PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2586, 7 October 1915, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

1 . .V," , . MOETGAGES EXTENSION

< BASIN RESERVE BILL

KILLED

WASHING-UP BILL

SOME CONTENTIOUS CLAUSES

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 ' p.m. ■ "> ■ . : ."■■■. ■■■/ v A message was received from the a g ree ing- to the amendment in the Destitute Persons' Amendment Bill. ■ . The _Wegt Coast Reserves Amendment Bill, the Native Land Amendment and ! Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill, tho Counties; Amendment Bill, the Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, 'the ■ v Education Reserves Amendment, Bill, and tho, Lake Coleridge Water-Power Bill were received from tho-House and read aiirst time. TliO Comities 'Amend-' . nient Bill was read a second time, pro . forma, and referred to tlie Statutes Re- ' (vision. Committee. '. \ ; - MORTCACES EXTENSION. Tlie managers appointed by the Council to 'confer with; tho managers of the House on the. Council's , amendment to the Mortgages Extension Amendmont . Bill, reported that they had 'agreed that Clause 8a should-be erased from the Bill. . Tho ; -H0n..0. SAMUEL said that the -/-clause was unanimously agreed to 'by the Council. . The only reason why .lie would agree to tho; report was that if they insisted on th 6 clause -the: Bill would unquestionably , bo killed. The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL said .that tho clause provided an exception in cases whero tho 'mortgagee.-must apply for leavo of tho Court before exercising liis power. Tho managers for tlie Council were quite 'agreed, that, the Bill already, provided for-circumstances of the kind if the leavo. was applied for. Tho only question was whether they should insist that mortgagees should be : relieved of the ■ necessity of , applying in those cases. Tho managers of- the Council: were agreed to leave the matter to the discretion of the Supreme' Court, 'upon the application of . the ; mortgagee;- therefore they, only waived tho mere point that tho mortgagee was to be relieved of the neces- : sity of application. • The report was agreed to. MINING AMENDMENT BILL. The Council considered the* amendment*, of His -Excellency the Governor to the Mining Amendment Bill, providing , a tax of 6d. per ton son quartz ill place of 3d.,.f0r the purpose of assisting, the fund for pensions to miners . suffering from miners' disease. ; The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL': said that the Minister of'Fihance had agreed to consider, the sharing of the oxtra 3d. for the first year between the Con-. , solidatod Fund and the mining companies. In that case the extra tax for the first year -would be only lid. ' The Hon. S. T. GEORGE opposed the amendment, and said ' that, the .mining companies were against it in' view v of •' tho new income taxation.' It was not so mucli 'a question of tho amount, but , the .principle involved, a'nd'.'the mining companies should be allowed to givq evidence. He moved ;• that the hew clause should be referred to tho Mining. Committeej-so that, evidence could ■he/called.,,! He .admitted his amendment .would mean a postponement of tlie Bill for.-, a. year. .-v.-; , -,0n a division, , His. Excellency's amendment was agreed-to bv 20 votes to .4. - ■.■ .- ■: - ; . WAR FUNDS BILL The amendments of His Excellency the Governor to tlie War Funds Bill ■ were considered..., The: amendments provide a, safeguard against unauthor-. iSed collecting for'patriotic 1 funds. The Hon. G. CARSON asked whether newspapers- would bo- allowed . to open their columns for -collections? The' Hon. Sir Francis Bell: I think so, if they get a permits / -' . .- 1 : The Hon. G. Carson:- Then the only, way would bo for them to charge for the column.

Tho amendments were agreed to, »" ■ ■ ..

y.'' OTHER BILLS PASSED. ■[' • -'flic.Kauri ' Gum Industry Amendmerit, Bill was 'put through Committee without amendment, read-a third time, and passed. ' 4■ . .Tlw West Coast Settlement Reserves . Amendment Bill, ■ the.. Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill, the Education Reserves Amendment Bill, and tlie Lake Coleridge Water-Power Bi'l were put through final stages and.passed. v. -A! new clause was. added to the Lake Coleridge Wator-Powerßill, empowering, any borough couiicil proposing to contract for the supply of electricity from the works at Lalco Coleridge to raiso a loan not cxcoedirig £6000. : Tlie Friendly Societies" 'Amendment Bill. was put. through. Committee with amendments, read a third lime, ; and passed. . The Council rose at 9 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-day. , ,