17

A.—l

1920, No. 64. —The Education Amendment Act, 1920. —This Act makes a number of miscellaneous amendments of the Education Act, 1914, and in particular makes provision with respect to — (1.) Education Board accounts: (2.) Establishment of special classes for physically infirm and other children : (3.) Extension of school age from fourteen to fifteen years : (4.) Appointment and transfer of teachers : (5.) The making of regulations prescribing staffs of secondary schools and their rates ol salaries and allowances, and the rates of salaries and allowances for technical-school teachers : (6.) National Scholarships : , (7.) Management of technical schools. 1920, No. 65.—The Marriage Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act amends the Marriage Act, 1908, in various particulars. Women may be appointed as Registrars of Marriages. Notice of the dissolution of a marriage is to be entered in the Marriage Register-book. The hours during which marriages may be solemnized are extended. By section 7 it is made an offence; punishable', on summary conviction by a fine of £.1.00 to impugn the validity of lawful marriages or to allege the illegitimacy of the issue of any lawful marriage. 1920, No. 66.—The Government Railways Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act provides a new schedule of salaries and increments to officers and servants of the Government Railways Department. 1920, No. 67.—The Shops and Offices Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act makes a number ol miscellane ous amendments of the Shops and Offices Act, 1908. Section 9 defines the powers of the Court of Arbitration with respect to shops, and section 11 makes shop-assistants liable for breaohes ol provisions as to hours of employment. 1920, No. 68. —The Coal-mines Amendment Act, 1920. —This Act amends the Coal-mines Act, 1908, in various particulars. Section 3 empeiwers the Governor-General to make regulations as to sanitary conveniences in coal-mines. Section 7 amends the provisions of the principal Act relating to ventilation of mines. Section 9 amends section 6 of the Coal-mines Amendment, 1914, relating to qualification of miners in charge of places. 1920, No. 69.—The Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act makes provision for the registration of unregistered births. 1920, No. 70.—The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act amends the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1908, by providing additional grounds of divorce —namely, failure to comply with a decree for restitution of conjugal rights; and separation for three years, whether pursuant to a decree of judicial separation, or a separation, order, or a deed or agreement, or separation by mutual consent. Section sof this Act amends those provisions of section 21 of the principal Act constituting as grounds of divorce imprisonment for certain offences, and insanity. 1920, No. 71. —The Greymouth Harbour Board Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act makes provision for the assistance of the Greymouth Harbour Board and the maintenance of the Port of Greymouth. 1920, No. 72.—The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Act, 1920 (No. 2).—This Act amends in various particulars the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909. The principal provisions are section 10 (defining the borrowing-powers of Hospital Boards), section 11 (conferring additional powers of expenditure in certain cases), and section 18 (extending the powers of inspection of institutions). 1920, No. 73. —The Railways Authorization Act, 1920.—This Act authorizes the construction of the railways mentioned in the schedule thereto. 1920, No. 74.—The Rabbit Nuisance Amendment Act, 1920.—This Act amemds in various particulars the Rabbit Nuisance Act, 1908. The principal provisions are sections 1 (authorizing Boards constituted under Part 111 of the principal Act to rate on an acreage basis), section 5 (authorizing certain Boards to borrow by way of bank overdraft), section 8 (extending the powers of certain Boarels), and section 9 (authorizing the Governor-General to make regulations for certain purposes, including the purchase, sale, and export of rabbit-skins). 1920, No. 75. —The Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1920. — This Act provides for the exchange, sale, reservation, and other disposition of certain reserves, Crown lands, endowments, and other lands; validates certain transactions; and confers certain powers on certain public bodies. 1920, No. 76.—The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1920.—The principal jrrovisions of this Act are section 2 (which enables employers and workers engaged in the same industry to be heard in any proceedings relating to that industry) and section 8 (which modifies section 18 of the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act, 1918, empowering the Arbitration Court to amend certain awards or industrial agreements with respect to hours of employment and rates of wages). The effect of this modification is that the Court, before amending an award, must be satisfied that it is just and equitable to both employers and workers that the awarei should be amended, and that the economic continuance of the industry concerned will not be unduly imperilled by the effect of any such amendment upon the, cost of production. 1920, No. 77.—The Commissions of Inquiry Amendment Act, 1920. —This Act extends the purposes for which a Commissiem of Inquiry may be appointed to cover an inquiry concerning the proceedings of or the judgment of any Court-martial. 1920, No. 78.—The Anzac Day Act, 1920.—This Act constitutes Anzac Day (25th April) a national holiday. Licensed premises are to be closed, and horse-racing is prohibited on that day.