PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 19693, 23 October 1905, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

THE CRIMINAL CODE BILL.

Per United Press Association.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WELLINGTON, Friday. EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7,30, and went on discussing the motion to report progress. After an hour Mr Herries offered to withdraw his opposition if the Premier would accept an amendment excepting from the scope of the bill ail legitimate criticism of the public conduct of public men.—Mr Bedford, speaking of the compromise of the previous morning, said he was prepared to accept the first part referring to public meetings and meetings by invitation or advertisement; the second part he objected to, referring to public places.—Mr Seddon replied that there were public places in the chief cities in which thousands congregated, and there slanderers must be stopped. Regarding the proposal by Mr Herries, he declined to make any distinction in favour of any citizen. There was,, however, no danger, for clause 5 of the Criminal Code Act, with which this bill would, it passed, be read, offers a complete safeguard against abuse, and the bill went further by providing that before there can be a prosecution a magistrate must be satisfied that there had been a defamatory statement. The discussion continued after supper.— Mr Hawkins suggested a compromise, on tijo ground that the oppofnentd of the bill had made their protest, and a fair compromise was open.—Mr Hanan suggested that a line should be drawn between serious libels and 'others.—Mr Hawkins asked the committee to divide on the motion to report progress, the result to be a test of the committee’s feeling towards compromise.—The committee divided at 10.45, and the motion was lost—ayes. 21, noes 35. Mr Fisher admitted some need for the bill, urgihg, however, that, some line must be drawn protecting the _ transactions of private and semi-private lifeHe knew that there was a majority for compromise. The discussion on the motion for the Chairman to leave the chair proceeded—

Mr Taylor asked the Chair if in future he would appoint some one with more experience as locum tenens. —Mr Millar re*, fused to hear any imputations against tho chair, and intimated that Mr McNab, his usual locum tenens, would be left to make his own arrangements —At 12.45 the motion to leave tho chair was lost by 22 to 12. At 12.5 -a.m. the Premier brought

down a compromise to strike out clause 2 and substitute one to the effect "that persons speaking words without justification, that are likely to injure, are guilty of criminal defamation, provided they are spoken within the hearing of 20 people at a meeting-to which the public are invited, and proceedings are taken within months ; (2) the provisions of sections 4,5, 6 and 7 of the Criminal Code shall apply to all -cases, provided that under section 5 the judge or magistrate making the order shall be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds lor prosecution.—Mr Massey approved thoroughly, and Messrs Fisher and Moss also accepted the Premier’s proposal. The two clauses of the bill were then struck out, the new clauses read a second time, and added to the bill. The bill was reported with amendments, which were agreed to, and the bill read a third time and passed. WELLINGTON, Saturday. After the Telegraph Office closed, sev- j eral messages relating to the passage of bills were received from tho Legislative : Council. Sir Joseph Ward stated, in reply to i Mr Massey, that the matter of an in- . crease in wages for lower grade railway men had been under consideration, and , the increases proposed would be announced in the Supplementary Estimates. ■ The House adjourned at 2.10 a.m. un- | til 11 a.m. on Monday.