NEWS AND NOTES

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1484, 5 July 1912, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES

PRESENTING GOVERNOR'S MESSAGES. A LEGAL OPINION. .An interpretation bv tlio SolicitorGeneral of Standing Order 53 of tlio legislative Council was presented to tho Council yesterday by tlio Hon. 0. Samuel, Acting-Leader. This Standing Order roads:—"A- Message from the Governor .shall bo presented to tho Council bv a Minister of the Crown who is a member ot the Council, or by some member authorised to present tho Message cither by such■: Minister or (in caso of his absence or incapacity) by some other Minister of the Crown.' Itead in its strictest sense said Mr. Snlmoiid, this order doubtless implies and involves tho invariable presence of a Minister of tho Crown as one of the members of the Legislative Council. If interpreted in this manner, however, he continues, "I am of opinion that the Standing Order would be ultra vires and invalid. In (lie first place, tho Governor is under no legal obligation to choose as one of his Minister;- any inemfcer of the Legislative Council, and no such obligation can be imposed upon tho Uovcriior by the Standing Orders of the Council. In tho second "place, the Governor ha.s by Seel ion 53, of the Con=t.itution Act, a statutory right to transmit messages to either ot the Houso of Parliament, and neither House can bv its Standing Orders prcolmb him from' tho exorcise of this right, The Standing Order in question, therefore, must be "o read as to be in conformity with tho right and privileges of the Oo'-ernor. I lid words, ' in the caso of his absence" must bo read in a wide sense to include tip caso of tlpro being no member of ho Legislative Council who is a Minister. I am of opinion accordingly that when there is such Minister, a 'Governors Message niny be presented to tlio Council by any member who is authorised by any Minister of the Crown "

FIRST READINGS. The following Hills were read a first t.ime m tho Houso of Representatives ves-terdays-McctoMl Reform Hill ("Mr. ivM m! 1 '? I xt , oll harbour Board Loan I.ill (Mr. Robertson); Insurance as a State Monopoly Bill (Mr. Payne); Stato £pte Issue for the Purpose of Housing Workers Bill (Mr. Payne); Defence Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Payne); Waimairi County Differential Rating Empowering Bill (Mr. Buddo); Graduated Income Tax Amendment Bill (Mr. Payne); Banking and Money-Lending as a State Monopoly Bill (Mr. Payne). FOXTON HARBOUR BILL. The Fox ton Harbour Board Loan Bill, which has been introduced by Mt. J. Robertson,.M.P., is on all fours with a measure introduced last year to authorise the l'oxhm Harbour Board r» raise a loan of .£20,000, wliich it desires to expend in, acquiring tho Fo.tton Wharf from tho Railway Department. Tlio board is intent on securing tho wharf in order that it mar become possessed of revenue which will enable it to provide for harbour maintenance and improvement works. Some weeks ago a deputation from tho Foxlon Harbour Hoard was informed by the Minister for Railways- (Mr. Myers) that, according to the Departmental files, a larger prico than £20MW had been demanded for tho wharf, but Mr. Robertson, M.P., who was present, said that written evidence would lie produced to show that tho former Minister, for Railways (tho Hon. r.oA™ ' lml a = rcC(l to tho Price of

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. A Government member, who was spoken i? 5,- m ?? lnff, "Passed 'ho opinion that tho Ministry would stave off a division L n it debate until the bentches on their side were full, which is expected to be tho position of affairs on Tuesday next. Mr. Massey has announced that ho is ready for a division at any time. The Hon. J. A. Millar is expected to be in the Houso this eveuintr and Mr. T K. Sidey, who is Buffcriii" from a rather severe cold, will probably be in his seat when the House divides.

RAILWAY APPEAL VETO. Whether the decision of tho Kailwav Appeal Board should bo final was the effect of a question asked bv Mr. W 4 Veitch of the Minister for Kailwavs yesterday. Ho asked whether the Government would introduce an amendment to the Railways Act to abolish the Ministerial veto.

SETTLERS' TELEPHONES. ~ The- member for liangitikci (Mr. B Newman) wants to know from the Post-master-General whether he will introduce legislation enabling groups of country sottiers to borrow tho necessary funds through the local bodies from the Governnient or otherwise to erect telephone lines, the interest mid sinking funds to be collected by the local bodies from the properties of tltt settlers respectively interested. Jfr. Newman stated in flic question, of which he gavt notice yestcrdnv, that provision such as he had indicated was in force in the United States.

QUESTIONS, In vie-n- of the gelier-aj interest now being taken in Bowil Commissions, Mr. Bradney (Auckland West) has given notice of motion for a return showing the number of Koyal Commissions appointed during tho ten ye.irs ending March 31, 1012, with a detailed account, of Hie exppnses incurred by each Commission. I'nil particulars wgni'ding Iho cost of Stole experimental farms are sought bv Mr. Harris (Woitemara), who lias askell that Iho return should also show the receipts and expenditure in detail in connection with the farms during the last financial year.