HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12551, 14 July 1905, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House , met at 2.30. NOTICES. Mi*. Hogg gave notice to inti*oduce d,bi Flour Duty Abolition Vill. Mi*. Massey gave notice to move for Ja return showing in detail the cost of ikj Lane] Commission. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Sir W. Russell was granted fourteen •days' leave of absence on account of ill-health. FIRE BRIGADES BILL. The Fire Brigdaes Bill was brought -down by Governor's message and read ja, first time. . OTAGO HARBOUR BILL. The Otago Harbour Board Empowering Act, 1903, Amendment Bill (Miller) was read a second time on the voices. The Bill provides for the pay.inent by the Board towards the increase of the Dock Trust Sinking Fund. HABITUAL CRIMINALS. Mr. Sidey moved the second reading <oi the Habitual Criminal Bill. It provides that when a person is convicted -of several' offences—poisoning, wounding, abortion, robbery, extortion, burglary, house breaking, theft^ false pretences, fraud, arson, forgery, and carnage—the Judge may alsio declare him to bo an- habitual criminal, and. if he has -twice previously been convicted of tho offence with which he is charged, -and in such a case the habitual criminal will at the expiration of his "sentence be':. detained" ;| on His Majesty' s pleasure. Every person so detained will bo l'ecjuired to work at sdjme particular .avooation whilel in gaol, Receiving not less than half the net proceeds of his labour. If the Governor determines that an habitual criminal is sufficiently <reformed or that for other good cause it is expedient, he may direct his release, but if during his freedom he misbehaves Trimself he is liable to a fine ug to £20, -or to imprisonment up to three months, besides being liable to be recommitted "to gaol as an habitual criminal. If he "^behaves himself for two years he ceases ±•1 be an habitual criminal. Speaking to the Bill, Mr. Sidey quoted figures to :show that there had been no diminution in crime, and urged that our methods have had no effect on the diminution of -crime in our midst. Some other method was'necessary. The treatment of criminals should be punitive, deterrent, and .reformatory. So far, he contended, nothing hadrbeendene in the direction of reform, and better methods would have to be discovered. He went on to speak in favour of the undeterminate sentences for habitual criminals, with whom the Bill proposes to "deal. .The Hon. McGowan thought the Bill would be worse than the present -system. He would not live to see the ..glorious system of prison reformation introduced into New Zealand, because .ho considered that it was not a success: .'He had seen no system which was an'improvement on the system in -«s€( in New Zealand in connection with -tho tree planting, by prisoners. They needed to guard against treating criminals better than they treated the hardworking individual in the open market, and ire addition he thought that greater -care should be taken in regard, to criminals between the ages of 15 and 21. He did not think it would be a wise thing to give to any Judge the power proposed by this Bill. He did not agree with prisoners being allowed to come into -competition with free labour. That was -one of the reasons that actuated the Government in putting prisoners on to the work of re-afforestation, a work in which they did not come into competition with free labour. Further, the Bill, if passed, would result in a great many applications being made to the Minister for Justice for the release of prisoners indeterminately sentenced His idea was if the colony could stand the expense to put prisoners on farms con which they would earn the cost of their keep. Mr. Hanan having spoken in support of tho Bill, the second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was referred to the Joint Statutes Revision Committee.

MARRIAGE RESTRICTIONS. Sir W. Steward- moved tho second reading of the Marriage Restrictions Removal Bill, which proposes to allow marriage with a deceased wife's niece or deceased husband's nephew. Agreed to on the voices, without debate.

Tho House roso at 5.30. Tho Houso resumed at 7.30

STATUTES COMPUTATION. The Statutes Computation Act Amendment Bill (Sir W. J. Steward) Mas read a second timo pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Com•mittee. Mr. Ell "moved the second reading of "fchp. JRating on Unimproved value Ara- . , eminent' : Bill, which provides that rMJ->;?W? ro ratingi on unimproved value is 0 J» fprco allrates shall be brought under r.i'»-4nf>f system r by special order of the local authority. Mr. Massey regarded this as a policy and he expected that Minis-

ters would have given the House a lead on tha subject. The Hon. Mills saw no reason why local bodies should not have the power to determine the system of rating withinj> then1 control. Mr. Fowlds pointed out that the coming into operation of the Act could be postponed for an agreed period. Sir J. G. Ward said that if the Bill was amended so as to give ratepayers tho option of voting whether the unimproved value system should be applied to the striking of rates it would be mosi; improved. The debate was carried on until the supper adjournment, and on resuming at 10 p.m. the House was counted out.