BILLS PASSED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1932, Page 5

BILLS PASSED

IN BOTH HORSES

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.

(Per Press Association Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, December 8. In the Legislative Council yesterday, the Fire Brigades Amendment Bill, the Cook Islands Amendment- Bill, and the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill were put through the remaining stages and passed. The Native Land Amendment Bill was read a second time, pro forma, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee.

In the House of Representatives, the Finance Bill was introduced by Gov-ernor-General’s message and read the first time.

The New. Zealand Loans Bill, the Property Law Amendment Bill, and the Reserves, and Other Lands Disposal Bill, Were put through the remaining stages and passed. Supplementary estimates, providing for additional allocations totalling £102.857, were introduced by Gover-nor-General’s message, and urgency was accorded their passage.

This was completed at 12,46, and the House rose at 12.50 till 10.30 this morning.

OPPOSITION SHOWN IN HOUSE,

OPPOSITION SHOWN NI HOUSE.

WELLINGTON, December 7

Declaring that if the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill were passed in the form proposed it would mean that the Borough of Riccarton would be absorbed by the Christchurch City Council without reference to the ratepayers of the borough, Mr "H. S. SKyle (Govt., Riccarton), voiced a .strong protest in the House yesterday. The clause concerned provides for the amalgamation of local bodies after a poll has been taken by only on e of the bodies concerned. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. A. Hamilton, announced in the course of his reply that h e would be prepared to consider transferring authority for amalgamation to Parliament itfeel^. Mr Kyle saia a noil was the on}y democratic way of .‘cringing about an amalgamation. The new clause sought to bring it about by compulsion. ■ The proposal certainly wa s undemocratic and he asked if it had been inserted at the request of the Municipal Association.

The Minister ; The ’Municipal* Association asked for it. Replying, the Minister -said _ the general tenor of the measure permitted local bodies to decide their own fete. The local body spirit was very strongly developed in New Zealand and -people • de'ired to cling to their own local ‘ bodies. The method proposed was not terribly autocratic, After a poll had been taken the other local body concerned could apply for a commission. That was a safeguard. After the commission had reported, the Government would consider the report of the commission. That was another safeguard. The discussion had not proceeded far when the Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister in charge, agreed to report progress if the committee would adopt the short title. He did not wish to force the Bill through, and recognised, he «aid, the reasonableness of some of the objections. He wished to meet the wishes of municipal bodies an d the House-.

The short title was adopted and progress was reported.