HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Southland Times, Issue 19118, 7 August 1903, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

when a number of local billfr had be«h disposed ot this afternoon, Sir Wm. Steward's bills-^Etectoral Art 'Amendment ana Marriages Restriction Removal —were read a second time pro "forma. ■"-, ; n DhAiiATic^c^ "Mr Field imoved^the' second reading of this measure; which is destined to !"•■'* prevent the piracy of copyright plays — nothing very common: in thi& colony. — Mr'-Seddon' supported the" measurei'- and . aaid' that if ihe House affirmed the principle of -the bill the Colonial Treasurer was willing to taker it v up-;as a Government meas«re>~Mr Herries thought the bill might fall harshly on -innocent p^r~ sons who played "Charlie's Aunt ■*• or some such play^ for charitable —Mr Massey adopted;" i. similar attitude, and said a fine up tb" £100 seemed rath-, er .high. We were lessOmercihifc than .-■; England, surely.— Mr -Hogg questioned Avhet^erVwe. at the instance of ■'WllUiim-':--.r-sons with pbor strolling playe'ra.— -Other . niecibers. also vcouiplftined*;of^ the drastic : . nature of the Uill,* which^Tpfbvides Imprisonment if the fine " be jjbt'paid." — The bill was read «• second time by S9 to 17, and will be committed on the 22nd ■inst. :::•:•:..-.■ ; . •■■■ ' .■.- v .--" „'■-. :"m^v ■•%■ ; -- THE IvEG^j X .?. 3rf r Jtaiime 'moved: .the : Becoiid" reading of : the Luiv Practitioners Act Amendment; Bill> which provide? tfcat after four yeaiyr - sorvice $s an ■ Articled clerk ~ a person shall be entitled to practice as a barrister upon 'passing? tlie : law ej?ani.V tliUB "doing away with the nec'essity> for passing th&-: ba.rrist^av, geheiral v Jtnowledgo exam. The discussion on: the ,bijil, lasted till the 5.30 when it , had to be interruptetfy -and probably no hioro wiH be heai;d of :itit,biß .session. • ■ -'i^ ,-.■.'■;■■■;. '^^ito^^it^^ff .:;;■■■■. : rt;^}'' „.■'■'' ißesuTOinfi : the vdebßtp oii> this bill to^aigiitr" --Mr aiii ■c i orattj*«<3O -^tue we« that , ttte;- application f pt "■■ th)s principle^ woaid destroy the cohesion of ihe Cab- i Jnetv.rTbe^Minis^^'£M!'9oi-Val!R:ciyfi~.-t(eea' : '':~, unanSnious, arid there was no' reasoia' whyi thgy^shpuld^ .be<^-Mr :J.,. ,V; „'Ji*i»QPlßo> I.>wlia1 .> wlia a "^broVigr^BUppyrter 6t v! tli6:bill':> •VHe ? Hatd .it-- was utterly inipos^ible for, one -Wi^t 9 " t6f- ; to- .properly- joaaage3 ; h»w??a-do,3sQti large departments. At the present time vee "could have an autocracy within iba democracy. The .watchword of' the Ministry was ■."■"•Trtist''" the; people 1 . rr : they should trust, the ' representatlvee of the people. .There should be conHnitteea con-, ,-•; trolling ! Railway hands: and other>.de- ; ; parfcments, with Ministers as exectttwo; : heads of thosa.comknittees. Thejrvwbuld ; base ■■'in;- an :electi.v B i^ecutivft^n united by principle ; there would bo i&ore frefedoan, and the position of nuymbere v?ould be snore dignified. Mr. Thonison qubted from the :, opinions of;. SteM writers, thintaers and st«tes!men, to show; bow strong the angumeoat was against tn» . preaent systenj- of government. _ -v My 1'": ir Si4«^ c(ppo?ed the b»U, .but tHoUght ;- : '.tb9re be ■* reconstruction. : of the Alinistry. . , HOB.^ ;Ci Mills opposed^rtbe .bl^: <^<1 wam^-to kiiow Vfti*st>ns /pn chaaigiug tha present system. ' * n " ' ; , : . Mr Vile challenged- th« Preauer to teat th© feeling o£ the people olt this oues? tion through- the medium of the totalwator. }'■'.-.■.'.: -■-'''.'■■^-"s.'r /-.■■''■■:*. ■• :• ■••■' • ■"'■■■'•» Mr Bedford said : ments were an Insult" to the House. Ho inferred that mepab^rs, werg not; ap cqmpetent as he was to. choose a ministry that would work hsJinpntoUsly together. He contended that members couWcnopso a- Cabiuot; quite as well as Mr Seddbn, and : if - thti ? I^ousc .had : tUe ; cUri^p tbey .'■'■'■ ■■•■'". ■'■.. - : '"■■-'■ •.'■■■■.■■■• ■ ■ .■.-.-.,*■ s-^>--i^

would elect a much stronger Cabinet than the present one. What power had the Governor at present ? The Premier recommended appointments, and in every instance his recommendations were given | effect to. .-.--....-... .: Mr Donald Reid .also, supported _■ , the Mr ITanan opposed the' bill, 'f : the Premier misused - his power the responsi 1 - ; biiity rested with- members -who continued to' support him. The remedy ley in members' hands. * -This 'was an indirect method of attacking the Cabinet.- They were frightened to take the direct course.;-:. ■/■..^:-.v-v^-"" ■'■■••' •*-.:..-- -- ■■. • ;/;f 4 :^TEDE ■ :*RE3MI^R^ DEFENC EMr. Seddon, in .a vigorous s] ccch, said it-wasior the supporters, of the bill to I>roy.e.,that .the^present syst./.n lad been detrimefttal'to^ -the, welfare of the colony and^ that 5 a change was m:c\*ssnry. « .- this bill became law it would mean the of our connection with the Mother Country .—(No, no !.) The Governor would have no power in the selection of his advisers, and the Speaker, by his casting vote, would have power to decide who a Minister should be. This was the mode adopted by the Opposition to get into power. The cry of ■town v. country, would !e intensified with disastrous results. At the present time the fate of : the Ministry was daily in the hands of Parliament. .New Zealand - had .-prospered ; : under . the. present System 'ana "Sthis' Government's laws stddd-ojitin bold relief, and were; copied V aM ' adored Je*ery*here^ x ; : The -debate was continued till 12.35 ant: when - Sir-Win .-. Steward replied and defended the.cbill, which he "has: so ,eonsistentlyi?^trbduced fpr , : ythe impost -^even yearß:?vuTef made a -^capital speech, s "' arid ;: effectively exposed some of. tne prime tactics in reeard" to i the measure. - On going to:' the vote the second reading, was lost by 36 to 21, the voting being—- '"■■•"' ** Ayes :^ (22) : . Aitken, Bedford, Buddo. Ell, Fisher, Herries, K-irkbride, Lang, JLaurenson, Mander, Massey, McLachlan, Moss Reid, Steward, Tanner, Taylor, Thomson, J. C, Thomson, J. W.. Vile, and Witty. _ Noes (30): Allen, E.G.. Barber, Bennett. Baume, Buchanan, Carroll, Duncan, Field, Flatman, Fraser, A. L. D., Fraser, -TV. Hall. IV.. Hall-Jones, flanan; Hardy, Hogg, Houston, Lawry, Lethbridge, Lewis, Major, Mc«ov.an, McKenzie. R., - Mackenzie, T. r Millar, Mills, O'Meara, Parata, Remington, Rhodes, Rutherford, Seddoh, Smith. Symes, Witheford, Wood. Pairs— For : - Arnold,- Fowlds, McNab, Davey, "Duthie. Against': Wi Pere, Sir Vf, Russell, Millar, Kaihau. T. Mackenzie C?)- l - The House rose At 1.5 aim.