AFTERNOON SITTING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13611, 21 December 1909, Page 8

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time : —Customs, Duties Act, 1908, Amendment, Stamp Duties, 1908, Amendment, Internal Defence 'Amendment, Old Age Pensions Act Amendment, and Regulation of Race Meetings. DEATH DUTIES. On the motion of the PRIME MTXI'VTER, the following amendments wet« made in the Death Duties Bill: — Clause 8, paragraph k, which prov.des that shares in mining companies £n;<H be deemed property, was struck out. Clause 32. providing for statements of fM.tiablp estate being delivered to the t-c-nimirsioner was omitted Clause 33. sub-clause 1, providing for tnr> Commissioner assessing death duties, was replaced by the following: "--■" There shall be deducted from death duty payable in respect of any property situated out of New Zealand at the death of the deceased, the amount of any diiry which bj- reason of his dtvah is payable in respect of that property in the country in which it is situated at his death.'" PRIVILEGE. The SPEAKER gave his deferred

ruling on a point raised by Mr Massey that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in Clauses 3 and o of the Land lor .Settlements Administration Bill were breaches of the privileges of the House, which had the sole of Supply. \s Clause 3 originally stood, it provided tor settlements laud at present vested in the Crown being vested in the Superintendent. Tiie Council altered this £O as to make it anpjy only to beneficial interests. <S!&use .*) contained a subsection to a liao effect, and this was struck out by the Council. Mr Massey contended that this was a br'e.-u'h of the prerogatives of tho Hoiwe which under Standing Order 410 had sole right of supply. The Speaker held that under Standing Order 410 a ij i^\\ s f or granting aids an 1 supplies were tho sole privilege of th.-» House of Representatives, and could not be chanced or altered by the Legislative Council. He held that the amendment.? could not be agreed to. •Sir JOSEPH WARD moved accordingly that the amendments of the Council be not a "Teed to. and this was earned. . " The SPE \KFR also drew attention to the. fact that Clause 18 of the State Guaranteed Advances Bill, which provided that the amount to be authorised for advances to local authorities shall If fixed by resolution of the House of Representatives, as amended by the Council, was also a breach of the privileges of the Houso. the amendment of the" Council being that tho amount shall be fixed by t>oth Houses. CONDOLENCES. On the motion of the PRIME MINISTER a vote of condolence with the families of the late Messrs Alexander ftligu and E. G. Allen, ex-members of the House, was carried, and at 4 p.m. t!:e House adjourned till 7.30 p.m., as a mark of respect to their memories.