COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1921, Page 3

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

WCB®—<= [.BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION'] CHRISTCHURCH, March 21. At a meeting of the Council of Churches here, the following resolution was carried : “That in view of tJie financial crisis which lias developed since the Raring Commission was set up, and of the fact that Parliament will be out of session when the report of the Commission is presented, this Council urges the Premier and Minister of Internal Affairs that even if the Commission recommends an increase of permits, the granting of them should bo suspended till Parliament lias a further opportunity of considering the question in its bearing on the altered circumstances to-day.

“That the Premier be requested to secure from the Board of Trade the reasons for its refusal to prosecute the Auckland Racing Club for illegally proceeding with the erection of racecouse extensions where essential building work is held up. “That this Council emphasises the gravity of a position such as that which has obtained in Auckland and which lias led to the resignation of the Advisory Building Committee, which the Government itself appointed ; and that the committee’s recommendation that prosecution should be instituted was not only not agreed to, but the law-break-ing Racing Club was furnished with a permit to cover its transgression of the regulation. “That tliis Council calls on the Premier to secure for the public some adequate explanation of sueji proceedings.

"That this Council earnestly desires to draw the attention of the Government to what surely must be an unintentional flaw in the amendment of the .Marriage Act, which allows mutual consent to be’ sufficient ground for divorce. “That this Council respectfully requests that steps be taken to remove the obscurity of the clause.”