LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11743, 20 September 1902, Page 7

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, September 19

The Council met at 2.00. The Hon. Jennings brought up the report of the committee appointed to consider the Hon. Rigg's Tued Houses Bill. The report stated that the committee, after carefully considering the evidence adduced, was satisfied that the provisions of the Bill in questiin would not further the interest of hotelkeepers or of the general public. The committee therefore recommended that the Bill be not further proceeded with. The Hon. Rigg moved that the Bill be committed on Wednesday next-, anJ. tin* motion was agreed to without debate. In reply to the Hon. Pitt, the Minister |o$ Education said it was thought in '.he interests of public health it was WL5e net to remove the present restrictions agj-iiis-l the importation of grapes from Australia.

The Hon. Stevens moved that the attention of the Government be drawn to the system at present adopted by the accident insurance offices with regard to the assurance x>f mortgages against the risk of loss through accident. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Minister of Education, who promised to report on the subject at the next sitting. The Unclaimed Moneys Act Amendment Bill was committed, reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The Stamp Act Amendment Bill was committed and reported without amendment.

The Electoral Bill was committed. In clause 6, subsection 1, the Hon. McLean moved to strike out the proviso that an addition to the population! shall not be made* in any area within five miles of tihe chief post offices of Auckland, Wellington, Christchniroh, and Dunedin. This was lost on the voices.

The Hon. Bowen moved that the proviso to» clause 222, "Application to outlying islands," be struck out. He contended 'i/he clause would apply to our recently acquired islands in the Pacific, and as that indicated the first step of a new policy with regard to such islands, he thought the question should be dealt with in a separate Bill. The Minister of Education, stated that tihe clause was intended to apply only to the Chatham Islands, which formed part of New Zealand.

The amendment was carried by 17 to 12.

The Bill was reported witih. amendment. The Opium Prohibition Act Amendment Bill was committed. A new clause was added forfeiting all articles seized. The Bill was reported with amendment.

The Minister of Education moved the second reading of the Old Age Pensions Act Amendment Bill, which he explained ■was mainly a safeguard against fraud upon the fund.

The motion was agreed to. The Motor Car Regulatioai Bill was read a second time.

The Council rosse at 4.40.