PARLIAMENTAEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9015, 23 August 1907, Page 4

PARLIAMENTAEY.

, . ♦ (Abridged from Press Association.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thttksdat Attgttst 22. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTE. •lac Oostley Training Institution Act Amendment Bill was committed. A new clause was added validating acts done by any trustee notwithstanding; any defect 111 his appointment. The Bill was reported as amended. TOHUNGA SUPPRESSION. The Attorney-General moved the •econd reading of the Tohunga Suppression Bill, to ch&ckthe practice' of tohungaism among the MaorisThe Minister spoke strongly of the necessity to put an end as far as possible to the practice of charlatanism among the Natives, whose minds were. Unsettled by it to their great detritaeni. The Hon Wi Pero said that there Were some tohungas who did their best for the amelioration of suffering, but others often had an ulterior object, and that was to get hold of a very nice wife. He- then went into a disquisition on ancient Maori mythology. He desired the Bill to be passed- into law. The Hon H. Scotland considered the Bill too lukewarm, tco milk-and-watery to achieve its object. Pie would like to see the Bill more comprehensive and -Apply to thonght-roiider» and i'sithhealers, who were nothing but tohungae. The Hori J. Rigg said that the power <rf suggestion might be used -with beneficial results, and it was a question -whether they should include in the term tohungaism that phase of healing which might be due to hypnotism or suggestion. He did not think they •Eould too hurriedly condemn that Which they did not understand. Ho would vote for the Bill, as it was permissive, seeing that action could not be taken without permission cf the Minister, but at the. same tiino it would have been better if they had started to put. their own hou&a-in order in this respect first. The Hon T. Kelly urged that the question should be dealt with in a sympathetic manner. Nothing but education would remove the traditions surrounding tohungaism. The Hon Dr Collins supported the Bill from a medical and practical point of view, but thought that the education «,nd help of the more enlightened members, of. the race were necessary to achieve a complete remedy of the evil. . /The Hon S. • T. George, while not opposing the Bill, said that there was no explanation of what a toitunga really was. Education might help, but it would not entirely eradicate tohungaism. He instanced, the recent V£in-making experiments at Oamaru as showing how; tohungaism retained ite bold on the 1 people. The Hon W. M'Cardl© supported the Bill, which, he thought, would do much towards suppressing tohungaism and the ills arising from it. The Hon O. Samuel said he thought the legislature should be extremely careful how it discriminated between one portion, of the people of the colojjy and another. He thought the Bill •hould be made temporary in its operation. It would be undesirable to make permanent an arbitrary law to deal with a question which a year or two would dispose of. He indicated certain amendments he considered necessary to be made. The Hon G. Jones resented Mr George's remarks about tohungaism g>nd rain-making at Oamaru, and said the experiment had proved highly satisfactory. TheHon H.. Feldwick generally sup- ,' ported the Bill. The Hon G. J. Smith eaid he was .' prepared to accept the statements oi #xperts -that the Bill was necessary, bui the debate iad not demonstrated thai Jtrwae so. The Hon 0. Louisson also supported the Bill

The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Hon Captain Tucker. The Council rose at 5 p.m.