PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. SEVERAL BILLS DISCUSSED. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. ■ The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Orchard Tax Amendment Bill, which re-enacts for five years the principal Act of 1916, was received from the House and put through all stages without amendment. The Samoa Bill was committed. The clause prohibiting the marriage of an indentured Chinaman with a Samoan, struck out by the House, was re-instat-ed, as was the original clause dealing with divorce. The Bill was read a third time and passed. Sii* Francis Bell moved the second reading of the families Protection Amendment Bill. He explained that section 33 of the principal Act gave the court power to provide for the wjfe and children of a testator who had not made adequate provision for them in his will. The law at presefit limited applications under this heading in a way which might lead to injustice. The Government therefore proposed that applications might be made of right within twelve months of probate and at the discretion of the court at any time before the final distribution of the estate. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

Sir Francis Bell moved the Second reading of the Official Secrets Bill, He explained that the Imperial Act of 1911 had operateu in New Zealand, but the 1920 Act had not.. This Bill combined these Acte. The reasons for the 1920 Act were not given in full to the Imperial Parliament, and although certain of them had I?een disclosed to the New Zealand Government he was unable to enter into them. The Bill wa® read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Council rose at 3.26 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to W. G. Mitchell (Wellington South), the Hon. J. G. Coates said the Public Trust Office wae not retrenching returned soldiers, unle&s there were special circumstancs in a case. All things being satisfactory returned soldiers were the last to be put off. That was the policy of the department. Replying to Mr. T. Seddon (Westland), the Hon. D. H. said his information was that there was no need to provide relief for the crew of the wrecked steamer Perth at Greymouth. The people of Greymouth had apparently risen to the occasion and done everything necessary. If relief was necessary an application for it would be sympathetically considered. Replying to Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central), the Hon. W. D. Stewart said that if local bodies desired to remit rates on soldiers’ clubs the Government might consider giving them that power. At the same time the suggestion opened up a large question and would require careful consideration. Replying to Mr. T. D. Burnett (Temuka), the Hon. G. J. Anderson said legislation would be brought down th’s session giving relief to persons buying houses and who had difficulty in obtaining possession, but he was not able to givo details of the measure at that moment.

Replying to Mr. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill), Mr. Massey said the Statistician's figures concerning the cost of living would be published to.motrow, or at least early next week, but he understood there was a very substantial drop in the coet of living. What the position of rent was he could not say. Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller), Mr. Massey said he had agreed to the heads of the taxation and finance departments meeting several representatives of Chambers of Commerce for the purpose of conferring oh the important subject of taxation. He had no objection to the scope of this conference being extended, and to the departmental heads meeting representatives of the farmers and labor later on. Replying to Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo), Mr. Massey said the Government was not going to tolerate dumping from foreign countries, and a Bill would be introduced to-day to deal with that question. ( Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), the Hon. W. D. Stewart said he would inquire whether or not the duty of twenty per cent, on imported woollen yarn shoifld be increased to forty or sixty per cent. He understood the woollen companies were satisfied with the twenty per cent. duty.

After a discussion of a more or less academic nature on the subject of proportional representation, the Proportional Representation and Effective Voting Bill No. 2 was introduced and read a first time on the motion of Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton). The Customs Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor’s message and was read a first time.

In the evening the Imprest Supply Bill was brought down. €);» the motion of the Hon. E» P. Lee the amendments made in the Samoa Bill by the’ Legislative Council were agreed to and the House rose at JLI.S p.m.