PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160710, 24 July 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Per United Press Association.'/ WELLINGTON, July 23. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. CRIMES AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon. MacGregor moved the second reading of the Crimes Amendment Bill, which proposes to pass to the law officers of the Crown the powers of the grand jury, with a proviso that when necessary the interested party may require the summoning of a grand jury. Sir Francis Bell expressed the hope that the Council would not adopt the Bill. The grand jury was a safeguard against the tyranny of a Government, prevented improper prosecutions, and ensured prosecution where necessary. The Bill was not in proper form, in fact, amounted to a mere resolution. After discussion, the Hon. MacGregor said that in the face of Government opposition it would be a waste of time to proceed further, and therefore he withdrew the Bill. The Council rose at 3.17 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARKETS FOR N.Z. MEAT. Replying to Mr Field, the Hon. Mr Massey said that more markets could be found for New Zealand lamb, and when the contract with the Imperial Government expired, the Government would do everything in its power to develop a market in America.- He mentioned the legislation passed to check the operations of the American Meat Trust, and he hoped producers would support the Government in keeping that legislation on the Statute Book. RATE OF INTEREST. Replying to Mr Nash, Mr Massey said it was the'endeavour of the Government to keep down the rate of interest to local bodies, and where it was possible the rate had been kept down to per cent. In cases of renewals 51- per cent had been permitted, and if any local body, finding itself in difficulties, would communicate with the Government, steps would be taken to give them relief. He quite recognised that money was going to be dearer in New Zealand. He only hoped the rise would not ba great. THE MAH AN A IMMIGRANTS. Replying to Mr Fraser, the Hon. Nosworthy said all the information he had received regarding the immigrants who came out in the Mahana was that they were well treated on the voyage out. He had reason to believe there were certain influences at work to decry the Government’s immigration policy, but ho wanted to say that the Government would proceed with its policy notwithstanding the criticism levelled at tho Immigration Department. CHERTSEY OIL BORE. Replying to Mr Sullivan, the Premier said if the people interested in tho Chertsey oil bore desired an expert opinion thereon, the Government would afford all the assistance possible. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. Five days’ leave of absence was granted to Mr Vigor Brown (Napier) on account of illness. SHEEP SHORTAGE. The Minister of Agriculture presented a return showing the number of sheep in the Dominion, and mentioned that it disclosed a shortage of 1,870,000 at Ist December; but he hoped when the season’s figures were completed this shortage would be reduced. FIRST READINGS. The Bay of Islands Harbour Bill (Mr V. H. Reed) aud the Mount Hntt County Bill (Sir R. Rhodes) were introduced and read a first time. BILLS PASSED. The amendments made in committee in the Gaming Act Amendment Bill and the Judicature Amendment Bill were agreed to, and both measures were read a third time and passed. THE ARMS BILL. Mr Massey moved the second reading of the Arms Bill. He declared it was largely a consolidating measure, but included some war regulations that had been found to work satisfactorily during the war. The need of the Bill was stressed by the authorities. The practice of carrying firearms, especially automatic pistols, had increased largely during the past two or three years. Ho cited the fact that in the last two years there had been eight murders, sixty suicides, and seventy persons injured, many by automatic pistols, the possesion of which under the Act would be made illegal. Arms dealers would bo subject to drastic regulations. Returned soldiers may retain automatic pistols secured as trophies of war if they obtain permission. Private persons may keep ordinary revolvers in dwelling houses, but no person may carry arms without a permit. In case of a riot tho authorities may proclaim the area and take possession of all arms therein. In connection with the proscription of automatic pistols, the Government would purchase all such delivered to it by the present owners up to the Ist January next. The Bill was read a second time without division. MAGISTRATES’ COURTS. The Hon. Lee moved the second reading of the Magistrates’ Courts Amendment Bill. Mr Wilford urged that magistrates should receive at least a hundred per annum more than was proposed. They were under some disabilities in the matter of superannuation, and their work was constantly added to under new legislation. Mr Ngata put in a word for the jndges of the Native Land Courts, who, in addition to very onerous and exacting duties, had to do a great deal of travelling, the allowances for which were small. The Leader of the Opposition also pleaded for more consideration to magistrates, pointing out that these gentlemen were cut off from any other avenues of income. Messrs Luke, Field, and Lysnar also supported the measure. The Hon. Herries said the Native Land Court judges would be dealt with generously in the supplementary Estimates. Mr Veitch considered the magistrates in some of the larger provincial centres should be paid as much as the chief magistrates of the cities, because they had a greater variety of work and had not to travel. Payment should be according to the character of the work, and not based on a magistrate’s location. The Hon. Lee replied that city magistrates had larger responsibilities, and the chief positions there ought to bo made such as to attract men to work up to them.

The Arms Bill and the Magistrates* Court Bill were put through committee without amendment, and both were read a third time and passed. The House adjourned at 5.30. MR HOLLAND’S MOTION DEFEATED. The House resumed at. 5.30. Before calling on Mr Holland, as arranged during the afternoon session, to move his motion disagreeing with a ruling of Mr Speaker, Sir Frederick Lang (Speaker) said that as he was personally concerned he would like to give his reasons for ruling as he did. He took exception to the last four lines of Mr Holland’s motion, in which the House was asked to demand that the Imperial Government should withdraw troops from Ireland. This he considered would be handing Ireland over to the cause of violence and murder, to the enemies of the Empire, and to those who desired to see a separate republic established in Ireland. This ho did not consider a proper motion on the Order Paper of the House, the members of which had sworn to, or declared they would, show allegiance to the King and Empire. He therefore ruled the motion out of order. Mr Massey said he hoped the discussion would bo limited to the strict question of the Speaker’s ruling, and that the Imperial aspect of the Irish question would not he entered upon, and that no one would take up an attitude which would tend to endanger the Empire. Mr Holland; Do you think that called for? The Speaker then called on Mr Holland to move that Mr Speaker’s ruling that the notice of motion by the member for Buller (Mr Holland) in favour of self-determina-tion for the Irish people and condemning the military occupation of Ireland is not in order, be disagreed with. In doing so, Mr Holland said the Speaker had evidently misread his original motion, as he did not “demand” the removal of troops from Ireland, but asked that the British Government should be “urged” to remove them. He did not propose to discuss the question of Government for Ireland, but would confine himself to the action of the Speaker, as he considered it infringed on the rights of the New Zealand Parliament in its relations with the Imperial Government to show that the New Zealand Parliament had a right to express an opinion on Imperial affars. He quoted Mr Bracken’s motion in favour of Home Rule for Ireland, moved in the House in 1887, Mr Seddon’s motion against the employment of Chinese in South Africa, and a motion moved in the Commonwealth Senate in favour of self-determination for Ireland. All last session he had standing on the Order Paper a motion very similar in terms, which had not been objected to. He moved his motion because so far as he could find th« Speaker’s ruling was contrary to tht Standing Orders of the House, and was against all precedents.' Mr Fraser seconded the motion. He did not wish to discuss the Irish question, but as Mr Holland had shown precedent was in favour of his protest, he therefore supported the protest. Mr Massey said he thought the beat thing the House could do was to go to a division at once. He, however, defended his vole given on Mr Seddou’s motion against the introduction of Chinese into South Africa, on which occasion he expressed doubt as to the right of the Dominion to interfere with the affairs of another Dominion. Ho combated the idea that the League of Nations had anything to do with this question, and agreed -with the Speaker that this matter should be cleared out of the way as soon as possible. Mr Ngata said he did not know of any Standing Order under which the motion could be ruled out, but the Speaker took up the ground that this was a motion affecting the loyalty of the House to the Empire. On that ground he thought the Speaker right in the ruling he had given. Mr Holland, in reply, said the Premier had not shown how hia motion infringed the Standing Orders. Mr Ngata had entered into the very aspect of the question which he (Mr Holland) sought to avoid, namely, the question of loyalty. He had not raised that point at all. The real question was whether the New Zealand Parliament had a right to criticise and object to the policy of the Imperial Government. The Speaker reiterated his reasons for giving the ruling, and then put the question. On the voices the “Noes” had it. Mr Holland called for a division, when the motion was defeated by 41 to 4, those voting for the motion being Messrs Holland, Fraser, Savage and Parry. 3 j Mr Massey then moved the adjournment of the House, which rose at 8.20.