LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17697, 24 October 1919, Page 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON. October 23. The Legislative Council met at 2 30 p.m.The Ha-wke's Bay rivers Bill was reported from the Local Bills Committee without amendment, and on the motion of the Hon. Geddes the Bill was referred bac"; for further consideration, his reason for this being that a new clause had been inserted in the House of Representatives providing that loan money cannot be raised without a poll of ratepayers. The following Bills were received from the House of Representatives, and read a first time: —National Provident Fund Amendment, Native Townships Amendment, Counties Amendment, State Forests Amendment, and Police Offences Amendment.

The Speaker referred to the point of order raised by the Hon. Samuel yesterday as to whether the Invercargill Borough Boundary Extension Bill was a private one. He 6tated that he would refer the point to the Joint Committee on Bills.

Sir F Bell moved the second reading of

WOMEN'S PARLIAMENTARY

RIGHTS BILL (No. 2)

Having traversed the happenings of the last few weeks, he said the Prime Minister had made it clear that the acceptance of the Council's amendment to the original Bill was not conditional upon the new Bill being brought down in Council. Continuing, he said that the Legislative Council Act of 1914, providing for making the Council elective, would be proclaimed at the rising of Parliament, and one year after would bfecome law. The Bill before them to-day made provision for the remaining year for the power of appointment, and rightly so, for as constituencies were given power to elect woir.en to the House of Representatives in the interval, the Government ougrht to have the right to appoint them to the Council

The Hon. Hall Jone.3 supported the Mil and said that it was necessary then, although there was only one year in which it could be operative.

The Hon. Michel said he intended to vote against the Bill, as he was not satisfied there was the general wisn on the part of the women of New Zealand for the right to sit in Parliament. If women were elected to the House of Representatives he would withdraw hia opposition.

The Hon. Samuel said it looked as if the only reason for the Bill was to give the Government of the day the opportunity to make appointments for electioneering purposes. The Hon G. Jones welcomed the Bill as an indication that the Government was answering well to advanced thought.

The Hon Weheuheu ' Tokino repeated his former assertion that the matter should be settled by a vote of the people.

The Hon. Paul maintained that if the Council voted against the Bill it would mean that half of the population ot: the ■country would not have the opportunity of having fair representation.

The Hon. Earnshaw maintained that the Government had no mandate from the people, and added that personally he was opposed root and branch to allowing women to stand on the floor of Parliament.

I The second reading was lost by 18 to 8, the division being as follows: — Ayes (S): Hogs. ..Bell, Hall Jones, Aitken, Paul, Grimmond, Fleming, Jones, Thomson. Noes (18): Hons. Sinclair, Hardy, Barr, Michel, Geddes, Patuki Tukino, Gow, Hawke, Fisher, Stewart, Earnshaw, Harris,' Moore, Mac Gibbon, McGregor, Simpson, Samuel. .

The Council adjourned at four o'clock till eight o'clock.

The Education Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Public Health Amendment Bill was committed. Clafases were added to enable a local body to carry out structural alteration to private premises where the owner fails to dc so, and to charge the owner for the work, and to transfer the power to give notice requiring an alteration to unhealthy buildings from the health officer to the local authority.

The Bill was passed on the suggestion of Sir Francis Bell.

The committee reported progress on the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill, and asked leave to sit again in view of the possibilty of provision being made for soldiers at sea to record their votes on the licensing question. ' The Council rose at 10 o'clock.