PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BILLS PASSED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met to-day at 2.30 p.m. The following Bills were passed without amendment: Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill; State Fire Insurance Amendment Bill; War Disabilities Removal Bill; and the Amusement Tax Bill. In the Sea Carriage of Goods Act the Statutes Revision Committee proposed an amendment, the object of which was to make special provisions in bills of lading to overcome difficulties in the matter of advancing moneys on letters of credit. The Leader of the Council stated that the shipping people in New Zealand had accepted the new clause, which also found favour with local bankers. An immediate endeavor would be made to seek the co-operation of London bankers, and if this was secured it would be of immense advantage to those who disposed of wool in the Dominion. The amendment was agreed to and the Bill was passed. A slight amendment was made in the Mercantile Law Amendment Bill in. order to make clause 2 conform to clause 8 of the Sea Carriage of Goods Bill, and the Bill was passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NEW BILLS INTRODUCED. The House of Representatives met at ■ 2.30 p.m. • The following Bills were introduced land read a first time: Crimes Amend- • ment Bill (Hon. E. P. Lee); Cemeteries i Amendment Bill (Hon. W. D. Stewart); ■ Rating Amendment Bill (Hon. W. D. : Stewart); Dairy Industry Amendment Bill. On the motion of the Hon. W. ■ Nosworthy, the Dairy Industry Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Agricultural Committee. LAND LEVIES. The House went into committee to consider the Land Levies Amendment Bill. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) asked the Minister if he proposed to make any provision for the granting of the freehold to holders of land on the Cheviot estate. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie replied that a clause had been prepared, but in view of a possible lengthy discussion it was not proposed to bring it down this session. Mr. Wilford suggested that if the clause was ready it should be brought down this session with a view to seeing what the attitude of the House would be towards it. If it could not be passed it could be withdrawn. 1 The Minister made no promise on the point. The Bill passed the committee stage with minor amendments moved by the Minister. BILLS PASSED. Amendments made in committee in the Land Laws Amendment Bill and the Pharmacy Amendment Bill were agreed to, and these Bills were read a third 1 time and passed. JUDICATURE BILL. I The Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading of the Judicature Amendment ’ Bill (Number 2). He explained that the Dominion being somewhat short of Judges it sometimes became necessary to ask retired Judges to occupy the Bench temporarily, and it was proposed in the *Bill that the time so served should be counted for superannuation. In the second place the Bill provided that the quorum of Judges sitting on the Court of Appeal should be reduced from three to two, this having been asked for by the Judges. The Bill was read a second time without debate, and was later passed. A MACHINERY MEASURE. Mr. Massey moved the second reading of the Incorporated Societies Amendment Bill, which he said was a small machinery measure asked for by the Department. The Bill was passed. The House rose at 11,30 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.