JANUARY 12, 1912. MR. PRESIDENT: I have been directed to inform your honorable body that the Assembly has agreed to the report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses to the amendment of the Assembly to Commission Bill No. 116, entitled "An Act to provide for the collection and apportionment between the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments of taxes paid by the grantees of franchises, their lessees, successors or assigns, on the gross earnings or receipts from the business covered by the law granting the franchise or any amendment thereof."

Very respectfully,

To the Honorable,

RAMÓN DIOKNO,

Secretary, Philippine Assembly.

the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION. On motion it was

Resolved, That the Commission agree to the report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Assembly to Commission Bill No. 116, entitled "An Act to provide for the collection and apportionment between the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments of taxes paid by the grantees of franchises, their lessees, successors or assigns, on the gross earnings or receipts from the business covered by the law granting the franchise or any amendment thereof."

Ordered, That the Secretary notify the Assembly thereof. Ordered further, That Commission Bill No. 116 be enrolled and printed as an Act.

REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE.

[Committee Report No. 351.]

MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Finance and Justice, to which was referred on December 9, 1911, Assembly Bill No. 744, entitled "An Act to amend articles four hundred and forty-three and four hundred and fortysix of the Penal Code, relating to the crimes of seduction and abduction," has examined the same and has the honor to report it back to the Commission with the following recommendation, viz:

That consideration of this bill be indefinitely postponed.

The purpose of this bill is to amend articles 443 and 446 of the Penal Code, the first of which penalizes the crime of estupro, and the second the crime of rapto, committed with the woman's consent, by reducing the age up to which a woman is protected by those articles from 23 years, as now fixed in both cases, to 18 in the case of estupro and 21 in the case of rapto.

Your committee referred this matter to the Code Committee for comment and recommendation. That committee, in a lucid and convincing report signed by its president, to which attention is directed, is of the unanimous opinion that the articles in question should remain unchanged. In the opinion of your committee the reasoning of the Code Committee against the proposed change is sound and entitled to great weight.

It is true that the Legislature has by Act No. 1891 reduced to 21 the age of majority fixed in article 320 of the Civil Code, but this can not be argued in favor of the bill now under consideration for the reason that there was left in force the article immediately following (No. 321), which provides that unmarried daughters under the age of 25 can not leave the parental home without permission of the father or mother in whose company they live, unless to marry or when the father or mother has contracted another marriage, it evidently being deemed that a woman of 21, although capable of exercising ordinary civil rights, had not yet acquired that maturity of judgment essential for her protection against the seductions of unscrupulous men.

Respectfully submitted.

To the Honorable,

GREGORIO ARANETA,

Committee on Matters Pertaining to the
Department of Finance and Justice.

the PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION.

The report and the recommendation contained therein were adopted

The President entered the Session Chamber at this point and resumed the chair.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.

Commissioner Elliott introduced the following bill:

Commission Bill No. 159. An Act amending section twenty-five (d), of Act Sixteen hundred and ninety-eight, known as "Revised Civil Service Act."

Commission Bill No. 159 was read the first time and referred to Commissioner Araneta as a select committee for report and recommendation.

Commissioner Worcester introduced the following bill:

Commission Bill No. 160. An Act amending Act Nine hundred and twenty-six, entitled "The Public Land Act," by providing that persons, associations, and corporations may acquire by purchase public lands not exceeding sixteen hectares in extent for purposes of trade, manufacture, or other productive industry, and that provinces,

municipalities or other municipal corporations may acquire by purchase public lands for cemetery or park purposes not exceeding sixteen hectares in extent, and for other purposes.

By unanimous consent, Commission Bill No. 160 was read the first time by title only and referred to the Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Commerce and Police for report and recommendation.

COMMISSION BILL NO. 129 IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

On motion by Commissioner Gilbert,

The Commission proceeded to the consideration in Committee of the Whole of Commission Bill No. 129, entitled "An Act expressly conferring upon, and confirming to the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands the control and management of all matters affecting the personnel and the internal operations of the court; and authorizing the court to hold sessions throughout the period designated by law for the annual 'court vacation;' and providing for accrued leave for the members of the court in certain cases," heretofore postponed.

After some consideration the committee rose and reported with the following recommendation:

That the amendment recommended by the Committee on Matters Pertaining to the Department of Finance and Justice be concurred in with the following amendments:

Section 3, strike out the words at the end thereof "or of one of the associate justices whom the court, by resolution, may designate for that purpose if the Chief Justice submits the matter to the court" and insert in lieu thereof the words "or, in the event of his death, disability, or absence, of one of the associate justices whom the court, by resolution, may designate for that purpose."

Section 4, insert after the words "approval by the Chief Justice or" the words "in the event of his death, disability, or absence." Section 5, amend to read as follows:

"SEC. 5. The designation of the justice of the Supreme Court who shall remain on duty during any vacation period of the court shall be made in such manner as the court by resolution shall direct.” Section 6, amend to read as follows:

"SEC. 6. The right of the justices of the Supreme Court to leave of absence may be exercised by them subject only to approval in

such manner as the court by resolution may direct: Provided, however, That all such leaves of absence shall be so arranged as never to deprive the court of a quorum during its regular sessions.”

Section 7, insert after the words "no justice shall at any time have to his credit" the words “by virtue of this section;" and strike out the words "under the provisions of such Act" wherever they occur, and insert in lieu thereof the words "under the provisions of that Act."

Section 8, strike out all down to and including the words "end of the next calendar year" and insert in lieu thereof the following: "SEC. 8. The Supreme Court may hold regular sessions throughout the whole of the period designated by law for its annual court vacation, and the right to three months' leave of absence as prescribed in section six shall accrue to all the justices of the court on the first day of April of any year in which the court adopts a resolution so to do: Provided, That no justice of the court shall have at any time to his credit, more than the leave of absence allowed in lieu of three annual court vacations."

Section 9, strike out in its entirety.
Section 11, strike out in its entirety.
Change section numbers accordingly.

And that as so amended the bill pass.

The report and recommendation of the Committee of the Whole were adopted, and the bill ordered on file for third reading.

Commissioner Palma returned to the Session Chamber during the consideration of the bill in Committee of the Whole.

The President absent, Commissioner Gilbert in the chair.

INTRODUCTION OF BILL.

Commissioner Araneta introduced the following bill: Commission Bill No. 161. An Act amending subsection (b) of section eighteen of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and seven, by amending paragraph two thereof to extend the provisions of the subsection to civilian employees of the United States and to provide for the withdrawal by the Attorney-General of such funds of deceased Americans as may remain on deposit in the Postal Savings Bank one year after the date of the death of the owner thereof, and by adding at the end of said subsection a paragraph conferring on the Attorney-General authority to assume the control and management of the property and personal effects of such Americans as

may become insane while employed in the service of the Government of the Philippine Islands or as civilian employees of the United States.

By unanimous consent, Commission Bill No. 161 was read the first time by title only and referred to Commissioner Palma as a select committee for report and recommendation.

COMMUNICATIONS.

The Secretary read a communication from the president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce urging the passage of Assembly Bill No. 633, entitled "An Act to exempt from payment of the land tax every kind of buildings, machinery, and implements on agricultural lands and used exclusively in the cultivation of such lands or in the production of crops thereon, or for the use thereof, or that are needed thereby, with certain exceptions," laid on the table by the Commission on January 4, 1912.

Ordered filed.

The Secretary then read a circular from the Rigsdagens Bureau of Denmark advising of a proposed amendment to the Danish constitution with reference to the qualifications for voting and holding office, submitted to the Landsting on October 3, 1911 by the minister of the interior.

Ordered acknowledged and filed.

The Secretary then submitted a communication from the consul for the French Republic transmitting five volumes of the Annals of the Senate, ordinary and special sessions of 1910.

Ordered, That the Secretary acknowledge receipt of the documents with thanks and turn them over to the Philippine Library.

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

The Commission proceeded to the consideration of executive business.

After the consideration of executive business, the Commission returned to regular session.

(For appointments confirmed in executive session, see p. 985.)