PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 192, 24 August 1900, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

(PBR PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ♦~~- HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, August 23. The House met at 2.30 p.m. MEW BILLS. The Libel Bill No. 3 and the Married Women's Property Act Amendment Bill were introduced and read a first time. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions the Minister said that if circumstances warranted he would have a survey made of a railway to Taieri River via Brighton and Kuri Bush; that before work was commenced on the section of the North Island Trunk Line from Kawakawa to Taumaranui, the Government would take the opinion of the House as to the route between the two places. OFFICIAL REPORTERS.

Mr. Ward moved the second reading of the Shorthand Reporters Bill, the object being to appoint official shorthand writers, with a view to expediting the conduct of court work. The proposal, he said, had met with the approval of judges. Captain Russell hoped that officers who might be appointed would not be interfered with by Ministers and would be entirely free from political control.

Mr. Pirani believed the Bill would prove of great service to the conduct of the business of the Courts.

Mr. Wilford approved of the Bill. Although the cost of shorthand writers might be objected to by litigants, the period that a case would last would be so curtailed as really to reduce the cost of litigation. Messrs. Earncross, Barclay, Hogg, and Napier, supported the Bill, the latter stating that he believed it would reduce the cost of litigation by 50 per cent.

Mr. Guinness approved of the Bill, but thought the appointments should be made by judges of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Fisher debated the efficacy of the Bill, but said at «Dy rate the men appointed would hare to be thoroughly competent writers. Mr. Atkinson pointed out that at present the judges had the power to employ shorthand reporters, therefore the Bill was unnecessary. Mr. Liurenson Hanan said the Bill would cheapen the cost of carrying on t|te business of the courts, and any measure that would have that effect should prove beneficial to the community. He quoted the opinion of Judges o( the Supreme Court on the proposal iij the Bill, which met with their a&proval; also the opinion of authority in America, where the system was id operation, while the argument that >ulpointmentß should be made outside i\e Ministry of the day was one that carried no weight. Only men or women of the highest capabilities jiould be appointed to the work. % The motion for the second reading was carried.

PUBLIO HEALTH. Mr. Ward moved the second reading of the Public Health Bill. The health laws, be said, at present were-in a very unsatisfactory position, for if a Central Board of Health found that a nuisance or menace to public health existed they were powerless to effect an alteration, while municipalities had such pressure brought upon them by ratepayers that they were unable to carry out reforms. The Bill proposed to appoint heilth officers, and provide for their payment .iy the State, and they would have powers now possessed by such bodies. Recent exparience in the colony had shown the necessity of such appointments. Health officers would not be allowed private practice, but would have to devote the whole of their time to their dutie;, and, as thoroughly competent men only would be appointed, with large powers, provision would have to he made for liberal remuneration. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Ward continued speaking on the Public Health Bill. The penalty of five pounds was provided against householders failing to report a case of infectious disease existing on their premises, and the work of cleaning and fumigating infected buildings would fall on the owner or occupier. Failing their doing the work, the health officer was empowered to carry it out at the expense of the owner or occupier. Power was also given for two or more local authorities to combine in the erection of hospitals and mortuaries, reserves for deposits, etc. Provision was also made against the pollution of water courses and overcrowding of buildings, while provision was also made for proper sanitary measures being adopted in native settlements. Power was also taken for the destruction of unsound food for human consumption, and for making quarantine' regulations for vessels. While an Imperial Act had been adopted dealing) with vaccination, which recognised conscientious opposition of some people to that system, and unless an outbreak of small pox occurred vaccination would not be compulsory. Mr J. Allen said the Bill was of a very technical nature, and he regretted it had not been referred to a committee to report upon. The Bill proposed great changes in regard to the administrative powers of local bodies. Instead of extending the powers of local bodies the Bill proposed to control them and centralise power in Wellington. It was true that under the Bill n, sum of .£IO,OOO had been provided for asssisting local bodies in carrying out sanitory works, but he contended that much greater concessions should liavo been granted to local bodies to aid them in carrying out drainage and waterworks, and for that purpose thoy should have been able to borrow, under the Loans to Local Bodies Aot, ■\t a cheap rate, money for that purpose. As to central and district officers, unless an adequa'e salary were paid, the services ef the best men for the purposes > of the Bill would not be obtained, and !0 hoped a cheese-paring policy would not be adoptod in regard to snch appointments. He objected also to the powers given to district officers, who uould act without reference to local todies. With regard to the provision io enforce quiranting vessels, he de- ' scribed that system as obsolete, and hoped that provision would be mads for

a method of inspection in lira thereof. Mr. Hogg said that if the only obj*»tion that could be urged against the ' Bill waa that it curtailed the powanef f local bodice, the Bill would, he pre- . dieted, have an easy paaaage to tl» -§ Statute Book. It wae due to the negligence, he asserted, of local bodies In failing to do their duty with regard to sanitary mattere that the Bill was found neoeaiary. He had no doubt that the Bill would act in the beet interests of the people in decrcaaing liability to the outbreak of dieeue, and ehorteaing its duration if it did break out Ho waa of opinion that local bodies ought to be held responsible for a prerentTble outbreak of disease, and any lees tut* tained by a community through •bob negleot. Mr. Mills thought Mr. Ward waa to be complimented upon bringing down such a comprehensive and effective measure for enforcing • sanitary precautions throughout the oolony, He denied that local bodiee had neglected their duty in regard to sanitary matters. The members of these bodies were only too willing to do what was best in the interests of those around them, but they had been hampered for want of funds, and aa tar , as making provision for local bodiee , for carrying out sanitary reforms the [ Bill was satisfactory. Mr. Collins expressed his mtiifmtjfln [ that at last a Bill had been brought • down dealing with meant to praam the health of the community, compared with which all other questions wen of | a minor character. While be agreed , that the powers of local bodies should , be extended, so that they might meet . effectually deal with sanitary and other matters, he nevertheless recognised the advantage of having a strong oantrfcl J authority to direct and oontrol I measures for preserving the health of . the community. He condemned too condition of many of the premiese from which meat, milk, and butter [ were obtained in most of the , cities in the colony, and as to the majority of sbops in Wei . lington, at any rate where fruit wen l obtained, he described them aa unfit for the purpose. He commended the aotion of the Agricultural Department in disseminating information with regard to the protection of stock from t the ravages of disease, and he thought the Health Department, when it beI came an actual faot, should adopt , [similar means of instructing people in r f the laws of health. Mr. KU thought . that what was wanted was not more . legislation, but a better educated end , more live publio opinion on the subject I of the best means of preventing disease, , He believod that local authorities had not done all that they might have <Uwe , in regard to enforcing the observance . of sanitary measures within their dia- , triot.

Mr. Wilford waa heartily in accord with the principles of fck* Bill, the necessity for which waa amply shown by the Dumber of Chinese opium dens that existed in Wellington. He characterised soma of the buildings in that city as men rabbit warrens, which ware used for doubtful purposes, and which wan owned by people who posed aa benefactors, so that as far aa the measure would cope with such cases, he would - heartily support it. Mr. Bollard thought the Bill wase. direct insult to local bodies. Instead of increasing the powers of these baiise as promised, such legislation waa being introduced as would rob them of aS power, with the result that, even when the making of a road was oouoemed, the central authority in Wellington would first have to be appealed to. The Hou.-e adjourned at 10 o'clock.