths Prohibition Bill was amended in Committee so as to prohibit the use of tobacco by youths in any form, and the measure was reported with amendments. The House was exclusively occupied with consideration of the Estimates. JOTTINGS. A very full and free discussion is anticipated this afternoon over the vote of £2250 to recoup His Excellency for his entertainment of the Royal visitors. The item will be vigorously resisted by a large section of the House. A Bill is being introduced to refund to the Governor moneys which he expended on behalf of the colony in entertaining Royalty. The Premier explained to the House that he had taken this course at the eleventh hour to prevent an acrimonious debate on the Estimates.