Parliamentary.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2099, 25 September 1875, Page 2

Parliamentary.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. WELLINGTON. This day. Last evening's sitting of the House was confined mainly to business of a private or semi-private nature. The following Bills were passed : — Railways Bill, Registration of Births and Deaths Bill 3 Marriage Act Amendment Bill, and Marine A pi. Amendment Bill. The Anatomy Bill and Criminal Children Aofc Amendment Bill were read a second time.

In moving the second reading of the Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, Mr Bowen said that some time ago in the South the treasurer of one of these friendly societies could not be .convicted of embezzling the funds of the society because according to law he was not a servant of the society in such a sense as to make him liable to the punishment falling .upon a servant of any other society if convicted of embezzlement or larceny; this Bill simply provides that the Trea-

surer of a friendly society should be deemed to be servant of the trustees within the meaning of the Larceny Act 1867.

Second reading of the Bill agreed to. Mr Bowen moVed the second reading of the Evidence Act Amendment. Bill. He said it was clear that by the restrictions now imposed by the law of evidence much usrful evidence was shut out of a court of law. The law of evidence in England had lately been amended so as to greatly reduce restrictions. This Bill was intended to bring the amendments of English law into force in the colony. Parties in action for breach of promise of marriage were to be cqmpetent to give evidence, and parties and their husbands and wives to be competent to giv'e^ evidence in suits for adultery. It was also desirable to prevent that indecent haste which wa« frequently to bo gained by rushing off to the court to gain an advantage, by getting out first summonses, in these criminal summary proceedings where the offender was punishable by fine or imprisonment. The persons charged, and their husbands or wives should be competent to give evidence, but not cempellable unless the person charged has voluntarily been examined, or submitted to examination. It was proposed to get rid of the difficulty constantly occurring in the Courts, owing to the religious scruples of persons required as witnesses by allowing those objecting to take an oath to make declarations and be liable for perjury in case of making false declarations.