PARLIAMENT.

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

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY,

The morning sitting of the House of Representatives yestejtlay was devoted first of all to local Bills, which were put through all stages with comparatively littlo discussion. ( Tho Customs Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. Tho Bill, it was explained, was merely a consolidation of tho Customs law now on the Statutebook, with new provisions hero and thero to facilitate tho collection of Customs duties. No changes in the tarilf are proposed in it. Another new Bill introduced was an amendment of tho Stock Act, tho main object of which is to, provide for tho payment of moro adequa'to compensation for condemned stock.

Tho Legislature Amendment Bill was returned to the flouso with amendments recommendod by tho Governor. Une amendment provided that tho Second Ballot Repeal should not apply to tho Lyttelton election, and another defined the right of tho Government to appoint honorary members of tho Executive. Similar appointments in the past, it was stated, liad been mado illegally. The amendments were agreed to.

Tho amendments made by the Legislative Council in tho Water Supply Amendment Bill, a Bill which proposes to enable private porsons or companies, undor conditions' tb be imposed, to bring water on to a pieco of arid ■desert land in Central Otago to malco it fertile, were strongly opposed. Finally tho Minister's motion that tho amendments be disagreed with in order that, tlicy might bo modified was carried. There was likewise opposition to tho clauso in tho Municipal Corporations Amend |ient Bill, which was insorted by the Legislative Council to prevent the Auckland City Council from running motor buses in competition with tho trams run .under deed of delegation by tho Auckland Tramway Company. Auckland members opposed tho Minister's motion that tho amendments made by tho Council be agreed to, and the Minister (Mr. Herdnian), in order to save timo, dropped his motion, and moved that tho amendments be disagreed with, and that a conference bo sot up. Tho next debate occurred on the second reading of tho Temporary Employees Bill, by which the Public Service Commissioner is empowered to retain in tho public employ thoso temporary clerks who would retire from the service on December 31 next.

Nono of tho other jjublic Bills before the House were of general interest. Tho Legislative Council sat till 9.40 p.m., and disposed of a good deal of business. The Divorce and Matrimonial Amendment Bill was discussed at considerable length on the motion for the second reading, and several ainondmcnts moved bv tho Hon. H. D. Bell ivero, .agreed to when tho Bill was under consideration in Committee. One of 'these was in tho direction of giving power to the respondent to get a decreo nisi made absolute when-tho petitioner failed to prococd furthor aftor tho decreo aiisi had boon issued.