PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 20 September 1900, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

FBB FBBBS ASSOCIATION. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, September 10, The Council met at 2,30. The Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill was reported with amendments. The Eating on Unimproved Value Act Amendment Bill was put through Committee without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. The Testators Family Maintenance Bill was considered in Committee and reported with amendments.

The Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Bill was read a second time, pro forma. The Public Health Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 4-6 was amended, requiring that landlords should provide an ashpit before letting a house. A further amendment was made that a person should commit an offence who suffers drainage or refuse to flow into a stream or watercourse through a borough, unless he proves that no offence is thereby created. The Council rose at 5 p.m, and adjourned till 7.30.

EVENING BITTING. At the evening sitting the consideration of the Publio Health Bill in oommittee was resumed and clause 137 was reached.

Hon. W. Jennings, who opposed compulsory vaccination, initiated a prolonged discussion on the subject. At 9 p.m, a motion to report progress was carrried.

The Council rose at 9.30 p.m.

[HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, September 19. The House met at 2,30 p.m. One week's leave of absence was granted to Messrs. Massey and J. Allen, and three days to Mr. Witheford on account ef ill-health.

The Borough of Rangiora Water Supply Bill, and the Pedlars and Hawker's Bill were read a first time.

On the first Order of the Day being called on—the Private Industrial Schools Inspection and Industrial Schools Act Amendment Bill, arising out of the Stoke Industrial School jenquiry—the Premier said he had promised to bring a Bill down early, and in pursuance of that promise he had made it the first Order of the Day for that day, but in view of the fact that a charge against two Brothers of the school was before the Court for illtreatment of the inmates, he thought the House should do nothing that would bs likely to prejudice the case. He, therefore, moved that the second reading be postponed until to-morrow. The Speaker pointed out that according to the Magistrate's ruling the House should not discuss a question that would be likely to prejudice any case before a Court.

The motion was agreed to, the Premier promising that in the event of a committal for trial, the Bill would] be brought np for discussion, when he hoped members would refrain from saying anything that would prejudice the case. ABOLITION OF TRADING BTAMPS. The Premier moved the second reading of the Trading Stamps and Coupons Abolition Bill. The features of the Bill were:—The abolition of the trading stamp system, and the issue in lieu thereof of stamps of different denomina-1 tions which would be printed and issued by the Government. These stamps would be redeemable in cash by the Government. This system, he believed, would encourage thrift, as people could take stamps to a Post office, get cash for the same and put the amount to their credit in the post Office Savings Bank. It also would have the effect of doing away with the credit system, inasmuch as discount would; under the system, be given on the smallest purchase. The cost of the system would be recouped by the number of stamps that would be lost. The experiment was worth trying. Mr. Hemes thought the Bill merely ahthorised the Government to step | into the shoes of the Trading Stamp Company.

Mr. J. Hu'cheson approved of the principle of State security for the redemption of stamps, though the inventor of the scheme should be given a bonus for his excellent suggestion. Mr. Willis would not oppose the Bill but he believed the people would not get their goods any cheaper, as storekeepers would simply raise the price of goods equivalent to the amount of discount.

Mr. Fowlds had very little sympathy with the Bill. Still the day had come when it seemed that legislation should control all such ventures. It would be a fallacy to suppose that the small buyer would receive any benefit, as storekeepers would put an extra price on the goods. Mr. Millar supported the Bill as being in the interests of the poorer I classes.

Messrs. Meredith and R. Thompson! condemned the Bill, the latter charac-' teri-ing it as a grandraothe ly pettifogging piece of legislation. Half of the stamps would be lost and the Government would pocket the benefit. Mr. Atkinson said the Bill seemed to ho'd out to people that they were getting something for nothing, a thing that th' y were all trying to get. The Government should not interfere with private rights and interests, so Lng as hey did not create a monopoly, or lean upon the public by fraud. Mr. Collins objected to a middle man coming in between the retailer and consumer, and where possible the State should prevent th toccuring. He also urged that the issue of colourable imitation of bank notes or cheques should be stopped. Mr. Seddon, replying, s<id he was prepared to accept am°ndments in Committee, so that the Bill would prove of most advantage t> cash purchasers. The Bill was certainly in the interests of the working man, to whom every shilling saved was a shilling earned. The motion for the second readin° was carried. NEW ZEALAND ENSIGN AND CODE SIGNALS. The Premier moved the second read ■jng of the New Zwlml and,

Code Signals Bill, providing that the New Zealand Ensign shall be the blue ensign of Her Majesty's fleet, haviDg on the fly thereof the Southern Cross, represented by four five-pointed stars; the code signal flag to be the blue ensign with a white disc on the fly, on which the Southern Cross shall be represented, Provision was also made against defacing the ensign or flag by plaoing any sign, representation, or letter thereon.

Messrs. Hutcheson, Atkinson, Napier and Monk spoke in approval of the Bill.

In response to a general opinion, the Premier said he would be glad to have printed, for circulation amongst the public school children of the colony, a copy of the speech delivered by Mr. Monk on the subject of the British and New Zealand flags. He also approved the suggestion that the flag should be hung in the Chamber after the third reading of the Bill. The Speaker intimated that he would have the flag hung in the Chamber and saluted after the third reading of the Bill.

The motion for the secomd reading of the Bill was carried on the voices.

The Slaughtering and Inspection Bill was recommitted for consideration of new clauses.

The House adjourned at 5.30,

[ BVKNINQ SITTING. The House met again at 7.30 p.m. The House resumed in committee on the Slaughtering and Inspection Bill. A new sub-clause was brought down by Governor's Message altering the compensation payable in the case of freat cattle being considered from £1 to one-third its value in the case of an animal not more than eight years of ago-

Mr. Bollard urged that a scale of compensation according to weight should be paid. ! Mr, Duncan objected to such a proposal. Ee also refused to include sheep, as to which compensation should be payable. Mr. Lowry objected to the limit of eight years as the age at which compensation should be paid, contending that it was impossible to tell the age of an animal.

The new clause was added on the voices, as was also a new clause on the motion of Mr. Fowlds, to the effect that a majority of butchers in a district may combine in forming an Insurance Society with a view to covering their losses. The Bill was reported with amendments. TRADING STAMPS. The Trading Stamps and Coupons Abolition Bill was committed. Mr. Tanner thought it would be sufficient if the House abolished the Trading Stamp Company without going to the length of the State entering into the business of issuing stamps. Mr. B. Thompson considered the Bill was not required, or if so, only by a few storekeepers in Wellington. Mr Herries moved that the definition of trading stamp, the words coupon, cover, package, document, means or devise, be omitted. The words were retained on the voices. Mr. Willis moved an amendment that the value of a book of stomps be given in cash or goods at the option of the customer, instead of the Trading Stamp Company.—This was lost by 23 to 20.

An addition was made to clause 4, providing that in default of the Trading Stamp Company redeeming their book*, the stamp holders may sue for recovery in any Court of competent jurisdiction. J Clause 5, providing for the issue of discount stamps by the Commissioner of Stamps, Mr. McLachlan said the system was simply a means of increasing the revenue by a round about way. Mr. T. Mackenzie thought it was a paltry thing for the State to enter into the trading stamp business, and urged tbat the clause be strack out. Mr. Meredith said the Bill was a most humiliating one to Parliament. If if was wrong for a company to carry on a trading stamp business, it was equally wrong for the State to do so. Mr. Symes considered the clause would simply enconrage a gambling spirit, whioh it was admittedly the duty of the Sta f e to suppress. Mi. J. Hutcheson defended the clause in the interest of the small purchaser, who, otherwise, was excluded from the usual discount enjoyed by those who bought in hrger quantities.

The Premier denied that tbe Treasurer intended to make any profit out of the system, and contend' d that i 1 enabled the small trader to compete on equal terms with the large me chant to the great advantage of the small purchaser. He had been asked by numerous representative people to introduce a BUI, and no objection had been offered to it. the House to give the Bill a triil.

The House adjourned at 10 o'clock,