PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. PROGRESS OF MEASURES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Samoa Bill was reported with amendments by the Statutes Revision Committee, and the Cook Islands Amendment Bill without amendment by the Native Affairs Committee. Sir Francis Bell gave notice to introduce the Official Secrets Bill and the Families Protection Bill. The Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Bill was committed. The date of the coming into operation of the Bill was altered from April 1 to July 1. The provision that every solicitor shall be entitled to be registered as a patents agent was deleted, and there was substituted for it a clause that nothing in the measure shall prohibit Solicitors from taking such a part as they have heretofore taken in proceedings relating to patents, designs and trade marks. The Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Council rose at 3.56 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DRAINAGE IN COUNTIES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. T. SedJon (Westland), the Hon. W. D. Stewart said the option given to importers under clause 143 of tne Customs Act was withdrawn in the case of spirits and toabcco when the new tariff came into force. I f , however, it could be shown that any importers had not received their documents in time to clear goods before the tariff operated he would reconsider the position in such cases. On the motion of Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), the Counties Amendment Bill was introduced and read a first time. He explained that the Bill was intended to relieve ratepayers who provided their properties with efficient drainage from the county sanitary rate if the drainage systems had been put in before the sanitary rate had been levied. The remainder .if the afternoon sitting was occupied wtrb a discussion on the mines statement, whicc was laid on the table of the Hu.ise by the Hon. C. J. Anderson. The House rose at 11.29 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. MANUFACTURERS AND TARIFF DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Representative manufacturers from the North and South Islands will assemble in Wellington to-morrow in continuation, they say, of the effort to obtain fair treatment in the tariff. Arrangements are being made for a deputation to call on the Prime Minister to explain to him how the tariff, in its present form, does not do justice to some important New Zealand industries. The deputation will also urge upon Mr. Ma? sey that the beUei is strongly held by the Dominion s manufacturers that Australia should be moved from No. 1 schedule to No. 3. By such a procedure New Zealand, they say, would be giving to Australia exactly the same treatment that Australia has given to New Zealand.