HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4742, 6 September 1893, Page 1

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House met at 2.30. GOLDFIELDS. A lengthy discussion took place on the report from the Goldfields Committee, which was finally referred back to the Committee for further consideraticn. STBANGERS AND VISITORS. Mr Fergus called the Speaker's attention to the insufficient accommodation provided in the Parliamentary buildings for strangers and visitors. He said there was only one small room at present avail* able in which members could see visitors, and it was utterly unsuitable for the purpose. The Speaker agreed with the honourable gentlemau, and said in his opinion the accommodation provided for visitors was utterly unsuitable in every respect. The room in question was badly situated, badly lighted and miserably furnished. He should endeavour, however, to get something done in this direction during the recess. Mr Mackenzie called attention to another great source of discomfort, and said the accommodation at present provided for the public who wished to hear debates in the House was wholly insufficient. After further discussion the matter vr aa dropped. QUESTIONS. Eeplying to IdrT. Mackenzie, The Hon J. M'Kenzie said it would be almost impossible to pass any legislation dealing satisfactorily with the question of bush firing. Eeplying to Mr Wilson, The Hon J. G. Ward regretted that he could not comply with the request to allow parcels of books tor school libraries to be carried free by post. Beplying to Mr Hall-Jonep, The Hon J. Carroll said the attention of the Government had not been called^ to a case recently heard at Timaru, in which two Jueticca of the Peace sentenced a man to nine months' imprisonment for usicg obscene language, bub the Justices would be asked to report on the case. Eeplying to Mr Fish, The Hon E. J. Seddon said the Public Worka Statement would probably be brought down early next week. ; Replying to Mr M. J. S. Mackenzie whether the Minister for Land 3in view of the heavy expenses to which Eettlers prosecuted by rabbit inspectors are pub for Court 1 charges even in cases where such prose--1 cutions are virtually unsuccessful, he will ' cause all summonses in future to be S9rved ' by inspectors or rabbit agents as fart of 1 their regular duty, The Hon J. M'Kenzie said he gave this 1 matter some attention during the recess, 1 and it was a question of increasing the number of inspectors, which he did not think was warranted, He had considered ' the whole matter carefully and could not see his way to comply with the request. > The inspectors had jußt as much as they 1 could do at present. 1 Eeplying to Mr G, Hutchison whether 1 the Colonial Treasurer will consider the 1 propriety of revising the retes of interest charged by the Government Insurance 1 Department on advances on policies where 1 it can be arranged that the advances are ' for fixed periods, The Hon J. G. Wabd said the Government had to conduct the insurance ' department in the same way as other offices, and did not think it desirable to give any preference to those doing business [ in that department more than could be r obtained from other insurance offices. ) Beplying to Mr Palmer, i The Hon W. P. Eebveb said he was not L aware that the prison authorities insisted > on photographing persons committed to take their trial whether they were guilty or innocent, and placing such photographs ■ amongst the collection of the criminal ■ classes, but he should cause enquiry to be • made into the matter. Mr Fish moved the adjournment of the ; House, and protested against such an indignity being put on innocent men. A lengthy discussion ensued, which was ■ interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. E procedure. 3 Mr Eolleston requested the Premier to make a statement he had promised to - make to the House a3 to the appointment a of Native Minister, and also as to the 1 order of business for the reat of the ! 3 session. He said it was obvious that the i. House could not possibly give considera--3 tion to all tho Bills on the Order Paper, and he thought it only right that the 1 House should havo Borne intimation from 1 the Government as to the course it 9 intended to pursue in this respect. l- The Hon E. J. Seddon said he hoped to be in a position to make the statement he had promised next day. r WEST COAST RESERVES. 3 Oa tho motion that the West Coast c Settlement 'Reserves Act Amendment Bill a bo read a third time, t Mr M'Guire spoke at some length agftiuat tbo Bill, and moved that it be read that day six mouths, i The Hon J. G. Ward hoped that tho - .ameudmpnt would not bo pressed. / Mr M'Guire withdrew his amendment,

and the Bill was read a third time and passed. | ELLESMERE LAKE LANDS. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Ellesmere Lake Lands j Bill were agreed to. POST OFFICES. The House went into Committee on the Post Office Acts Amendment Bill. Clause 5, compensation for damage to contents of a registered letter, caused some discussion, but it was passed with a slight amendment. The remaining clauses were pasEed with amendments, and the Sill was read a third time and passed, CIVIL SERVICE. The Civil Service Officers* Guarantee i Bill waß committed. Clause 1 was amended so as to make the Act apply to the officers of the Government Insurance Department and the Official Assignee. i The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. | stamp act. The Stamp Act Amendment Bill was committed, Clause 4, foreign policies of sea insur- ■ ance to be produced when passing entries, was strongly opposed. Mr Dothie moved that the clause be struck out. Sir John Hall moved to add to the clause a proviso to the effect that this section shall only apply to policies of insurances tiken out within the Colony. Several other amendments were proposed in the clause, and a lengthy debate ensued. My Mooee eventually moved that progress be repoitsd, in order that the clause might be redrafted. Sir E. Stout, Messrs Fish, Duthie and other members urged reporting progress in order to amend the clause. . The Hon W. P. Eeeves opposed reporting progress, and said he was prepared to move certain amendments in the clause. After further debate, Mr Beeves said he was so anxious to proceed with the Bill that he should agree to strike out 1 this clause, and it was struck out accordingly. The Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. SHOP BILL. Oa the motion that the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill be committed, Mr Duthie opposed the Bill at length, and moved that it be committed that day three months. Mr Fish supportsd the amendment, and opposed the Bill at great length. Mr Eolleston said the Bill would do gross injustice to small traders throughout the Colony. Mr Sheba supportad the Bill, and congratulated Mr Eeeves on introducing it. Sir Robert Stout would vote for the Bill being committed, but would propose certain amendments. If the Committee rejected tho3e amendments he should reserve to himself the right of voting against the third reading. He held that it was utterly wrong that a fruiterer who sold fruit Bhould bo compelled to close, while a hotelkeeper who sold whiskey could keep open. The main object of the Bill seemei to be injurious to the small shopkeeper, whilst it encouraged the large ones. Mr Satjnders said there was so much in the Bill that he disapproved of, that he should vote for the amendment. Mr Bttckland asked whether it was LiberaliEin to deprive small shopkeepers of their means of existence. He contended that the Bill would go in that direction. Mr Weight thought the Bill should be regarded as an advertising sheet for the senior member for Christchurch, especially aa it was to be kept dangling before shop assistants till after the general election. He should vote against tho committal of the Bill. Mr M'Gotvan thought the question would have to be faced by this Government, or by some other Government. He should support not only fruit shops being closed, but; that every shop should be closed on Sunday. Mr T. Thompson supported the Bill, and thought it could be made workable in com- \ mittee. MrE. Thompson regretted that the time of the House should be wasted in discussi ing such a Bill, which was not required at I all. He felt sure that Mr Eeeves could I have no idea of the miechief the Bill would | work if it became law. Mr Scobie Mackenzie objected to the Bill in the strongest way, ai one of the moßo mischievous pieces of legislation introduced in the House. He could not imagine why the Bill was introduced at all. The Bill of la&t year was better than this one, inasmuch as it left the communities themselves to decide which day should be the half-holiday. The Bill would, however, not do so much harm as wa3 anticipated because it would be practically inoperative. Mr Earnshaw had wanted to hear what the Labour members had to Bay in defence of their Bill. He held that of all the Labour Bills brought in there was nono which had given the Labour members more consideration than this one. He recognised that in carrying this Bill a large number of small shopkeepers would go to the wall, and he did not think that altogether thab would be a bad thing. He had no objection to the Bill coming into force at once. Mr Carncboss could not see his way to support the Bill, and could not vote for compulsory closing, which he thought was in advance of public opinion. The Bill waß not in the true interests of the working classes, and therefore he could not vote for it. They had heard that the Bill might probably drive some of the small shopkeepers to the wall, and if that were so he should not do anything that would have that effect. Mr Duthie's amendment was lost by 29 to 12. After the Telegraph Office eloeed, Mr Duthie's amendment on the Shop Hours Bill was rejected by 20 to 12, and the Bill was committed, progress being immediately reported. Mr Eeeves said he intended to me every effort to pass the Bill through Parliament, and asked the House not to take reporting progress at this stage as an indication that the Bill was not to be persevered with. The House rose at 2.10 a.m.