A PECULIAR BLENDER

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1920, Page 3

A PECULIAR BLENDER

STATEMENT by ATTORNEYGENERAL, irii'ej Attafrney-Gcnleral, Sir Francis ell, interviewed by a “New Zealand Times” representative with reference to the strange error, as a result of which the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Act appears on the Statute Book in a very different form from that in which it was passed by Parliament last session, said it was, unfortunately, true that there had been a, blunder on the part of the Parliamentary officials whose duty it was to compile the final copies of the statutes to be presented for signature by His Excellency, the Governor- General on behalf of the Crown.

“ The iHaw.kes Bay Rivers Act, as appearing ip thp Statute Book, is not, stated the Minister, “in the terms in which it was finally passed by both Houses of Parliament. It is believed thto this is the first occasion in the history of the Parliament of New Zealand on which such a mistake lias occurred, and it is worthy of note that the last session of Parliament was the first in which the minute and caroU supervision of Mr feonard Stowe, the late Clerk of Parliament, was not avail, able.

POSITION SAFEGUARDED. “It is fortunate that the section which empowers the raising of the loan, and in which an error has been made by the omission of the requirement of a poll of ratepayers, specially provides that ‘before proceeding to raise the said loan, the board shall submit their scheme to the Minister,, and shall obtain his approval thereto, or shall alter or modify their scheme, or shall adopt a. new scheme, as the Minister shall direct.” Thus the Government has indirectly the power of preventing the loan being raised in the manner authorised by the section as it stands, but not'authorised by the actual decision of Parliament, and manifestly it is the duty of the Government to exercise such power.” So far as the Government knew, he added, the board bad no intention of taking advantage in any manner of the mistake which had been made.