PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1931, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSE.

IBy Telegraph—Per Press Association}

WELLINGTON, August 5

In the House of Representatives yesterday. the Marriage Amendment Rill ' (Mr Mason) and Rating Amendment Bill (Air Mason) were introduced and read a first time. Mr Mason explained that the former Bill sought to confer on Women Ministers the right to perform. the marriage ceremony.

Building Construction Bill, .embodyin it the lev-muiaeudations o. the expert committee was introduced by Go'V-'in-qi-Gencral’s message and read a ft-st time.

Air Forbes said it was intended to r render buildings not so liable to damage ironi earthquake shock. The second reading of Mr Mason's Licensing Amendment Bill, which is designed to remove a number of restrictions on the wine growing industry in New Zealand occupied the greater part of the afternoon. Mr Mason and other members urged that every encouragement should be given to alocal industry, so that if wine was to be consumed in this country, it should he locally produced. A number of members opposed th» Bill oil tlffi ground that it would in--crease licensing facilities. It was read a second time and referred to the Industries and Commerce Committee. The interrupted debate on the second reading of Mr L.vsnar’s Meat E.x» port Control Amendment Bill was comlinued* when the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. and Reform members again spoke in opposition to the measure,. After speeches by Messrs Waite, Hairis and Ansell, Air Alakitanara rose and intimated his desire to move the closure. The Speaker said that he was afraid as the House had rejected tho closure motion > late on Friday afternoon that lie would not at this stage sanction a similar motion. A division was reached at' 8.45 when Mr Hamilton’s amendment to the effect that the Bill be read a second time six months hence was rejected. Cheers from the lobby into whicJt Air Lysnar and prominent supporters' of the Bill had gone, indicated that the amendment had' suffered defeat, and the announcement of the numbers was greeted with applause. The result of the division left Air Rushworth’s amendment providing for a second reading on 12th August .before the House, but Air J. A. Nash immediately rose to move a further amendment that the Bill be read a second time on October 14th.

Further opposition to the Bill was interrupted approximately at ten o’clock, when Mr Alakitarara again sought to submit the closure motion,but the Speaker declined to accept it. The debate was continued till the rising of the House at 10.30 p.m.