PARLIAMENTARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9307, 6 August 1908, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

{Abridged from Press Association.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. "Wednesday, Attgtjst 5/ AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS. The Wellington Harbour Board Empowering Bill (Mr Wilford) was read a third timja: and passed. _ The Canterbury College and Canterbury Agricultural College Act Amendment.Bill (Mr Ell) was introduced and Toad a first time, THE AMjfeICAN FLEET. On the motism of the Prime Minister, It was resolv&i that the House should bo adjourned next%jday. at b. 30 p.m. .ttutilxuesday, August I& QUESTIONS:'. In reply to questions Ministers stated that jt is riot intended to e^ept any further sawmills at present.. That the Government could not see its way to reduce the postage on library books to country settlers to a half-penny per rolume. That the Government had too many important undertakings on. hand trf entertain' proposals for, the P««*ase of flourmills. That the Friendly. Societies Bill would be referred to a select committee -havrag experience of friendly society business. lnat_ # all Casual railway employees with continu- , ous service of five years or' over would be placed on the permanent staff.. That the Government would procure all available information regarding tbe new serum with which Dr Be.rtrand, or Antwerp claimed to cure pneumonia, rhat the Vaccination Act would not be amended this session. That proposals regarding: school books would be submitted to the House this session. ';...■■■; ST HELENS HOSPITAL. Some comnlaint having been voiced "Vy the leader of the Opposition regard- ; fog ; the administration of St Helens , Maternity Hospital at Auckland, in regard more especially to the! treatment ! >f indigent women, the Hoh G. Fowlds , leclared he had no expectation that j Ihe agitation in con with St Helens Hospital, Aucfelana, would sublide before the general election, inasflQUch as it was purely political; He could, if he chose, name a lady who was at the bottom of the whole agitation. „• Neither the. late Mr Sed/ion nor »ny member of the Government, had feven said .or implied that these hospitals were to be used for indigent cases, jrhich now. quite as much as ever in tJie^past came under thJO&J#fe&-\'P?.. hospital and charitable aid "boaids^vThe. Minister dealt at considerable :7 length' with.the system of administration adopted with regard to these hospitals. He explained that' the scale of fees was made as moderate as was consistent with the aims and objects to be served by such institutions. He : also explained the merits of the specific oased quoted by Mr Maasey. Mr Herries dissented from the attitude of Mr Fowlds, and scouted the suggestion that political influence, was at work behind the : agitation. He did hot believe that these hospitals i were not intended for indigent women. I Mr Barclay said he was of -opinion that the whole matte*,; cg]le&..,l3MJ .,in->^ guiry by the " GsverTftiient. The House adjpurned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. LOCAL ELECTIONS, . ,^Qn\tbe motion for the adoption of tluß-'.jcommittee's report on the Local Election' Act Amendment Bill (Sir William Steward), Mr Massey iriovefl that the Bill .bo recommitted for the purpose of inserting a clause amending Section 15 of the principal Act in tho direction .of abolishing the ■ optional method of marking the name selected by the voter with a croas, in favour or making the alternative method of crossing out names not selected compulsory. Mr Massey said that the pre- / »eiit'- optional method caused endless confusion at local elections. . Tlie Prime Minister said that he had made inquiries since the matter was last before the House, and had found that_ the time was not opportune to .oboliish the optional system. In the Old Country, where more elections took place in one week than were held here In two years, the cross system wais generally' ift vogue. ■' A general discussion took place. ' ■ On & division Mr Maasey's amendment was lost by 35 to 24. • The' BUl was read a third time and passed. - TOWN DISTRICTS. In committee on the Town Districts Act Amendment Bill, after the short title had been agreed to with machinery amendments, Mr Berries moved to report progress on the ground that the Bill was objectionable in principle, in that it extended the Municipal Corporations Act to town districts. The' Prime Minister said that the •ystem had operated very well iv municipalities, and might well be extended to town district©. Mr Massey objected to the Bill on the ground that it tried to assimilate dissimilar things,. The Government was to blame for ; not bringing down a {Comprehensive local government Bill. ■V. The Prime Minister congratulated pit Maseey upon the ingenuity with which he overlooked the Fact that the Bill referred to had been sent all over the country to local bodies for conS "deration nearly twelve' months ago. !e explained at some length the difficulties in the way of amending, the law relating to local government. 1 Mr Hogg said that the Bill was a thoroughly democratic measure, designed to abolish plural voting. After a long discussion, the motion to report progress was lost. On the motion of the Prime Minister, fc sub-eection was added to Clause 3 to make Sections 6 to 16 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, apply to town boards. Sub-section 2 of Clause 4 was struck •Ut. On a motion to strike out Clause 5 in Ijrder to substitute a fresh clause, Mr Tanner protested against the farcical jj&ethods of legislation. He was not a betting man, but he would stake half bis substance that not one member outride the mover and those in his immediate vicinity had heard the amendment read, and fewer still knew what it meant. This was .a Punch and Judy ihow method of legislating. Mr Ell 1 retorted that Mr Tanner had been eighteen years in the House, and phould know better. Mr Massey supported Mr Tanner. He said that he nad never witnessed luch a farcical attempt at legislating. — jIFoods' Great Peppermint Cure won't ! cure j Bad habits or York hams, j tfor would it do in Irish stew, J Or hair-wash or in jams; It won't cure leather freckles, warts, For working men or toffs, ' Put Woods' Great Peppermint Cure will euro Your colds and euro your coughs. 23 i