THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 7

THE HOUSE.

MR. L. M. ISITT SWORN IN. LAND BOARDS. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p!m. . Tho Methodist Charitable and Educacational Trasts Bill was read a third time and passed. A NEW MEMBER. About a. dozen clergymen and others prominent in tho Prohibition movement had assembled at the House to see Mr. L. M. Isitt sworn in as member for Christchurch North, to which seat he has been elected fi succession to the late Mr. T. E. Taylor. Mr. Isitt was introduced to the Speaker by the Hon. G. Fowlds and Mr. G. Laurenson. He took the usual oath of allegiance, and was greeted by members with applause. Mr.,lsitt ,has been allocated a ssat in the neutral territory occupied by Independent members. His neigh hours are Messrs. D. M'Laren, J. P. Luke, and A. M. Myers. Tho Legislative Amendment Bill, No. 2 (Sir W. J. Steward), was read a first time. ' CONSTITUTION OF LAND BOARDS. CROWN TENANTS' INTERESTS. The Lands Committee reported the Land Amendment Bill (Mr. Newman) with rin amendment, and recommended that it bo allowed to proceed. The principal Act provides, that every Land Board shall comprise, in addition lo tho Commissioner, three members appointed by the Governor and one elected by tho Crown tenants of tho. district. The Bill proposed to increase the tenants', representation to two members, and tho committee,"" without altering this, recommended (hat the Government npnointefs should be increase from three to four.

Mr.E.NEWMAN (Mannwatu) said that ho had introduced this Bill, with a view to increasing the representation of Crown tenants nnon the Land Boards. ■ Tho Lands Committee had made certain alteration in tho Bill, among them a proposal to increaso the number of nominated members on tho boards. This involved an increaso in expenditure, and put it out of his power, as a private member, to proceed with the Bill. He hoped the Government would take it up and increase tho representation of Crown tenants. The areas in the present Land Board districts were so great that efficient representation was difficult. Tho position of members of land boards was not verv satisfactory under prerent conditions. Their remuneration to small, and they were put to a considerable amount 0 f expert. Mr. W. T ' JENNINGS (Taumarunnil supported the claim of Crown tenants to better representation. Ho honed the Government would introduce the ward system.'

The Hon D. BTJDDO minister for , Dds) j s ? ld ft 9 hnd not of any demand by the Crown tenants for increased representation. As a matter of fact, only one-third of the Crown tenants at present recorded their votes in electing a representative. The greater part of the.Land Board work was necessarily carried out under conditions settled by Statute, and not by the opinion of members. The boards were interested only in the prairie value of land. Improvements were dealt with locally. llr. B. OUTinilE (Orou'a) regretted that the Bill was not going to got a chance of coming before tho House. Tho rea«m for its introduction was a desire on the part of Crown tennnts for better representation. At present a mctnber might know all about one part of his district and nothing at all about its remaining area.

Mr. G. W. KUSSELL (Avon) said this question deserved more consideration than it could possibly got under tho very small Bill introduced by the mombor for Mannwatu. It Would be worth while to coneider an alteration of the whole system of land boards. Even if the representation of Crown tenants was increased, one, or even two or threo, men could not possibly have local knowledge of the pi'ownt enormous land districts. The question of land administration had for a number of years past been allowed to drift. Land Boards at present existed for little more than to register tho decisions of Departmental officers. Greater local knowledge on tho part of members was a necessity. Tho only direction in which this could be obtained was by either increasing the number of land districts or increasing the number of members, •

Mr. n. G. ELI, (Chiistchurch South) contended that it would be wrong to whittle down the representation of the general public on land boards, while increasing tho representation of Crown tenants. Ho sympathised with tho desire of the Crown tenants for more effectual representation. Personally lie would like to e;o tho boards elected on tho Parliamentary franchise. Mr. J. HAN AX (Invercargill) raid he would like to see the example of tho Wellington Land Board, in its efforts to suppress trafficking in Crown holdings, copied throughout New Zealand. The. report of tho Lands- Committco was received. STONE QUARRIES BILL. The Stone Quarries Amendment Bill (the Hon. R. Mlvenzio) vas read a third tirao and passed. AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL. Tho Hon. G. I'OWLDS moved tho second reading of the Auckland Grammar School Sites Bill, lis purpose was to provide a suitable site lor tho Auckland Grammar School. The old site affqrded no room for expansion. The new site, some 15 acres of t'ho Mount Eden prison reserve, though tat present rough waste land, would be in every way suitable. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. EDUCATION RESERVES BILL. The Hon. G. POWI/DS moved tho second rending of tho Education Deserves Amendment Bill. He explained that it dealt with tho powers of Education Hoards in connection with leasing, tho administration of reserves, and similar matters. The main purport and object of tho Bill was to provide that tha full powers given under the Public Bodies teasing Act, 1010, might be enjoyed by tho High School Boards, notwithstanding the character of tho special and local Acts under which they had been operating. Mr. W. H. FIELD (Otaki) said he was a member of the Board of Governors of two of the institutions affected. Ho welcomed the Bill. It would enable the bodies affected 'to get the best possible returns from their properties.

Mr. W. H. HEBEJES (Tauranga) welcomed tho Bill from tho point of view of the tenants of educational rjodips. The Bill would enable these tenants to get long leases, and leases of equitable character, which would please the tenants, and be a sonrco of increased revenue to tho boards. Mr. W. T. JENNINGS (Taumaranui), Mr. J. HANAN (Tnvorcargill). also spoke. Tho Hon. G.' FOWLDS, referring to a statement by Mr. Herries that the roTcnue from certain education reserves.would bo paid into the Consolidated Fund, and lost sight of, stated that only expenses of administration would bo paid into that fund. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. PATENT LAW. HON. J. A. MILLAR'S BILL. Tho Patents, Designs, and Trado Marks Bill was recommitted for tho consideration of amendments proposed by tho Minister. It was agreed that the Bill should come into forco in July, 1912, instead of in March. Tho interpretation clause yas umended by the insertion of a provision that the definition of true and 'first inventor should not include the unauthorised importer of an inventioj frcm any place outside New Zealand. , Tho Minister stated that tho' provision had been introduced to make it quite clear that an importer of an invention was not entitled to patent, it. It was doubtful whether, under tho Act as it stood, it was not open to an importer to patent an invention. Introducing a clause to roplace Clause 29 of tho Bill, the Minister stated that the amendment had been drawn from tho Commonwealth law- It had been urged that the original clause, might enable a zealous business rival to get a patent revoked. Tho now clause would safeguard inventors.

The nen Claus?.. 29.provides, that any, time, not less than four years aft'er'the date of a patent, and not less than two years after the commencement of the Act, the Attorney-Gdueral or a representative may petition the Court for an order declaring that a patcit is not being adequately worked in New Zealand. Tho Court may make an order forthwith or after a rcisouablo interval. It is provided that no order shall be made which is at variance with any treaty, convention, etc., to which the United Kingdom or Now Zealand is a party. On tho patentee adducing satisfactory reasons, tho Court may extend the period of grace, so that it does not exceed twelve months. Fromtho tim-3 an order takes effect the patent shall not be deemed to bo infringed by tho working of tho patent in New Zealand. The Court, having made tho order, is authorised to revoke it, on being satisfied that tho patentee is adequately workivuj the patent in Now Zealand . In cases where the Court has power to make an order, it may, instead, order tho patentee to grant a compulsory license to tho applicant on such teims as it thinks fit. Tho clause was adopted, and tho Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. THE PRIME MINISTER'S ARRIVAL. At the end of the afternoon sitting the Hon. J. A. Millar moved that tho House should adjourn until Tuesday following at 2.30 p.m., He pointed out that the Prime Minister was arriving that evening in New Zealand, after having represented the country at the Coronation and the Imperial Conference. Hon. members, as well as his colleagues, would naturally dosire to meet him when he arrived. Tho motion was carried, and the Houso rosoat 5.30 p.m. '