SIX NEW ACTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 239, 29 December 1927, Page 16

SIX NEW ACTS

LEGISLATION TO OPERATE MONEY FOR FARMERS Although much of the legislation passed by Parliament this year is already operating, several of the new Acts will not be enforced till the first day of the New Year, Sunday next. Some of them, again, will not be enacted till dates prescribed throughout next year. Six of the Acts of the 1927 Parliament will operate from this yveek-end, as well as several consolidation measures.

Most of the Acts about to be enforced directly concern the farming community. The Rural Intermediate Credits Act provides the settler with greater facility for obtaining money at attractive terms for short terms ranging from six months to five years, on chattels and stock security. A different section of farmers is affected by the operation of the Orchard Tax Act, the principal provision of which is the granting of authority to levy a tax on commercial orchards, the money to be devoted to the general advancement of the industry. A special tax, not to exceed 5s annually, is to be applied to the eradication of pests from orchards. This tax may be levied only in certain districts defined under the Fireblight Act, 1922. Added powers are given bee inspectors by the provisions of the Apiaries Act, which was passed by Parliament with the witty assurance of the Minister in charge that there was no “sting” in it. Farmers’ dairy cheques are indirectly affected by the amendments to the Bankruptcy Act, which protects assignments of milk cheques, and also gives protection for leases against forfeiture in cases of bankruptcy.

The Legislature Amendment Act as finally passed by Parliament establishes two Boundaries Commisions —one for the North Island and one for the South Island. Each is to comprise five members. The Surveyor General, and -the Commissioners of Crown Lands for the Taranaki and Auckland Land Districts respectively are to be three official members of the North Island Commission, and the Commissioners of Crown Lands for the Westland, Canterbury and Otago Land Districts respectively are to be the three official members of the South Island Commission. The other two members in each commission are to be appointed by the House of Representatives, and shall not be members of the Public Service. The commissioners are instructed in the legislation to allocate as far as possible the no-licensed premises in nolicensed districts so as to avoid confusion on the liquor question. The consolidations of the Public Service Superannuation Act, the Police Offences Act, the Justices of the Peace Act and the Electoral Act, operate from Sunday next, while the Dangerous Drugs Act, which is summarised elsewhere, also begins to function on that date.

Several other Bills which were dropped by the House, and one or two that the Government did not intend to go on with, would have come into force on Sunday.