PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1923, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

SCCAR DETV. WELLINGTON. July 11. Parliament will shortly he asked t pass a resolution imposing tin impin' duty of 22 IS- -Id on reliued sngai . ibis being ncies-ary to ensure that th , Colonial Sugar Company will continu operations at ii- Auckland works, .statement made by the I foil. \\ Downie Kievan in the ITou-o -liowv that tl'.e proposed ivmoval of (Inve'i: meat i out nil over sugar was m-.i t reived with general approval by n.ci i chants and tiinmiltu-ttirers, and that i : some extent Government control i ' oversight of the business will continu ’ till September 1021. when the whnl position will he reviewed. Air Xu-war reminded the House that Governmen control of sugar ended in August When lie look over the portfolio i: I inlust i i-es ami Commerce he lookc into the position which would arise a ' the ending of control and what won! he the supplies cl sugar. Me fniin ‘ it would he easy to end control, lent iug everyone to make their ow arrangements. hut when merchants in tel'csted in the sugar supply were in terviewed he found that this plan wind have far-reaching results. This !e him to place the whole matter he for the Industries and C'nmiucM'O Commit tee of the Ifi-u-c. to which it was de monstrated that it would not be |)os sible to get back entirely to pre-wa conditions, because owing to t!:e Ion; period id’ GevernmeiU control, who: there wete continuous and regular slip plies at a stable pi roc, a large numbe of industries s','rang up which herein entirely dependent on those < in-um 'stances. The-;' included lrtiit pro servers, jam 111 > 1111 1:• - iurors and biseiti manul'aet urei s. .Alert-hams re; resent to him Giat ii a Hop market, was ( |e tlarod there vould be chaos in tlies. industries, and the,- made such urgen requests tluiL lie decided, bt-lore t-iL:n* action, to snake careful inquiries. DETV ON GLASS BOTTLES. An impiaiant statement was minli regarding the prop.'scd duty on gla-. I;;) i ties by the lion. AY. Downie Stewail. .Minister of Customs in the House Air Sf'wart said that members doubtless had observed protests and oh joptions against the rally date on whip! ii was proposed to onion e the duly lie , imposed t-. ret ommend the l]ou-i that the date should ire Decemlier •’!! instead of S-epi end er, v.!ti:• 1 1 wntili would allow shipments under order G be cleared. Regarding objections Li the duty, he hoped in he aide to arrange for the Committee of Industrie* nnd Commeree to hear ohieetoi> am see how far such ei itieisins were sound If found to be sound, the oommitici would reeonitnond any modiiieatim up.:n wliieli tbuy de-ided. ENNATERAI. ()EIET. Tile House of Represenl alii e.s bathe still atmosphere of a reading-m- ii its complete calm only broken by tin .speaker uf the moment, fur the new occupant of the chair. Air Ktatham, sternly tepresses interriqitiuns. .Vis tiling save laughter or an e.,-ca>ion:il "ifear, h.ear’’ is ] ermitled without ’ ehiillenge from Mr Speaker. The tiepressed parliamentary atmosphere iremarkable, and members do not know 1 whether to be proud of their good hcluiiioiir or to resent the strii-t dis- ! (upline. Intet t upiions doubtless t-au-r j waste of time, but they heighten ini terost, and must members do not ob--1 ject to t’lom. Mr Speaker, liowever, has a rigid rule, which lie impartially I enforces on Prime .Minister and pri- ! rate member alike. The result is a 1 dull Legislature. OATH Oh ALLEGIANCE. Some months ago the Government deckled that the process of requiting ] British-horn persons to take the oath of j allegiance upon entering New Zealand i Miouhl tease hut it was discovered that J this was enforced by statute, ninseI quenily an Immigration Restriction Act Amendment- Bill is necessary. Tt was introduced by the Hon. AA . Downie Stewart and road a first time. The main .provision is that the oath ol allegiance need not he taken by a British-born subject, but the law will still require a naturalised person to take tin- oath unless be L under Haage of fifteen, or is the master or member of the crew of the ves-el in which he arrives. Customs authorities or the police may. however. require any member of the crew to make the declaration as to nationality required of persons entering New Zealand. Failure to comply with these provisions tenders an offender liable to twelve months’ imprisonment or a. line not exceeding 210<L NON ICES WEEDS. Seine interesting alterations in the. law regarding noxious weeds are contained in a. Bill amending the Noxious Weed* Act. 1008. which is in charge of the Hon. AV. Nosworthy. Alinistor of Agriculture. Hitherto the term “clearing'' has meant getting rid of a weed so that it will not flower, hut it is proposed to extend the meaning to moan getting lid of the weed, “so as to prevent the spread thereof Ly seeding or otherwise.'" Another important proposal is that a local authority mny at any time declare that any plant, except blackberry, described in the 1918 Act as a noxious weed is not a noxious weed in its district. AA'hile small patches of blackberry are not affected by the proposals other areas of blacknerry must be cleared to the extentdemanded by on inspector, and if bnr-

berry, sweetbuiar, gorse, broom, or liakea ate growing in districts where they are considered noxious weeds they must he cleared, unless they are small patches or form a part of a hedge. Such hedges have to he cut or trimmed each year although the operation may ho suspended subject to the approval of the inspector or if shelter is likely to lie affected. BEII-DING SOCIETIES’ RETERNS. An alteration in tne law relating to annual returns submitted by the Registrar of Building Societies is proposed in an amendment, to the Industrial ami Provident Societies Act. 1 fuIS. which is in charge of the Hon. R. !' ■ Bollard'. At present the annual returns have to be sent belote June 1each year, and must show workings up to December 31 preceding. Ihe '.'reposal is that future returns should lie sent- within three months alter the date of the annual balance ol the society s accounts, and should include activities no to the date of the annual balance.