PROGRESS OF BILLS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17292, 2 November 1921, Page 12

PROGRESS OF BILLS.

YESTERDAY'S WORK IN THE HOUSE. (ASBIMZS FBZIS ASSOCIATION THZGRfM.) "WELLINGTON,- November 1. A number of Bills were advanced a stage in the House of Representatives to-day. Local Bodies Loans BilL The Hon. W. Downie Stewart moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Local Bodies Loans Bill bo agreed to. Mr T. M. Wilford and Mr Sidey entered protests against the amendment in clause 5 on the ground that it gave the Government power to exploit local body sinking funds held by the Public Trustee. Tho Minister in reply deprecated 6ach criticism. The clause, he said, had been designed to meet the wishes of local bodies, and was not brought down in the interests of the Government at all. On a division, the amendments were agreed to by 33 votes to 10. Law of Libel BilL The Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading oi the Law of Libel Act Amendment Bill pro forma, which was agreed to, and the Bill was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. Education Bill. Tne Hon. C. J. Parr moved that the Education Act Amendment Bill be referred to the Education Committee. Agreed to. Hunter Gift BilL The Hon. D. H. Guthrie moved the Mcond reading of the Hunter Gift for the Settlement of Discharged Soldiers Bill. This gift, ho said, was one of the most generous ever made in the interoats of returned soldiers. It comprised something over 2000 acres and was vailed at £17,600, with improvements valued at £BOS. Its half yearly rental was £4OO and already there was an accumulation of something like £Bl2 available tor the purposes of the gift, which was : la be devoted to the interests of returned soldiers within the Hawke's Bay Laud District. This Bill provided the j.ijichinery for its administration for all time. The administration would be in the hands of a Trust Board, the constitution of which was provided for in the Hill. After explaining the provisions of the measure the Minister paid a tribute to the loyaltv and generous spirit displayed by Sir George Hunter m connexion with returned soldiers, in whicn generosity, pleased to say Sir George did novstand alone. Mr Mitchell, as a returned soldier, thanked Sir George Hunter for his generobity towards returned men He also mentioned Mr K. S. Williams, M.P. for tho Bay of Plenty, who had taken, on -Teat responsibility to help soldiers in his district. As one who had freely .-riticisod larze land owners for their want of consideration for the soldiers, it gave him special pleasure to welcome vach a gift as this. Mr Masscy, speaking on behalf of the people of the Dominion, thanked Sir George Hunter for his gift, and suggested that the names of all those who mado similar gifts should in some way be perpetuated. , „.__ Messrs Witty, E. Newman, and Vigor Brown joined in paying tributes to teir George Hunter's generosity. Sir George Hunter briefly replied, and the second reading of the Bill was ngreed to on thevoices. B on the suggestion of the £*J» **»: ister, the Bill was taken through all its remaining stages and passed with unimportant amendments. Patents BilL On the motion to go into Cwnmittee on the Patente, Designs, and Trade Marks Bill, the Hon. E. P. Lee said the Bill had been read a second tune pS forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Cfcmimittee, and, as it stood now it was a consolidation of the law on the subject', with a view to bringing it into conformity with the law of England. He desired to adawwledge the assistance given to .Revision Committee by Mr Sidey, that gentleman having pkced at their service las wide knowledge of the subject. Mr Sidey entered upon a technical criticism of the BUI, pointing out severa! oases of divergence from English law, and suggesting amendments, '' which he recommended to the-Minis-ter. He also suggested that when the BIU was before the Legi'slative Council, several patent. agents in practice should be called (before the Council's Committee to give evidence on several doubtful points. x . . _ : Mr Young objected to the provision making solicitors patent agents. The range of knowledge of sohcitor3.waß nob* necessarily wide enough. Every patent agent should at least have some fcnowledg* of mechanics, and he instanced a case in which this want of knowledge led to a great deal of trouble and some litigation. • : The Minister, in. reply, defended solicitors as fit and proper persons to become patent agents. The qualifications to govern these appointments would be laid down in the regulations. . The House then went into Committee on the Bill. •■ The date of the- coming into opera- ■■• tion of the law was altered from July ist to April Ist, -1922, on the motion of the Minister. . . ■ ! . , Ab clause 135 the following, sub-i clauses were added, on the motion of the Minister: (la) Every person not registered as a patent agent before the first day of October, 1921, who proves to the satisfaction of the Registrar that Ae was on that date bona fide - practising as a patent agent, whether individually or as a member of a firm, or as manager or director of a com-, pauy shall foe entitled to be registered as a patent agent, if he makes application for the purpose within six montta from the date of the conanencement of this Act, unless, after giving an applicant an opportunity of , being £ he«d,'the Registrar is satisfied that - he has, while ao practising, been guilty of auch misconduct as would have ren- : dared him liable, if hiß name had been , on the register of patent agents, to '.' have his name erased therefrom, (lb) ':' Every person enrolled as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand ': shall be entitled to be registered as a ■ patent agent. Mr Young, moved that before, solici- '■ tor* beoame entitled to be registered -.- as patent agents, they should, be requir- : ed to pass such examination in physical science, .as might be prescribed by Order-in-Counoa. This was lost on the voices. The BUI was reported with amend- ■ ments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 9.80 p.m.

Fijian plantations have been greatly • hampered for lack of labour, and the planters.have beea trying to induce the , : Colonial Office to get further supplies. The Chinese are wanted by the PLant- " crs' Qouncil, DUt ft " reported that the : Colonial Sugar Refining Company, ■ which employs the great proportion or ' .the colony's labour, does not favour the r Chinese. Ha council tried to "get •v Javanese, who are splendid field hands, ■ but the Dutoh authorities refuse to ' r allow any emigration, as they require 5 them at home. There was a miKx sen- ''■•• nation, therefore, a few dajs" ago (says i the Suva correspondent ot the Auck- -?' land "Herald"), when -the Government. • reoerred an otter from the Colonial '■'■ Offioe of 4600 West Indian negro la- • bourers who are stranded at Panama, '. These men want a dollar a day and keep, whiob is above Indian wages, but . they can do about twice the work. The planters favour'the idea of getting : them for, say, three yean. .