PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13435, 6 November 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. The Council met at 2.50 p.m. ANIMALS PROTECTION. The Animals Protection Bill m'os recommitted. Upon tbe motion of Mr Rigg the clause prohibiting the taking of game between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. was struck out, the limitation, however, to hold good in respect to the opening and) closing days of the season. With this and minor amendnents the Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. /THE LAND BILL. Mr Rigg resumed the debate on the second reading of the Land Bill. He said lie was not blind to the difficulties the Government had to contend with, in framing this Bill but he felt it his duty to condemn certain clauses- For l.i.p. tenants he advocated the freehold! at the original valuation, because sooner or later the State would" have to resume these lands. People who held them for 999 yeans would not be tolerated. He condemned the proposal to allow a tenant to pay off 90 per cent, of his holding. The 10 per cent, retained by the State would eventually go. He objected to preference being given to married men with large families at the ballot:; A man's fitness to take up a section was not determined by the size of his: family. He declared himself a land nationaliser and that democracy would demand nationalisation of the land and would not be satisfied till it had achieved that object. He approved of limitation and said that there should be limitation both of area and value. Mr Kelly, Mr Carncross and Mr Barr also spoke. The debate was adjourned at 5 p.m. till 7.50 .p.m. The Council resumed at 7.53 p.m. The debate was carried on by Mr Wigram, and Dr Findlay, who replied at some length to the remarks by Mr Ormond. The second reading was' agreed to on, the voices. ENDOWMENT BILL. The Attorney-General moved tho second "reading of tbe National Endowment Bill, and asked the Council to put ib through all stages at one sitting. " Mr Jenkinson questioned the wisdom of establishing a special endowment for old age pensions. Mr Anstey heartily approved of the Bill, and said that he would have b-'tu pleased had the whole remaining area been reserved. Several other members approved of tho Bill. The second reading was carried on the voices. The Bill was put through its committee stages. 'lhe Council rcee at 11.45 p.m. HOUSE OF* REPRESE>irATIVES. The House met at 2.50 p.m. GAMING AND LOTTERIES. The Premier moved that a -select committee be appointed to whom shall be referred the Gaming and Lotteries" Act Amendment - Bill as follows : —Messrs Herries, KII, Wilford, Poland. Poole, Reid, T. McKenzie. Davfey. Witty, Malcolm, Lawry, and Sir J. G. Ward. This "was agreed to. M'INISTREIAL STATEMENT. The Premier intimated that it was proposed to pass the following Bills this session—Maori Land Claims Adjustment' and Laws Amendment Bill, Ngatimaru Landless Natives Bill, Government Advances to Bill, Local Bodies Loans ActAmendment Bill, Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill, Piosti Office 'Savings Bank Funds Investment Bill. Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill, Agricultural Implement Manufacture 'lmportation and Side Bill, Police Offences- Bill, Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill. Marine Insurance Bill. Fire Brigades Bill, Taumarunui Town Council Election Validation Bill, Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment- Bill, Conl Mines Act Amendment Bill, Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendtment Bill. Flour and other Products Monopoly Prevention Bill, Sea Fisheries Bill, Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Amendment Bill. Factories Act Amendment -Bell, C-hristchurch District Drainage Act Amendment. Bill, Agricultural Labourers Accommodation Bill. All the foregoing Bills are at- present on the Order Paper. Referring to the Meikle Bill the Premier said the Cabinet were considering it and he would make a statement in regard to it to-morrow night. The Bills that had not been circulated and which the Government intended l to put through this session were the amendments to the Education Act. Hospital Act, Pislic Health Act, Defence Act Amendment Bill, Butter Export Bill. Divorce Act Amendment Bill. Railway Sen-ice Classification. Post and Telegraph Classification, Civil Service Classification. Civil Service Superannuation, Infant. I«"fe Protection Act Amendment, Industrial Arbitration Act Amendment. Packet License Regulations Amendment. Shops and Offi'-es Bill. Beer Duty Bill, Postage Stamp Machines Bill, Reserves Vesting Enabling

Bill, Landless Natives Bill, .and DairyFactories Act Amendment Bill. The Premier 6aid that the only contentious measures were the Gaming and Lotteries Bill, Flour and other Products Monopoly Prevention Bill, Tramways Amendments Bill, Native Land Bill, Civil Service Superannuation Bill and Industrial Conciliation Arbitration Bill. The Noxious Weeds Bill would be kept till next session, but the Bill dealing ■with the restriction of immigration of Chinese would be gone on with. The Premier intimated that the Public Works Statement- would be brought down on Friday and he hoped to take the debate on Monday evening. As a number of measures had reached the, third read-ing-stage and the majority of the measures were non-contentious he thought Parliament would be able to prorogue on November 20th. \ PUSHING "BILLS THROUGH. The Premier asked the Speaker if he would suspend the standing orders so that from now Bills could be .put through at one sitting. The .Speaker said that- he was prepared to allow of this being done from to-mor-row. BILLS PASSED. The Government Advances to Settlers Act, Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill, Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill and Post Office Savings Funds Investment Bill were read a third time and passed. BILLS OF EXCHANGE. . The House went into committee on the Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill. At clause 2 which provides that all cheques, bilk of exchange promissory notes or drafts in the possession of a banker on whom they are drawn may be destroyed after the expiration of 10 years from the date of the document payable, Mr Reid moved to strike out 10 with a view of inserting 15.—Negatived by 45 votes to 14 votes. The Premier moved a new sub clause to provide that bankers at the expiration of 10 yeans shall on demand hand over such, documents to the persons entitled to the possession thereof.—Agreed to on the voices. Clause 3 provides that in case of cheques negligently drawn or made as to offer any unusual facility for alteration ! the drawer stall be responsible for fraudulent alteration. Mr James Allen contended that the clause opened, the door to unlimited collusion between a bank-.teller and payer or any other fraudulently disposed person. Other members also expressed similar views and the clause was withdrawn and progress reported. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. The Agricultural Implement Manufacture Importation and Sale Bill was taken in committee. At clause 5, which amends the Act of 1905 by omitting the words " Of British manufacture,and substituting the words "manufactured in the United Kingdom." Mr Buddo pointed out that this practically _ debarred Canadian manufacturer! implements and these were largely used in Canterbury. The Hon. Mr Millar said that the original Act was intended to give preference to articles manufactured in the United Kingdom, but. when American, manufacturers found that the wording of the Act covered the colonies, tliey started manufacturing on tlia Canadian borders, and thus got over the meaning of the Act. Clause 2, which extends tha Act of 1906 to 1910 was amended on tbe suggestion of Mr Herries to limit the extension to 19C8. Mr Malcolm, referring to clause 3, urged that it should be extendbd to include the colonies. Mr Juntas Allen said that now ..he American manufacturers had established factoikii in Canada that colony .should not be penalised. Mr Aitken pointed out that Canada was given preference in certain manufactures, and he thought that preference could be extended to agricultural imp'einents. Tli'.: Hon. Mr Millar points.l out that the measure wus vnacred to protect local manufactures. - The farmers were -not being penalised by any duty but if Canadian manufacturers were going to dump down these implements the local manufacturers would be ruined. Mr Malcolm said it was recognised that when a. bonus was granted to local manufacturers it usually ended in the putting on of duty. Mr Laurenson said that the huge trusts had ruined manufacturers in South America, and' then had raised the price of their implements. No better implements were made than those made by manufacturers in Otago and' Canterbury, but if they allowed these huge trusts to dump their manufactures -into the dominion, then local industries would be ultimately cru.-li' ci. when up would go the price of the trust implements and the farmers would suffer. Mr Malcolm said tha nativ-a industries had proved again and again that they could hold their own against foreign competition, and he had! no fears in this direction, as the local •iranufacturers had not long distances for* carriage to pay,

bill had the farmers at their oivn doon;. The clause was passed by 44 votes to ' eight, votes. On .the motion of the Hon. Mr Millar a new clause was addted enabling tlie board of enquiry to go on villi its work in spite of the absence of one of its members. Mr James Allen moved a new clause to provide .that when Parliament is sitting the report of the board si)all be laid on the 1 able of .the House within. ten days of the completion of hearing.—Agreed to. The Bill was reported with amendment.:;. POLICE OFFENCES. The committee then considered the Police Offences Bill. _ , The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. Considerable opposition was shown in regard to clause 3 and ultimately it was withdrawn. Clause 4 which makes it an offence for any person issuing a. document, which is intended by its wording or appearance, contrary to" fact, that, such was 'issued by the authority of a Court, Judge, Magistrate or Justice was agreed to without discussion. Clause 5 .tnnke.? it/ an offence for tiny person Avho without authority publicly uses in connection with his trade or calling any written words, initials, etc.. likely to cause any person to believe that he holds a degree, -diploma or certificate issued by any university or other institution. Sub-clause 4 of clause 5 provides that in any prosecution for an offence against this or any othei' Act the use of the word dioctor by a registered medical practitioner shall not- in itself be deemed to indicate or be likely to cam-e other persons to believe that such medical practitioner holds the degree of doctor in any university, provided also that no prosecution- >haji take place under this section without the previous consent of the At-torney-General. Mr Tanner said the medical profession was headed by a. Gentle-man who occupied a- veiy prominent position, led Parliament session after session and privileges -were given to the profession that, were) quite contrary to the desiro of the country. He moved to strike out the sub-section. — Negatived by 33 to 22. Clause 5 as a whole passed by 38 to 20. „ - Mr Hanan moved s)*ncw clause to make it- an offence, to acfv efeke any food preparation or nostrum as being the property or preparation or having been prepared under the supervision of a lesraUy-qualitfed medical man.—Rejected, by 34 to 22. The Bill was then reported. BILLS ADVANCED. • The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill -was taken .in Committee and passed without amendment. Tlio Marine Insurance Bill was taken in Committee and i passed without amendment. i ' , The amendments to the Fire Brigades Bill were introduced by Governor's message. Clause 5 provides that the Governor-in-Council on application may declare district.} to be fire districts, one condition being that the population of the district sha'-l be more than 5000. - Mr James Allen moved an amendment to substitute, 11,000 for 5000Mr Field ' urged that the ' condition should be struck out -altogether, so that any borough could take advantage of the Act. The Hon. Mr Carroll said that it wars not a- mere .gratifying of a body to form fire district, but it was a question of finance. If the door' was opened! to small boroughs where insurance companies were doing only a small business, and the cost of their rdiare was. close ito the amount of their business, then it. would eventually devolve upon the local authorities to find the whole of the expenditure, and they' would have to raise a- rate to defrav the cost. He was prepared to reduce the population condition from .-50C0 to 30C0-. Mr Field moved as a prior -amendment that s two or more bodies might combine together for the purpose of bsccining a fire district. After several members had urged » reduction in tlie population condition, the Hon. Mr £arroll said it iseemed t*o be a matter of choosing between 1000 and 5000. He would be prepared to come down another thousand, otherwise lis would be disposed to pass a Bill for' the four centres alcne and leave other districts out altogether. After further discussion, Mr Field's amendment was carried by 32 votes to 29 votes. The Hon. Mr Carroll then moved to report progress, and this was agreed to on the voices. The -Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment Bill was taken in committee. The Hon. 'Mr Millar moved an amendment to provide for the inspection of scaffolding under sixteen feet in height from the structural base on which the scaffoldr ing -wasverected. —Agreed to on the voices. The Bill was reported.

Tlie Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill was reported. The Houise adjourned at 11.50 p.m.