LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 303, 16 September 1920, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM

ASSISTANCE FOR THE, MAORIS

TALK OF LIQUOR AND LICENSES

- In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. J. B. Gow gave notice of a motiQn, intended to postpone indefinitely the operation of the Legislative Council Bill of 19H, which proposes to mnke the Upper Houso elective. The Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Bell) had suggested that members wishing to express contrary to the policy of the Government should proceed by resolution Tather than by amendment of the Bill.

- The House of Representatives in the.afternoon spent more than an hour discussinpr the proposed compulsory purchase of a certain section of land in Palmerston North. Late ia the afternoon the Te Aroha Crown Leases Bill ninde its reappearance, and was "talked out" for a th ird timo by leasehold members.

..The Native Trustee Bill was put through its Committee stane in the evening This Bill proposes the appointment of a Native trustee, who will handle on behalf of t\io Maoris business that is at present controlled by the Public Trustee. The Native trustee will have power to lend money to Maoris for the development, of v th)ir lands. *and the Bill is'reearded as a reform from the point-of view of the Natives. Later in the evening the Licensing Amendment Bill was put through Committee. This Bill, introduced by the Government, is intended chiefly'to prevent the transfer of licenses beyond the statutory limit. It closes a loophole discovered in the existing law. The desire of mm members to introduce clauses dealing with the licensing question generally gave rise to much debate.