THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 10

THE HOUSE.

The House of Representatives sat at 2.30 p.m. Tho Hon. A. L. HERDMAN gave notice to introduce the Distress and Replevin Amendment Bill.

ANOTHER NEW BILL. AND STILL MORE TO COME. The Mining Act Amendment Bill-was introduced bv Governor's Message. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Awarun) asked how many more Bills the Government were going to bring down this session. Already he thought of making arrangements to stay here until tho end of February or March. Tho Hon. W. F. MASSEY said there would be about half-a-dozen more Bills that he could think of that would be introduced, and that would have to bo dealt with this session. He was not prepared to say exactly what the number of Bills to come forward would lie.

Tho Hon, W. ERASER, in rej>ly to a request to explain the Bill, said that although there were important things in it, the Bill was not erne to which the House was likely to take exception. Among other features in the Bill were clauses to givo effect to tho reootnmendations of a recent conference of tho Schools of Mines, and of the Mines Commission. There were also clauses to conservo to the State all minerals, on freehold land in future purchased from the Crown.

SIR JOSEPH WARD again, urged that the Prime Minister should say what Bills wero coming forward. This, ho said, would expedite the business of the session. , This Bill would, he presumed, go to the Mines Committee, and lie hoped they would keep it there until next session.

The Bill was read a first time, read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Mines Committee. '

DEFENCE COMMITTEE. The Defence Legislation Committed were granted threo weeks' extra timo within which to report to the House. The chairman of the committee {Mr. C. E. Statham) stated that one report of the committee would probably be before the House this week, but other matters had recently been put before the committee, and these the committee would need some timo to consider.