HOUSE OF REPS. IS WORKING AT PRESSURE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 14, 1 November 1950, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPS. IS WORKING AT PRESSURE

(Special to the Beacon)

In the three weeks that have elapsed since the Budget debate concluded the House of Representatives has been working at pressure. To expedite the business, midnight sittings have been the order of the day, and much legislation has been commanding the attention of members.

By far the most contentious measure was the Servicemen’s Settlement Bill, which provides for transactions in farm properties at current market value. The second reading debate on this Bill commenced at 9 o’clock on Thursday night and the House sat continuously till shortly after 1 p.m. the next day, when the Bill was passed.

Other measures which have been debated include the Coal Mines Amendment Bill (which restores coal resources to private owners), the Electoral Amendment Bill (which fixes European electoral quotas on the basis of the whole population instead of on the adult population as at present), the Gaming Amendment Bill (which increases the number of totalisator permits and defines methods of financing the off-course betting scheme), the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill (which provides for Saturday polls in local body elections and abolishes the use of the ' Parliamentary roll in these elections), the Royal N.Z. Air Force Bill and the N.Z. Army Bill (which provides legal framework for the military machine to operate in times of peace and war), and the Political Disabilities Removal Amendment Bill) (which requires contributions for political purposes to be sanctioned by a majority of the full union membership and not only by a majority of the valid votes cast). Legislation before the House includes the Social Security Amendment Bill (giving effect to the Government’s intention to increase the allowable income of beneficiaries over 65 if they delay applying for the benefit, and to other conces-' sions promised in the Budget), the War Pensions Amendment Bill and War Pensions and Allowances (Mercantile Marine) Amendment Bill (both increasing benefits), the Dietitians’ Bill (which is to further the advancement of the knowledge of nutrition and to provide for the training and registration' of dietitians), the Transport Amendment Bill (instituting a new method of fixing transport charges), the Crown Proceedings Bill (which brings the procedure in actions by or against the Crown into line with the procedure in actions between subjects), the Co-operative Dairy Companies Arpendment Bill (which among other things transfers from the Minister of Stamp Duties‘to the Minister of Justice the power to appoint the members of the Co-opera-tive Dairy Companies’ Tribunal), and the Medical Practitioners Bill (which among other things provides for conditional registration of persons completing the medical course for a period in which they will be limited in their right to practice.

The Estimates The House, also, has been giving consideration to the Estimates —the financial votes required by the various Departments of State. The Minister of Defence (Mr Macdonald) has announced that a Commission is to investigate and report upon all aspects of the claims made in recent years for improvement in War pension rates and conditions. The Minister said that the order of reference was wide enough to enable the Commission to consider all aspects of the provisions made in the legislation for the benefit of ex-servicemen. Considerable interest attached to the announcement of the Minister of Marketing (Mr Holyoake) that plans for continuing the main features of the war-time Joint Organisation scheme, for the marketing of wool have been given international assent. The Minister recently attended wool talks overseas. He said that the agreement meant that the way was now clear for the three woolgrowing Dominions Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United' Kingdom to resume a Commonwealth scheme with reserve or floor prices as its central feature, Under the plan, growers would continue to sell their wool at auction and the organisation would be prepared to buy at reserve or floor prices should commercial 'buyers not bid those prices or better. While realising the impracticability of limiting fluctuations at all price levels the organisation would seek to modify the sharp short-term downward fluctuations.