PROGRESS OF BILLS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17293, 3 November 1921, Page 12

PROGRESS OF BILLS.

YESTERDAY'S WORK IN PARLIAMENT. (ABRIDGED TRESS ASSOCIATION TTLl<nu*.) WELLINGTON", November ?. in tho Legislative Council to-day, the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitrv tion Act Amendment- was reported by the Labour Bills Committeo without amendment, and put through its final stages. The Hunter Gift for the Settlement! of Discharged Soldiers' Hill and tin Patent*', Designs, and Trademark* Bill were received from the House, read a second time, pro forma, and referred to tlie Statutes Revision Committee. In tho House of Representatives to. day, the following Hills were introduced] and rend a first time: —Orchard Act Amendment Dill lion. W. Nosworthv), Polk'c Force Act Amend, ment Bill (Mr Veitch). Electricians' Registration BilL Sir John Liike reported that- tha I*. hour Rills Committee had con>idered the Electricians' Registration Bill, introduced bv Mr I>. G. dullivan, and, finding it to he an Appropriation Rill, had decided that it could not lie aliened to proceed. At the same time, they recommended that the Government should introduce legislation on the lines of th» Bill. Bills Postponed. The Betterment Rill and the State Control of Licenses Bill, introduced by Mr MeC'iilliim, wore, on his motion, postponed for a week. Native Land Bill. The House went into Committee o4 the Native Land Act Amendment Bill, introduced by Mr V. H, Reed, wfta stated that the Native Affairs Committee had recommended that the Bill should not proceed because clause 2 could more properly be inserted in tKe Fencing Act ; and the Government should tiring in legislation on the lines of clause 3. Under these circums'sncea Hi© moved to report, progress. This was agreed to. Local Elections Bill. The House went into Committee on the Local Elections and Polla Act Amendment Bill, introduoed by Mr Reed. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart said tlie Bill had been carefully revised by the Statutes Revision Committee, And the Department had not raised any (Objection to the Bill. The Government, was therefore disposed to let it proceed. Air .Wilford wanted to know what a| private member was doing with such a Bill as this. It was ono of tho_ most important measures introduced this session. It proposed a radical chango it* the electoral law, yet tho House seemed disposed to let it slide. Ho contended that n. Bill which proposed such an important change in the mode of conducing local elections should l>e fatheiw by the Government. Tho Bill was del fective in tho matter of safeguards, and local bodies had not expressed anjj opinion as to the necessity for measure. , At this stage Mr Heed moved to r» port progress on the Bill, which WM agreed to.