PARLIAMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9875, 24 July 1923, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSIE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, July 23

The Hon. R. F. Bollard gave notice to introduce the Registration of Aliens Suspension BiH> Rangitikei Hand Drainage Act Amendment Bill and Fisheries Act Amendment Bill. Mr Massey gave notice to move that a special committee be set up to consider what amendments are necessary in the licensing law. First Readings.

The following Bills were introduced and read a first time Savings Bank Act Amendment (Mr Massey), Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Act Amendment (Hon W. D. Stewart), Whangarei Harbour Board Vesting and Empowering (Mr Murdoch).

Cook Islands. The Coo k Islands Act Amendment Bill was, Oii the motion of Sir Maui Pomare, read a second time pro forma and referred to the Native Affairs Committee.

Stamp Duties. Mr Massey moved- the second reading of the Stamp Duties Bill which he explained was passed last year but never brought into operation because , certain defects had bee»= discovered in

s; its text. The principal amendment was iin Part V., which referred to duties * on mortgages. Under’ Shis Bill only j mortgagee on land were dutiable, j Mr Wili'ord said the Biißi was *o highly technical that no one could ! understand! it from the description

given of it the Prime Minister, and he suggested* it should be referred to . the Statutes? Revision Committee | where those acquainted with' such I matters could' carefully examine - dotails of the BilE, He protested against tlie proposal to- Sax a lease with right of purchase as if it were a completed sale. Tho pure!'terse might never he completed or not' completed for istiifV' [years and such a transaction should 7 taxed as a transfer If the Statffitfe'SRevision Committee if took evidence on"

' tliat point he felt confident they would j amend the measure’ in the direeti'JH suggested by him. I The Hon. C. J. £%rr said if such a j duty was collected ’ there was prova j i sion for refund in ease purchase was nx>t completed Mr Wilford: That iejr the wrong way round. The duty should not be col- ! : lected until purchase is made. j Tlie Hon. D. Buddo,’ Hon. J. A. j Hannan, and Air Sicley" criticised the BiTI, which Air Alassey Tn reply promised to refer to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the committee. Insurance Companies.

Tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart moved the second reading of tlie Insurance Companies Deposits Act Amendment Bill, which, he explained, was intended to separate the income derived from moneys deposited with the Government as trading security from their ordinary trading profits, it being generally conceded that it was unfair to collect income tax on any other basis. The second reading was agreed to without discussion.

Noxious Weeds.

The Hon. W. Nos worthy moved the second reading of the Noxious Weeds Act Amendment Bill. He thought the time was not far distant when they would have to overhaul the whole of the legislation relating to. noxious weeds, but there was no time to do that this session, and hence, he was introducing the Bill, which, contained a few minor amendments, principally in the direction of authorising local bodies to declare certain plants not to be noxious weeds.

Air Forbes said the House ought to be told whether this Bill, stiffened oxweakened the administration of the original Act. He feared. Canadian thistle was likely to spread dangerously, and lie thought that local bodies should not be given power to declare it not a noxious weed. Hand in hand with this legislation should go the Pure Seeds Bill, and ho wanted to know what had, become of it. Air Hockly favoured the Bill,. He thought that county councils with local knowledge could with advantage be given greater powers.. Air Holland said that one of the features of the noxious- weeds problem, was the state of Crown lands, which ought to be kept clean if private owners were expected to clear their lands. Mr Field said that in the past the law had not been administered as strictly as it might have boen, mainly because districts were too large and the inspectors could not get over the ground. The Hon. D. Buddo said the present law was quite -tisfactory, and only required admin . ation. Ho hope_d tins

Bill would !>.' Vi ithdrawn, as it did exactly tlie thing it ought not to ,do. The debate was continued by Mr Nash, Sir George Himter, Messrs Langstone, Glenn, Edie, Macmillan, Horn, Veitch, and J. M. Dickson, each speaker giving the R<.'se the benefit of his local experience. The Minister, in reply, combated the suggestion that he was weakening the administration of the. Act, but it was not the least use trying to enforce the law in those districts where it could not be enforced. There were some districts in the Dominion in wnicli every settlor would be ruined if the Act were strictly carried out. They could not work a cast-iron Act, and therefore he preferred to leave the necessary powers of discretion to local bodies, who wore familiar with local conditions and knew how best the Act should be administered. The Bill was read a second time. The House rose at 11.90 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.