LOCAL BILLS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2842, 5 August 1916, Page 11

LOCAL BILLS

, EJECTIONS POSTPONED ' A LIVELY DISCUSSION MINISTERS DETAIL THE REASONS' Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. • Tho Hon. H. P. -WIGRAM brought up the report' of the Joint Committee iu regard to tho furnishing of the new Parliament Buildings. Tile committee re- \ iwrted having held a number,of meetings, and stated thqt it would'be necessary for tho committee to meet during the. recess to further consider the matter, of . ventilation, eto. . The report was 1 agreed to and the names of the Hon. / J; G. W. Aitkcn, A. T. Jlaginnrty,-and ,Sir Francis 801 l wero added to the/com- - ■ mittee. ■ "WASHING-UP" BILL, , Tho "Washing-Up" Bill was further considered in Committee, for the purposo - of making some minor amendments.,' A clause which had been inserted on Thursday giving the Auckland, University Col' lego Council a three years', option over a sito at Mount Eden was .crossed, 'out dh tho motion of Sir Francis Bell, who . explained tha£ it was not considered advisallo to reservo any particular sito al present. Tho provision providing for an extension of powers conferred.'by tho Swamp: Drainage ,JCfit.. ivaaalso struck, out.. Sir Francis 33e1l stated 'that, the provision had been: intended to deal with tli© Pukekawa swamp, but it had. now been : ascertained - that tiie Natives interested had not agreed to the purchase. In view of tho opposition of the Native , nionibers of tho House of Representatives it.was not desired >to, proceed with the provision. Tho Bill as amended was read a 1 third time and passed. .• 'ORCHARD TAX BILL. SIR FRANCIS BELIi moved the second reading of the Orchard Tax Bill. In explaining the provisions of the measure, : 'no said that it was "a form of compulsory unionism", to which-no doubt all would agreo. SIR WALTER BUCHANAN said that ho failed to seo why' any fruit-grower; whether ho was a member of-the Growers' I'oderatlon or not, should be compelled ' to.pay-the proposed tax. A grower might be opposed (to the principles of the ' federation. : • - . .

Sir Francis Bell: Then he would simply bo in opposition. ' Sir .Walter Buchanan said that tho provision for a'fine of 25 per cent; if .Hie tax were not. paid, within 21 days' was too drastic..

The second reading was agreed to. In committee, Sir Walter . Buchanan Btated that he desired to move an amendment .to: the clause providing for the penalty in the' case of non-payment. Sir Francis Bell raised the question that>as tho /Bill was a taxing Bill the amendment was not in order.

'The Acting-Chairman, Hon. .T. Barr, ruled that the amendment was not in order. 'Sir Francis Bell said lie would bring the matter under, the notice of his'colleagues. , The Bill Was roail a third time and passed. ' .. : WAR LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL. WELLINGTON RENTS: i SIB. 'FRANCIS BELL moved tho second; reading of the War Legislation. •.Amendment Bill. He said that 'it was proposed to strike out Sub-Clause 2 of' Clause 19. Tho clause gave power to dairy companies to' manufacture rennet, etc., and Sub-Clause 2 limited the opera-, lion of the clause to six months from the end of the war. If the House of Representatives: objected to • the striking, out of this limitation,'a .provision- could'be inserted;giving .power, to • those companies ' which before • the end of " the" war had entered upon tho manufacture of the articles referred to to continue to manufacture them l . In respect to the clause giving ; power to the Governor to prohibit the use of ; certain words having reference to the war for trado purposes,. he said that tho principal object was to regulato the use of ,the . word "Anzac," as desired-by the . Returned Soldiers' Association. . A sifliilar provision was in force in 'Australia, and lie believed also in Great Britain.

"Tho Hon. J. X. PAUL, in referring to ... the .clause -regarding rents, said that lie was afraid that, it would enable unfair increases"" to be maintained . in somo cases; He thought that the rents should remain at the rates ruling at the outbreak of war, but under tho Bill.a landlord in some instances could nlake or maintain increases. What he suggested : .was the law in Great Britain. Thera-ivas no reason why rent 3 should be higher now than when the war began, except the economic scarcity of houses. The pro- i vision in regard, to the basis of eight per cent, as the standard rent was in force in ; New South Wales, but in that State there was. a Fair Eents Court, yluch regulated. 'perinanent rents. As to • the. master and apprentice clause, he said he would have liked to see provision made for making it mandatory , on ' both parties to complete tho terms of apprenticeships wliich weer Interrupted - by enlistments, but he recognised tlio difficulties in the way. . The Hon. 1 J. BAER said , he thought it ,was desirable that the apprentice ■who; went, tp the war during tho term- of his indenture should go back and" comploto his apprenticeship.. The clause would* not affect many apprentices, as tlicre were not many indentures at present. ' ..SIR .WALTER BUCHANAN said that - it the ■ basis. of rent suggested by Mr. Paul were adopted it would defeat tho intention of tho law, because it would lead to a reduction of building operations. Ihe result would be that, many people Would not be able to get houses at all. ■ Mr. Paul: My basis could not apply to houses built since tho outbreak of war. Sir Walter Buchanan said that the clause, restricting the issue of permits . to collect fov war funds would place some worthy people in an awbiardvppsitlOll. SIR FEANCIS BELL, ih replying, said that he w;ould be glad if Mr. Barr would bring under his notice again tho question of dealing with apprenticeships under the Trade and Commerce Act. As to permits to oollect for war funds, .it was proposed to ' . restrict tho issue of such. ■ permits -to corporate societies. He considered that tho multiplication of,small war funds '' was undesirable. Under the new clause no new fund could- bo started without the approval of the Minister. Tho question of rent had caused a great deal of trouble.- The eight per cent, provision ' in regard to standard, .rents was in the New South Wales law; . Mr. Paul: That is a permanent Act. Sir Francis Bell said that &oine tenants had been charged only a nominal rental beforo tho war. It was necessary to havo some provision for meeting such eases. He thought that tho Bill would bo sufficient; to. prevent tho war being used as an excuse for increasing rents. The Bill was read a second time. When the Bill was in Committee;. Mr. Paul moved an amendment to delete tho eight pGi' cent, provision, in order to make the Bill follow tho British system in regard to standard rents instead of . tho New South Wales. Tho amendment was negatived on tho voices. In Clause 19, tho sub-clauso limiting the operation of the iffct to six months from the end of tho war was struck out. Tlio Bill as amended was reported, road a third time, and passed.

NATIVE WASHING-UP BILL. SIR FRANCIS BELL moved tho second ,'eading of the Native Washing-Up Bill. In referring to the clauso extending to two years the period for which a proclamation might bo placed over Native lands restricting dealings to tho Crown, ho said that personally ho would liko to seo the period extended to 50 years, but this was not possible. The Bill was read a socond time, put through Committee without amendment, read a third timo, and passed. The Counoil Toseat 1.40 p.m., and re-

.sumed at 8 p.m., when a number of formal messages wore received from the Il'ouso <if Representatives. Tho Council roso lit 8.1! p.m., uutil 10.IM a.m. to-day.