HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Southland Times, Issue 8095, 25 August 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Aug, 24. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Sir J. Yogel introduced a bill to amend the Friendly Societies Act,. lBBo. Replying to Mr Huret, Mr Stout aaid he was not at present able to cay what bills the Government intended going on with this session. It would depend on the progress made at this sitting. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill was recommitted, and Mr Tole moved a now clause, that the bill should not be retrospective in effect. — Agreed to. Mr Samuel moved a new clause that the husband and wife could petition for a divorce where the parties had been separated for seven years. The clause was strongly objected to by several members on the ground of its retrospective character. Mr Samuel said he was willing to amend the clause so as to provide that it should not come into operation till a, year after the passing of this Act. Seddon moved to add a proviso " after the passing of this Act" to the clause. A lengthy discussion arose on the amendmentyduring which Mr Hurst moved to report progress. Mr Tole objected to the clause altogether, He eaid he hoped the House would reject it without further debate. It was also very questionable whether Her Majesty would assent to the bill if euch a clause were inserted. — Motion for reporting progress lost. Mr Sed<ion withdrew his amend ment,and then moved that the Speaker leave the chair. — Lost on the voices. Mr Samuel moved a further new clause that a petition for divorce may be presented by a husband and wife if either has since the celebration of the marriage bonds been convicted ofjan indiotable offence, and imprisoned for not less than Beven years.— The committee divided on second reading of the clause : Ayes, 40 ; noes, 35. Mr Beddon moved, after the word " convicted," " after the coming into operation of tfaiß Act"— Amendment carried by 39 to 33. Mr Dargaville.moved that the Chairman leave the chair. — Lost, Mr Dowuie Stewart moved to insert the word " four" instead of t( seven" years.— Lost on the voices. A division took place on the motion that the clause as amended be added to the bill. —Ayes, 38 ; noes, 34. Mr Samuel moved a new clause providing that a divorce may be asked for on the grounds of either husband or wife being confined in a lunatio asylum for seven years continuously. Mr J, 0, Buckland moved to report progress, Mr Fulton said he should move that the clauses Bhould only apply where there were no children. — Motion for reporting progresa lost by 39 to 30. Mr Turn bull moved that the Chairman leave the chair. — Lost by 42 to 26. Mr J. 0. Buckland moved again that progress be reported. He saidfft was absurd that at this stage of the session the time of the House should be wasted in discussing bills of this description. Mr Turn bull supported the motion to report progress. He said the tendency of the whole session had been to bring down bills, get them through committee, and then introduce a large number of clauses wholly irrelevant to the original bill.-— Motion for reporting progress lost by 43 to 10. Mr Dargaville moved that the Chairman do leave the chair.— Motiop. lost by 43 to 18, Mr Samuel said he now recognised that some members of the committee were determined to obstruct the bill. He would therefore move that progress be reported, Mr Eolleston said that clauses of this kind should undoubtedly be brought down in a corporate bill. He contended that the Government had put them in a false position by the manner in which they had treated the question. The Government knew there was not the slightest chance of the bill passing, and it was simply wasting time diacuseing it further. — After considerable discussion the motion for re* porting progress was carried, The House went into Committee of Supply, Imprest Supply Bill for L 300,000 was paßsed through all its Btages. Sir J. Yogel moved the second reading of the Government Officers' Guarantee Bill. He said the bill was similar to one passed in 1879. One of the principal alterations in the bill was to bring the Civil servants within its operation.— Agreed to. The House went into committee on the Justices of Peace Act Amendment Bill. In clause 20— rota of justices— an amendment was proposed to make the bill applicable to boroughs. — Agreed to. Injjclause 21— justice twice absenting himself from attendance to vacate his office — Mr Tole moved an amendment that the justice should make an explanation of nonattendance within one month, and if no explanation given he should be struck ofE the commission— Clause agroe to. The bill was read a third time and passed. Progress was reported on the Bating Act [ Amendment Bill. The House rose at 2 a.m.