PARLIAMENTARY

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 11585, 22 October 1901, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Per Press Association.

WELLINGTON, October 20.

The House met at 7.30 P-J?-LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr Morrison was granted leave-of absence for the remainder of the session on, aC SRr f LAND?ADMrNISTRATION BILL. , ~ Mr Carroll moved the second reading "pro forma" of the Maori Lands Administration Act, ISOO, Amendment Bill, and that the Bill be referred forthw.tbtn the Native Affairs Committee, from which he hoped it would have a speedy return. Mr G. W. Russell raised a point that the Bill should have been introduced by Governor's Message. . Mr Carroll said that the Bill r did not contain any appropriation provisions The motion was voices. THE PORIB.UA NATIVE RESERVE BILL. a . , Mr Carroll moved the second reading of the Porirua Native Reserve Bill, to vest a certain Native reserve in the Patea district in the Public Trustee, and to empower the Native Land Court to ascertain the beneficial owners thereof. , After a short debate the second reading was agreed to on the voices. The Bill passed through committee without amendment. The third reading was postponed to enable the Deputy-Speaker to consider the point that had been raised that the Bill contained appropriation clauses, and should be introduced by Governor's Message. ITVTSPF.OTTON OF MACHINERY BILL. Mr Hall-Jones moved the second reading of the Inspection of Machinery Bill, which is designed to meet the case of issue of certificates to engineers on gold dredges. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. . ~, The Bill passed through committee without material amendment, and was read a third time and passed. „ ._. FISHERIES ENCOURAGEMENT BILL. In committee on the Fisheries Encouragement Bill, that portion of the clause, which provided for a sliding scale of bonus after the year 1902 was struott uul. _ The Bill" was then put through its finai S EDUCATION BOARDS ELECTION

BILL. In committee on the Education Boards Election Bill, new clauses were added dealing with the' procedure with respect to elections, duties of returning officers, and elections on extraordinary vacancies occur-

ring. .... j The Bill was read a third tune ana HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID

BILL. Air Hall-Jones moved the second readied of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Boards Election Bill, which he said pronosed that members of such Boards shall be elected bv the general body of bur-sesj-es. The" present members of such bodies would hold office until the next election of local bodies, and would then be elected at the same time as the members of those bodies. Mr Bollard pointed out that the local bailies that at present elected the members of Hospitals and Charitable Aid Boards did not all go out of office at the same time, consequently the elections did not all take place at the same time. Was it intended that members of these Boards to be elected under the proposed new svstern should hold office for three years? " Mr Ferries said that there had not been r."<Ticier!t season given for the drastic 'hc.rtae pronosed in the election of these i'onrds. Under the present varying dates of elections of local bodies it would be

almost impossible to carry out 'the provisions of the Bill. Mr Collins said it was not .imade clear who would be eligible to stand ior election as a member of a Board, and there were no provisions for nominating candidates. He wanted to see women made eligible for election. . Mr Hall-Jones : They come within the "Rill Mr Thomas Mackenzie said that the public" would appreciate the measure, and he thought that representatives of the public shomd be elected to visit asylums. Mr G. W. Russell said that the whole agitation in favour of the new system originated in Christchurch, and almost exclusively from a certain section of the community who were disappointed because the local bodies declined to put one or two ladies on, the Hospital Board. It would be found, however, that under the proposed svstem women would have less chance of being elected than at present." Mr Field urged that after the second reading the Bill should be carried no further, but circulated among the local bodies and their opinions asked thereon, so that members might be better able to legislate on the subject next session. Several other members also spoke. Mr Hall-Jones, in replying, urged that j the best way to ensure the management of ' our hospitals was that the greatest body I of ratepayers should elect the men who managed those institutions. The Bill made every provision for the elections, except specifying who'would; be eligible for election, "to which the principle of one man one vote ought to apply. The proposed scheme would be very inexpensive, and he could see no reason for not passing the Bill this session.

The second reading was agreed to on the voices.

AMENDMENTS DISAGREED WITH. It. was decided to disagree with the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Trustees' Amendment Bill. THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Public Trust Office Amendment Bill, which he said was of a purely technical character.

The .motion was agreed to on the voices. CHATHAM ISLANDS COUNTY BILL.

The Premier moved the second reading of the Chatham Islands County Bill, to provide a system of local government for the Chatlaam. Islands. Mr Parata objected that although the Bill affected the Natives it had not been translated into Maori. The Deputy-Speaker ruled that the Bill should be translated. The Premier accordingly moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to. NEW ZEALAND ENSIGN BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the New Zealand Ensign Bill, which is on the lines of a similar Bill passed last session, but amended in accordance with the wishes of the Admiralty. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 12.30 a.m.