LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 4, 30 September 1920, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL

POSTPONEMENT OF 1914 ACT NEW CLAUSE ADOPTED BY UPPER HOUSE The Legislative Council Amendment Bill was committed in the Upper House yesterday, immediately after tho second reading, which .was not debated. Clauso 2 of the Bill amends tho rules for fixing the boundaries of electoral divisions under the principal Act; and clause 3 provide? for the appointment to the Legislative Council of not moro.than two members of the Executive Council. Sir Francis Bell had given notice on tho previous day of a hew clause proposing to postpone the operation of the Legislative Council Act, 1914, until the issue of a fresh proclamation fixing a date for the commencement of the Act. Was tho Bill necessary? askpd the Hon. .T. Burr. Ho thought that the Council, in approving of the Bill, would be acting against the snirit of the resolution that it had recently carried. He proposed the excision of clause 2. Sir Francis Bell repeated his assertion that ho would not send to the House a one-clause Bill. Mr. Barris •/proposalwas a challenge to him to do what he had said he would not do. Mr. Barr said he would vote against the clause. The Council was dealing with a Bill to the principle of which it had objected. Sir Francis Bell said he differed entirely from Mr. Barr. He would never be a party to sending down the Bi'H in a form that would suggest that the Government was postponing the 191-1. Act in order to be rid of it. Sir William Hall-.Tones. and the Hon. W. H. Triggs said they recognised that the course proposed by the Leader of tho Council was the only possible one. Sir Francis Bell said that he was quite prepared to leave clause 3 to tho Council. Tho Hon. C. H. Izard wished to see tho Bill go to tho other House. There was nothing in clause 2 that added materially to the Act which tho Prime Minister had Droinised both Houses an opportunity of reviewing fully. He intended however, to oppose clause 3. Clause 3 was lost on the voices. . The new clause proposed by Sir Francis Bell was adopted. The Bill was reported with the amendments noted, and wns read a third time and passed. MARRIAGE AMENDMENT BILL COMMITTEE MAY SIT Iff PUBLIC. The Marriage Amendment Bill, containing the clause inserted by the Legislative Council dealing with marriage law and Church doctrine, was referred by the House of Representatives yesterday to 'a special committee, which had been set up on the preceding day. Mr. Jennings (.Waitomo) asked the Prime Minister if ho would allow the proceedings of this committeo to be open to the Press. The Prime Minister replied that the committeo itself would make a decision on this point. He would have no objection to the committee taking evidence publicly. ELECTRIC POWER BOARDS AMENDING BILL INTRODUCED. Tho Electric Power Boards Amendment Bill, introduced yesterday, consists very largely of machinery amendments to the Act of 1918. Such points as the definition of the term ratepayer for tho purposes of the measure and the formal description of a hydroelectric-■ power board as n local authority within the meaning of other Acts are covered. The powers of levying rates invested in power boards are dealt with to a certain degree. The procedure is set down as being by resolution. When, such a rate has been levied it is for the board to determine whether it shall itself collect the money (for which purpose it may pay away not .more than two and a half per cent, of the proceeds to cover expenses), or whether the local authorities of the districts comprised within the board's territory shall collect them. In the latter case, if the local authority fails to tako tho necessary steps to collect the money, the, amount shall constitute a debt payable to the board which may take action to recovor the money. By the principal Act when tho board decided to construct or purchase works for the generation, of power it was necessary to supply to the Public Works Department full details of the scheme it was intended to launch beforo tho empowering Order-in-Council was issued. These provisos are repealed and it is stated that no such work shall be commenced "except with the authority of tho Governor-General in Council and pursuant to such conditions as may be prescribed in that behalf by tho > GovernorGeneral in Council." An Order-in-Coun-cil may also authorise the purchase by a power board of nny electric works within its district owned by.a local authority. Power to make by-laws in the. same way as any other local authority for the use and management of its works, for the protection of people from injury and for tho protection of its property .is to be given to the boards. The maximum penalty for breaches is made a fine of fifty pounds with a'further five pounds per dav, for continuing breaches. • Finally, the cost of the installation of electric "equipment in public or private buildings or the rent payable for the use of it is made a charge upon tlie land for rating purposes. A LABOUR COMPLAINT BILLS "STONE-WALLED" BEFORE ■ COMMITTEE. "Will tho Minister of Labour take steps to prevent tho secretary of tho Employers' Federation from stone-walling Bills that have been referred the Labour Bills Committee? asked Mr. J. M'Combs (Lyttelton) in the House of Representatives. Mr. M'Combs has a Shops and Offices Bill of his own before the committee. He proceeded to suggest that the representatives of the employers were bringing so many witnesses that the Bill would never get back to the House. Sir William Hemes replied that the members surely would not grudge the committee the time required to examine fully so important a measure. . (Laughtor ) It was one of tho privileges of the comnrfttee to call evidence from all over the country. A Government Bill was coming down later, and perhaps Mr. M'Combs would find in it some of the things he wanted. RAILWAYMEifS HOMES A suggestion that railwaymcn at Marton should be allowed to build their own hnuses under Government supervision was repeated in the llousfc of Representatives yesterday by Mr, W. Glenn (Rangitikei). Tho memlJ»r stated that the owner of some factions at Marlon was willing to place them at the disposal of the Government on very favourable terms. Tho Prime Minister replied that Mi thought the idea a good one. It railwaymcn were ready to build their o\vn homes they ought to bfc assisted. He would taken an early opportunity of discussing tino matter with the General Mau■ager of Railways. COAL jjiiIs~REPORT Tho non-appearance of the Coal Mines Hcpoi'l, which has not yet been laid on Hm table of the House, was tho subct of comment by Mr. G. Witty (Riocarton) in tho House r Ue P^? ntatl vSi vesterday afternoon. Mr. JUtty asked the Prime Minister when the repoit micrht bo expected. -Sir. Massey said ho thought tho report was ready. He would look the matter up, and if it was ready it would bo laid on the table. LOCAL BILLS IN THE COUNCIL The following local Bills wcro read n second time in the legislative .Council yesterday afternoon :-Wannakann Harbour District and Empowering Amendment BUI; Tauranga Harbour Board Empowering Bill; Now Plymouth Recreation and Roceoourse Reserve Amendment Bill.