PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13336, 12 July 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY.

Pel' I'ress Association. WELLINGTON, July 11. LEGISLATIYK COUXGIL. The Council met at 2.30" p.m. SWORN IN. Mr Samuel was sworn in and took lii*seat. ADDRESS-IN-REPT ,Y. Mr Luke, on resuming the debate on {•lie Atltlrosfi-in-Reply, ■•said" lie was not so sanguine a-s Sir J. G-. Ward was respecting' the 21 days' service between - Yancouv- ■• and New Zealand, and did not expect to see 25-l:not steamers running betwoth those ports for the next 20 years. He advocated, however, some encouragement brin 6 given towards improving the steam service between Vancouver and New Zealand. Sir J. G. Ward's attitude towards the Navy was a proper one. He regretted that- tli'£f Government did \nofc intend to set up a committee io deal with the tariff question. ' .Although there was industrial prosperity there were industries which, for Lick of encouragement, did not participate in that prosperity, and lie contended that with proper encouragement many commodities now imported would bo manufactured in the colony. • Any Land Bill that provided for endowments for th« support of the great departments of the Stilts was a step in the right direction, and lie condemned the "attitude of those who wished to acquire the freehold of their leaseholds- at the original value as iniquitous. Referring trr- the slaughterman's strike, lie urged that the Arbitration Act should be pub in sucli a"'condition that strikes would ba impossible. If a Wages Board! were established, l>.e hoped to see a provision for differentiation of the capacities of men employed in an in du.stry. He .hoped that a .superannuation ■scheme for the civil service would be adopted. '

Mr G. J. Smith approved of the proposed change, of denomination of " colony," and agreed with. Mr Rigg that there was much in the sentimental pliass of the question in connection with strengthening the bonds of Empire, but there was much also in the commercial aspect. The 'cnrairteiicing of both would forge bonds that- never could be broken. He hoped that- a. 2!. days' service between the colony and Kngiand would be effected .within, the n.'-xt five years. Referring to tho tariff he did not' think manufacturers should ask for protection beyond what would .place them on a level in competition with other lands. He -entirely approved of the reservation of Crown lands for fndowni.sr.t'-:. the whole trend of the Land Bills was in the direction of better conditions of levii settlement. Despite all the trouble and annoyance that had occurred in connection with arbitration he appealed for the retention of the principle of the Act. He advocated giving moi'e encouragement, to tho volunteer force.

!Mr Wigram spoke briefly of the slaughtermen's strike, which he condemned. The prosperity of the last few years was in a measure due to the increase of the goVI production of the world. As the gold in circulation increased (and the increase would continue to go on), land and other things would continue to increase ir. value. Und'er the circumstances would it be right to dispose of the remaining Crown lands now? Undoubtedly the workers Wire not getting a fair share of tlv prosperity of the country, -and oy workers he meant, civil servants, teachers and others who were receiving fixed .salaries. Mr Louglinan moved the adjournment of the debate. Tha Council rose at 4.25 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. ROYAL VISIT.

7"h3 Premier announced the receipt of a cable message from the High C'omiuisMojiiT intimating that the King and Qoee-n visited .the Dublin Inhibition, :l bsc-.n shown through the New Zealand court by Mr Reeves. ' CUSTOMS TREATY.

The New Zealand and South Afrit-:: n Customs Treaty Ratification Bill IHon. Mr Millar) was read a first time. SECOND READING. The Trustees Act Amendment- Bill passed its second reading. MARRIAGES VALIDATION. Sir W. J. Steward in moving the second reading of the Marriages Validation Act Amendment Bill, said that the previous passing of the Act relating to marriage with a deceased wife'a niece and deceased husband's nephew, was invalid, and the amendment was sought to make all •such future marriages legal. Mr Reid said 1 he was opposed to the amendment. Cases mighu where marriage with a deceased wife s sist-ei was very desirable and the effect of the amendment, would be to place the met* in competition with the mother. Mr Hone Heke isaid th:;t the Biil w«s entirely in accordance with tile custom', of his" peoxjle, and he had no objection tO Mr Flatman expressed approval of ih • validating of such marriage-; as had been contracted, but was opposed to perpetualing such marriages. 7 Mr Izard said lio saw no reason way a man should not marry any woman he chose, provided the- laws of consaiiguinit} wore observed. The second reading was lo;t by '4<> votes to 39 votes. DIVORCE AMENDMENT.

Without comment Mr Laurenson moved the second reading of the' Divorce Act

Amendment Bill wliicli seeks to make !>ev.?n years continuous confinement- in a lunatic asylum a sufficient ground for divorce.

Mr Fisher and Mr T. Mackenzie considered tlnifc Mr Laurenson should express his reasons for introducing th* Bill. Mr Fiaman said he was opposed to the Bill. It might lead to the wif-j or hnxb >.-d of a lunatic taking no ; fc- p-; to c"r ill' ;;ff!i:ted oil.'.

Mr Wiifnrd 'xpr-ess: d !he opinion n>> man who had b- n confine-! in an I'-rhnn for fo'ir y. nr< b- n fit for any woman. Certainly, if lunatic wh-n planed th.w. mid'-r no cirr'.unstaw x's would lie ever he fib to become tin- father of a family. Mr Wilford said ho i.--

t.;nd=d 'lo move in committee an amendment- to mak-.- a life j-ani-g-nce of impricontnent for attempted murder and drunken nes\ coupled with cru-rlty, grounds for divorce-. -

Mr Inur-.:n:on. in replying, said that, ihi Bill was in the interest of the living and generations vet lo come. Further it was in the interest of the marriage tie. The second reading was carried by 19 rote;-; in 20 ve'e--. LAW PI!ACTITIONEBS.

"Mr T.anrenson introduced without comment the T.aw Practitioners Ac. Amendment Bill which seeks lu make it legal for any person of good moral character toconduct'.' prosecute ov defend any action, suit or other proceeding in the Magistrate's Court.. Mr lianan ivhnt was lh :- v: e -of having' law schools if ihey were going to allow aiiyor.-e lo appear in the i.ower ("'oiiri.v."

Mr Fisher, -said I ha: lie would support Mi- Bill, as the legal profession was n close corporation, and ill.- profe'.-sion aimed ai keeping it. so. The Bill was for the purpose of reducing lawyers' charges.

Mr Wilford : r aid -tlmf Air Fisher displayed l»is inconsistency. inasmuch as tinder the Bill any person aetinpr for another in th-» Courts could wha.-fV; rise lik-ed. Mr Symes said th? Bill would allow any ignorant person who could gull another into allowing Mm to appear in Court, to fkece liim. If they allowed the Bill ito pas.-', why not allow anyone to t practice' as a chemist, or veterinary surgeon. Afr Laurenson, in replying, arginvl that in the Arbitration Court it had be-on proved that cases progressed better where law-yen* were not employed. If the Bill became law it would certainly do a great amount of good. The second reading was carried by 39 vote* to 30 votes. At 5.30 p.m. 'the House adjourned, and resumed at 7.30 p.in. SESSIONAL COMMITTEES. The- Premier asked leave to suspend the orders of the day to enable the Sessional Committees to be set up. Air Massey offered no objection to tlfcj cejggestion, but said that he knew that f-everal members of the House who were away would not have been absent had they known that the Seconal Committees were to be set- up. < A discussion took places on the -Land Committee, which is a» follows:—Mestrs .Duncan. Ell, W. Fraser.. Greenslade. Hall, Hogan, Lang, Lawry, Lewis, Alacpherson, Mills, Remington, Symcs, Witty, and AlcNab, who explained that the proposed committee* was representative of the land district? of the. colony. The Opposition was' represented by one member from Olago, cue from Canterbury, and one from Auckland. Eight of those selected were resident south of Cook Strait, and r-veil north of it. Air 'Xfo-sey said that (he committee' was better than lai-t year,' but could 'still be improved. Hi' would have., liked to see Mr Dillon on the committee.*--

The Premier deprecated any attempt to mjse geographical differences. The qncsfio»B the committee had to deal wiili would be national ones.

Mr R. Mackenzie complained Nel.'on with a. largo- area of Crown lands was no' represented. .

Mr .Lang tho-ught committees should be chosen from among the members who represented the districts where there were Ta-.'o'fi areas of Crown lands, while Mr T. Mackenzie considered that thev should be "elected from members who took a deep interest in the quest'ior.s to come before! the committee". The Minister stated that if Mr Lane's idea's were followed t-hfe great bulk of the •"embers would have com" 'from Ofago. Hon. members thought. that, all Crown lnids'to be F-'-ttlecl were in the Auckland district. If they took away the native lands therm were onlv .about 1,800.000 ; n Min Auckland district. There, were 5.2.75.C00 acre* in ■ Ota<*o'. (Cries of " no.") The Minister maintained that this was so. Greater ''are had been taken in the reaction of this committee than in a.'.iv other committee. The motion was carr'ed. The remainder of the usual sessional committees w set mi PUBT-TC TRUST OFFTCE. The Premier introduced th ? second rending of. the Public Trust. Office Act A hit. anient Tiill, havrcg for its object the ■vivina to the Public Trustee of pow-or to 'leal with tho nrnperties of nersons who had left the c'olonv without leaving anyone in charge of their aft'a'rs and who could not be" found. Sir J. G. Ward said that there was need for an amendment »,n 'he'law. and clause 9. was really the important part of the Bill. Some verv dis-ive-siii" cases hid been brought Tinder his notice." He did not propose to mention all. but he could relate the ca«e of a man who left the colonv and! left his wife and family without making provis-on for their maintenance. Th; : s man had died and possessed of property in the colony, it was to m?et such ca:;es tlia.t the Bill was introduced. , ~ Afr Massey whilst approving of the But. thought that too much power was placed in the bands of the Public Trustee. Mr Hoke and Mr Flatmari also spoke. ' The motion was carried on the voices. PURE FOODS. Tha Hon. Mr Fowlds, in introducing the second reading of the Pure Foods Bill, stated that, it' was the same as was submitted to the House last year with minor amendments. The present measure vas ilia result of a, study of measures that 'vid been adopted in other States and countries. It had been found that, in the sale of foodstuffs many articles were sold which were not- what were represented. Ho instanced the case of a much-advertised brand of condensed milk, which oil examination proved to be only sldm mik. and infant life was -endangered thereby. Many manufacturers' had expressed themselves in favour of legislation in tho direction of preventing the flooding of the markets with articles which were not what they seemed to be. The question of milk inspection, and the weight- of bread, come under Die Bill, and the indulfrer in Scotch or Trish whisky would also be protected from having a" chemical compound sold to him as the, genuine article. Mr Wilford said that artick-s sold in tins —coffee, mustard, etc.—should be marked with tlio net weight of the contents. In many cases purchasers of lib of coffee got only 13 ounces, the balance in weight, being taken up by tho tin. Mr Aitken stated that- it was quite possible to make good condensed milk from skim milk, and medical men in England had stated that after the butter fat had been taken from the milk and sugger adrk-d it was of better value as food than the puro article. The Bill would be a- better measure when it had gone through committer.. Mr Pooln said that much adulterated food was imported, and Customs officers | should be. instructed to analyse imports,

and if found to bo adulterated they shouh.l be forfeited.

Mr Fisher congratulated tlu: Minister on ■ 1;, - !: ii, . ! -|. - li;ii ff it-bad o-dy been intended to deal with tho decoctiot)> sold by tho liquor-sellers, which in many cases seemed to be dvs'inrd in poison i!e consumers, it • deserved the Ih.wik". of the people. Mi - Buddo recognised that the Bill would 1) - of great, bdtieii-. Mr Flatman, Mr Sidey. Mr Bn.b.-r. V.-, Hanan, Mr Hogg, Mr Ngat'i. and M.rlkiWl also spoke in support, of tho Bill. The cecoiKf reading was car! id on the voices. The House adjourned u-t 11.25 p.m