THE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1554, 25 September 1912, Page 8

THE COUNCIL.

.'.'■"/. MOKAU HARBOUR BILL. i The .Legislative"Council met at 2.30 yesterday afternoon. The Mokau Harbour Board Empower.insr Bill, was reported from the .Local Bills Committee with a recommendation that it bo allowed to proceed. The second reading was made an order of the day (or to-day. x • '■ BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRA- ,:.... .... TION. . . • 'The Statutes Eevision Committee reported the Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Bill with' '"several amend-, meats./' ;.Three now clauses have beeiA added r by the committee. One of these provides ~ that" where, owing to distance jfrom a. post offico or registry office, or from 'any other sufficient, cause, any of .' the. requirements of the' principal or .ataetidiiig'' Acts cannot be carried out within the time limited, or conditions prescribed, it shall be sufficient if the requirements aro carried out within a reasonable time. • Another new clause empowers 'the Eegistrnr-Generol -to dispense with the payment of any fee payable. .It is also, provided that'no prosecution for au offence against the Act or Amendment shall be commenced without the. authority of tho Registrar-General. . ..' v.THE.AGED AND INFIRM. -In Committee on the Aged aud Infirm ■Persons- Protection, Bill, the various amendments suggested by the Statutes Re'vision Committee were agreed to. --Replying'to a; suggestion that the Bill should be made to apply to Natives, The Hon. H: D. BELL remarked that tho Bill was more or less of an experiment, .but if. it was found to work satisfactorily ho saw no reason why it should 'not be. applied to. Natives. .At present .he"; did not like to take the risk of adding Natives, and he was afraid he could not agree to include them.'""- - : ;,T.he Bill was reported with amendments,..,...; ■, . ~ PRISONS AMENDMENT BILL. A' message was received from tho House of Representatives agreeing to the amendments mado by tho Council in the .Prisons Amendment Bill. LOCAL AUTHORITIES SUPERANNUA- , TION. The Hon. H.-D. BELL moved the second reading of the Local Authorities Superannuation Amendment'Bill, which 'has already been dealt with in tho House , of Representatives. After a brief discussion, the debate ■was adjourned until to-day, on the motion of, the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson; who said there were several points regarding superannuation which ho desired to look up. AUCKLAND EDUCATION RESERVES. The second reading of the Auckland Education Reserves Bill, which originated in the House of Representatives, was moved by the Hon. H. D. Bell, and agreed to after some discussion.

FINAL STAGES. The Gold Duty Amendment Bill, Waihou and Ohinemuri Eiyors Improvement Amendment Bill, and the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Amendment Bill were all put through their committee stages, without amendment, and finally passed. • LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT. The.Hon.J."ANST£Y continued tho adjourno'd debate on the secoid reading of the land and Income, Assessment Bill. Mr. Anstey said he was glad to see that the Government had made provision for widows in this Bill, but he thought thoy might go a step further and- make provision for people with a large, .number of dependents. The chief fault ho had to find with the Bill was that it preserved a blot which existed under the.graduated land tax, viz., tho! surtax of. 25 per cent. He asked the Government, to seriously consider whether they could not strike out this 25 per cent, altogether, and make a regular graduated, tax, which would have the effect of breaking up. the largo estates He.did not-think, thoy. should, devote their attention 'to, 1000-acre farms, just now. The chief efforts, should bo. towards breaking up.the large, and .unused estates. (Hear, hear.).. .■■ • ~'■'' After several other members,had. spokon the second reading.was. carried on .tho ToicftS. ■' ,' ,' ;•■'-■!. Tho CounciKwse at 4.45 p.m.; .