PARLIAMENTARY

Timaru Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 5195, 16 July 1891, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

(3y Tbleqeaph.) j WELLINGTON, July .15. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. ; 3HC01O) HEADINGS. The Imbecilo Passengers Bill, and the Official and Colonial Defences Secrets Bill were road a second time on the voices. Ih COHMIITSE. Tho MarrUgJ Act Amendment Bill was fnrtlier considered m Committee and reported with slight amendments. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho House met at 2 30 p.m. ECIIOOL BOOKS. Mr Eamshaw moved that tha Government tate into consideration the advisability of providing echool books and requisites to oeholars at first coat, aad also tho necessity of producinj national s:hool books dealing with the Bgriculturo, minerals, natural history, etc.. of New Zealand. He said tb-it tho continuous chango of books m the public schools was very inconvenient and expensive. Mr Blaka esid that ho had no objection to the, motion, but thought that it would be a waste of money, as when tha franchise was extended to women, denominational education would ba obtained. Several other members also spoke m support of the motion. Mr Beeves did not agree with the proposal to abolish high schools, and urged them not to ba led away by t'ua claptrap urged ugiiinst the high schools, as sooner or later those oekools would bs free. He agreed that a grjater uniformity m the matter of the inspection of schools would bo a groat advantage because the different systems of inspection wera unfair to the teachers, tho children, and the inspectors Jihemselvea. Mr Earnshaw's motion had his warmest sympathy, and if it wera carried the Government would assist to the utmost. At the simo time Mr Earashssv had left out the important Viord " uniformity." for it would be ntterly tmpo'siblo to do anything m tlia matter without providing thtit tho school books should be uniform. i?o doubt an amondment of the Education Act would be required to effect this, as Iho Government s'uonld bo put m a, position to force tho education boards to accept uniform books, or if not the Government might be left with a Jargo stock of books on their hands. The motion was agreed to on t.he voices. Tjie House adjourned ot 5 30 p.m. 2ti3 House resumed at 7 30 p m. DIVOBCH AJIEND3IBNT BILE. Mr Joyca moved tho second rending of the Divorce Extension and Amendment Act, 1891- The Bill was m the main tho same as that brought before tbe House by Mr Samuel m 1889, but a few additional clauses wore added providing that divorce could be granted after desertion or separation for .7 years ; aleo for adnltery and for imprisonment for crime. It might be a?ked why a privato member should bring m a Bill of this kind, but he would like to know whero many of Ibeir reforms would ba if it had not been for the private measure introduced by Sir Georgo iJrey. Mr Kah held that if any amendment of the law m this direction were required it should be introduced by the Government. Ke thought tho facilities for obtaining divorce ehould not be rendered tio easy as m that case collisions would tako place between parties for the purpose of getting a divorca. Although he did not pose as an ("xtreme moralist or religious man, still ho regarded marriage as of such lanctity that he would not readily consent to do anything that ■would dissolve it. Mr Buckland also oppojed tho measure on the gronnd Ibit if it passed it would allow people to divorcs themselves Trhenorer they .liked. Mr 0. H. Mills, while agreeing that tha Bill contained aome good features, could not agree to gome of its provisions. Mr ifcKenzio (Clutha) said that tho objections to the Bill were selfish 0003. He Dgreed with Hr Joyce that if the females of thn colony obtiined the franchise there would be little trouble ia getting a Bill of this kind passed, m it was oolcly brought up m the interests of the women themselves. The motion for tho second reading was agreed to on tho voices. I2AILWA7B REPEAL BILL. Mr Palmer moved the second reading of tho Government B.»ilways Act 1887 Bepeal Bill. He said that the Hon3o was aware that by tho Act of 1887 tho control of the railways of the colony wa3 vested m Kailwsy Commissioners, and the present. Bill eimply proposed to repeal that principle, nnd to place tho railways again nnder the control of the New Zealand Government, He assorted that the Bailvsay Commissioners had not oarried out their duties with gnncra! satisfaction, and looking at their appoint m ."it from a commercial point of view, ho conteri'lrd that the wholß thing w«i a failure. Tl:c. Ant appointing thorn was eeaontinlly tory m principle, and contrary to tho democrot ; e spirit of the age. It was alco a reflection 011 ''Jn'i Parliament of Hew Zaalantl that they •could not trust tho Miniotcr for Publio Works <!o administer bis own Department without the intervention of Commi'Bionors. He thought the House now posßOwd n Minister for Public Works who was fully competent So fake chaega of tbo railways of tho colony. Mr Reos looked upon this as one of the most important /jueations that could be brought before the Koaso or country. Not 0 single one of tha promises made when the Commisaiouers wero appointed had been kopt In addition to tho dissatisfaction expressed by the peoplo of the colony with tho manngo' jnent of tbo Couitnißgioners, Ultra was a wide. t,<pread feeling of discontent amongst tbe rail' w -»y employees, who felt that they could nol obtain justice on any questions that concerned them. Thero wan no export of any kinc among the Commisaionors, and not one o\ them pwseased any practical fcnowledg< whatever. Ha ehould certain}/ support thi Bill. Mr MeKoDzio (Oluthn) would not itippoti a Bill of this, kind, as hia opinion wan thai the Auckland peoplo wero roally tho onlj peoplo who wanted a chango m railway management. He agreed, bowovei*, with Mi Palmor that tho intention when tho Bill wai passed v/as to bring an expert from Home, ant he aseortnd that if the House hnd known wlu tbs Commissioners were to be the Bill woulc not havo becomo law ; but they must taki things as they wero at preauat. Tho extra ordinary statements made by Mr Btes ub ti

the manugomont wpro uot warranted by facto, Mr Smith (New Plymouth) remarked that if tho House passed this Bill ftiey would " become tho laughing stock of tho colony. Mr Soddon euid that the Government would opposo tho Bill. He deprecated any sudden change boing made now m the munßgement of the railwaj fl, and said that tucb. a change would lead to disaster. Vp to the 3 present the Commissioners had not had » fair trial, and those who now advocated handing the railways over to the Government would afterwards regret tho Btand they had taken if it roaultad m injury to the oolony. As the Commissioners wero appointed for a term of yours ho thought it would be unwise to roverse that action. 'Che question was one of policy which should have beon denlfc with by )tbe Government and not by a privnto /inoruber. I Mr Hogg spoke strongly m support of the inciisnro. Mr Brvco did not think for a moment that tho Commissioners were right m their administration of Lho railways, but I.ho discontent that waa felt- with their management existed before tho Comrniaiionera came into poiver and would cxi.it ufter tboy went out of power JCvervinifi admitted that the Commissioners wero striving to do their duty, and it. would, therefore, be uuwise to endeavour to remove thi-m until their tenure of office ha! cipiicd. Sir lacintoaii said tint ho had no confidence whatever m the Commisjioiicrs, but as tho learlers of the GovsrnmHot. and the Opposition wero against ths Bi'l, ho hoped Mr Pclmor would withdraw it, because if the motion for tho second rendiug was lost tho impression might go forth that tho administration of the Comroissiooerß was approved by the majority of the HouseMr Fish argued tlmt when tho Government decided to vote against this measure they should have informed Mr Palmer, and advised him to withdraw tho Hill on thogtound ■f its being inopportune at present. Ho (Mr F13I)) was ons of tho strongest supporters of the Qovcratneijt,'but he warned them that they must not pl»y fist and loose m the mutter, us ho felt, sure the party would not submit to such treatment. Tho Oommiseiunors had been a fniiuro all along tho line, ' and their appointment was a disgrace to tho ' late Government. Ho should support tho Bill. Mr Eiaher said that if Mr Seddon hue!' udopted another attitude on the Bill than tlip one lie hud taken he would have considered that ho was utterly wanting m his conception of the duties of a Minis! er of the Crown. Mr Thompson (Auckland) should opposD < the Bill, ao he thought the present was not a suitable lime to' pass it. '. Mr Buckland spoko m support of the Com missionors. Air Eeeves painted out that Ivfr Seddon ; was bound io take up the attitude he iiad ( adopted on this quostion. | Mr Kelly and Mr Moors spoke againsb tho ' Bill ' j Mr Finkerton moved thn adjournment of the debate for a week which was agreed to. ; cosoness juny abolition hils. ; Tho Coroners Jury Abolition Bill, introduced by Sir GuinneJS, wns read n second t time without discussion, on the understanding | that a debate would tako place on the motion ( for tlio eommital of tho measure. , Tho House rose at 12.35. 1