THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1927, 9 December 1913, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

The House of Representatives sat a I. 10.H0 a.m. NEW BILLS. The Customs Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and read a first titno. The Hon. F. M. B. FISHER cx-

plained that tho Hill was a consolidation of the existing Customs law. without any proposals for the amendment of the tai'i/l'. Subsequently the Bill was rearl a second time, pro forma, and referred to a Select Committee. Tho Hoik \Y. H. lIERIUES introduced tlio Native Laud Tax Adjustment Bill (the Washing-up Bill). Tho Hill was read a first time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. LOCAL SILLS. Tho Napier Harbour Board Empowering and Loan Bill, the Lyttelton Harbour Board Land Bill, tho Christchurch Domains Amendment Bill, the Gisborno Borough and Harbour Board Lands Exchango aiid Empowering Bill, the Wanganui Borough Council Special Rato Empowering and Special Loan Bill, and tile Tuakitoto and Kaitangata Lakes Act, 1911, Amendment. Bill were nil read a second timo within the spaco of three-quarters of an hour.

Tho Napier Harbour Bill was discussed for half an hour in Committee, the contentious point being a new clause moved by Mr. J. V. Brown, tho object of which was to give the ratepayers of tho district a right to say whether tho expensive harbour scheme contemplated by tho Bill should bo proceeded with. It was urged against tho. clause that the electors, by their choico of members of the Harbour Board, had declared for tho inner harbour scheme. Tho clause was in the end defeated bv 34 votes to 22. On tho Auckland Weekly Half-Holi-day Bill boing called in Committee, Mr. Bradnoy said that since tho House it had' been decided to drop tho Bill. Progress was therefore reported. The other local Bills were reported to tho House, and a read a third timo. BILLS WITHDRAWN. Mr. H. G. ELL (jChristchurch South) said that ho had 'been asked by tho promoters of tho Christchurch Tramway District Amendment Bill to withdraw tho Bill, because of the amendments mado in it by the Local Bills Committee. In its present shape tho promoters were not anxious to proceed with the Bill.

Mr. T. H. Davey, Mr. G. Witty, arid Mr. G. W. Russell said that in their opinion tho decision of the Christchurch Tramways Board had been a mistaken one. Tlie amendments had been mado largely at the instance of local members, who objected entirely to certain of tho provisions it contained. All tho members agreed that tho Bill as amended would bo useful. Tho Bill was withdrawn. ; Tho Foxton Harbour Board Loan Bill j(Mr._ J. Robertson} was also withdrawn. COUNCIL AMENDMENTS. COMPLAINT ABOUT PROCEDURE. Amendments made by tho Legislative Council in tho Railways Construction and Land Amendment Bill wero agreed to. Tho Hon. W. FRASER moved that tho amendments mado by tho Council in the Water Supply Amendment Bill be disagreed with, and that tho Hon. A. L. Herdman, Mr. AY. D. S. MaeDonald, avd the'mover be a comipittoe to draw up reasons for disagreeing. Tho position which was explained by tho Minister, and mado clear in subsequent discussion, was that tho amendments were, introduced into tho Bill in tho Legislative Council at the instance of the Government, but tho Government now wished to havo those amendments modified. Members of tho Opposition declared that the amendments wero so important. that' they ought not to havo been introduced, in tho Council, without members of tho House having an opportunity for full discussion upon tliein. Of tins opportunity the Opposition members referred to claimed that they had been deprived by the procedure adopted.

Tho now proposals in tho Bill were to allow a company to acquire from tho Crown certain lands adjacent to tho Cromwell Flat in Central Otago to irricrato it and re-sell it to settlers. It was pointed out that the land was now worth only a few shillings an acre, but that if watered, it would be worth upwards of £20 an acre for orchard land. The new elauso in the Bill was of general application, but the Minister promised to accede so far to the -wishes qf Opposition members as to make it apply only to this land ill Vincent County. It was explained also that the main object of tho company was not to acquire and sell landj but to supply water to settlers already on it. . The reason fof taking in the Crown land was to permit tho irrigation scheme to be worked effectively. Tho motion was agreed to on tho voices. BILLS FROM "ANOTHER PLACE." The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was received from the Legislative Council, and read a lirat "time. / The Hon. A. L. HERDMAN moved that tho amendment mado by tho Legislative Council be disagreed with. Tho clause introduced in tho Council was to mako punishable on summary conviction by twelve months' imprisonment certain aggravated assaults, such as kicking a man on the ground, or kicking or striking a man in certain dangerous parts. His reason for moving to disagree with the new clause was that the law already provided adequately for such aggravated assaults. Tho Magistrate could mako the charge an indictable one if ho thought the assault a serious one. He moved also that a committee, consisting of Messrs. E. P. Lee, J. A. Hanan, and tho mover bo sot up to draw up reasons for disagreeing.

Tlio motion was agreed to on tho voice:), THOSE AUCKLAND TRAMS. Tho amendments. mado by the Legislative Council in tho Mtinipioal Cor« poratious Amendment Bill were considered. Tho Hon. A. L. Herdnian,, Minister in charge of tho Bill, moved that tho amendments bo agreed to. Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell) moved a 9 an amendment t<. the .Minister's motion that the House disagree with the amendment made in tho Legislative Council restricting the rights of a local authority to run passenger services by motor buses or oilier conveyances in competition H'ith trains run by a private under a deed of delegation. Ho pointed out that the Auckland City Council had no intention of competing with the Tramway Company in Auekla.nd, but they wished to run several services to fairly remote suburbs, which would over small parts of their distance travel short pieces of tram route. This, lie was advised, could be held to be competition, and the local authority would therefore be debarred from undertaking very useful and very much desired services. At the suggestion of Mr. T. 11. Davoy ho added to hisamendment Clause 2G, relating to tho installation by the local authority of electric light iittings on account of consumers.

Mr. A. PI. Glover (Auckland Central) supported the amendment. Jli\ J. 11. Uradncy (Auckland West) opposed the amendment. He did not think it was right for a council, having delegated its powers, to run services in competition with the company to whom those powers were delegated. Mr. ,1. I'ayne (Cirev Lynn) and Mr. A. Harris (Waiteu'iata) supported tho amendment. The Hon. A. L. Herd man suggested that if the amendments were withdrawn he would withdraw his motion and move a fresh motion. The amendments and the motion were withdrawn, and Mr. Herdman then moved that the amendments mado in tho Legislative', Council be agreed to with tho exception of tlioso disputed, and that, in rcforence to tlioso disputed clauses Messrs. Dickson, Ell, ana tho

mover be a eommittoe to draw up reasons for disagreement. This new motion was agreed to on the voices wil-hout debate. THE STOCK ACT, The Stock Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's .Message ;uid read a first time. The Hon. W. F. MASSEY einh.inod that tho Bill was a, very snnpm one. It was intended principally to to provide for a difficulty that had arisen in connection with the payment of compensation for condemned stock. The present Act bad bc-e.i passed many years ago, when the pricos of steel; were i-ot so high as at present. Ho .had received a number of deputations asking that compensation for su:h condemned stock should bo more in proportion to tho actual value of the .animal than it was at present. For this the Bill provided. Thero was also another short clause dealing with sheep brands in Die case of associated sheep breeders. There was also a provision to allow a month more timo in which to dip sheep, to sheep farmers in tho South Island. THE C-AEINEju Tho Legislature AuicmliuSit Bill war, returned to the House with amendments proposed by the Governor. The Hon. W. F. MASSEY explained tho effect of tho amendments. The first provided that tho Scecnd Ballot Repeal should, not apply to tho Lyttelton byelection. To that ho presumed hoii. members, on tlie 'other side of the House would not object.. The oilier amendment would mako clear the power of tho Government to appoint an 3>onorary member of tho Executive. He mis advised that such appointments mado in recent years had. not been, legal, and ho explained the somewhat extraordinary position in, which, tho law' bad so recently been found to be. The amendment would give the Government power to appoint honorary members of the Executive, but would not empower tlie Government to appoint additional salaried Ministers. The amendments were agreed to', A DRILL SHED. The Hon. J. ALLEN moved the secorii reading of the Ilsnrnors Drill Shed Site Vesting Bill, tlie object of which was to vest the drill shed at Rangiora in the Crown. The second reading was ajreed to without debate.