WORK OF THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 995, 9 December 1910, Page 6

WORK OF THE SESSION.

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEASURESBRIEF SUMMARIES. Altogether 117 public Bills were passed during the late session, but one, the Shipping and Seamen Bill, was reserved lor the signification of his Majesty's assent. The restrictions on spaco will not permit of" tho insertion of a sum-; niary of each of. the measures. Below will be found, however, a synopsis of sqme of the most important Bills passed.

PUBLIC DEBT EXTINCTION ACT. The object of tho Public Debt Extinction Act is to form sinking funds which- will wipo off public loans at or before the end. of 75 years. A board and superintendent will administer the funds. Within thirty days after the end of each financial year, the' Controller and Auditor-General shall, furnish the Minister with a certificate showing: («) Tho total amount of tho public debt at tho end of tho financial year; and (b) the sum which, if invested each year at compound interest at i per cent, per annum for such rate as may be determined), would, in 75 years, equal suc"h amount. After tho end of tho year 1915, tb'o interest shall bo tho actual average net interest earned by the funds invested under the Act during the.previous threo years. The funds shall bo invested by the State Advances Board,, in loans to settlers, to workers, and.to local.authorities. Such loans may be fixed loans granted for any period not exceeding ten years'in the case of loans to settlers or workers, or 10 years in the case of local authorities, or may be granted, on the instalment system, repayable in any term not exceeding 3Gi years. No-part of such moneys shall at any time be invested in. New Zealand Government securities., Investments are to be made with regard to time of repayment of public debts. Surplus funds may be used tor cancellation of stock or debentures. The expenses of administration are to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund. Any portion of the funds, until required for the purposes of the Act, may be temporarily invested from time to time in advances to other branches of the Advances Office. STATE ADVANCES AMENDMENT ACT. Under the State Advances Amendment Act all moneys for the Advances Department may be raised on the security of the public revenue, and the rate of interest shall not exceed 4J per ■ cent Where the seourity is classified as firstclass, all loans to settlers and workers shall, be for 3b'} years; second-class, 30 ; third-class, 20 years. The decision of the Advances Board on the question of the mature of the. security shall be final. It a settler who has obtained an advance so desires the loan may be ■ advanced by progress payments, corresponding in amount to the value of the improvements effected. Readjustments of loans must in future bo made on the due date of. any : instalment. Except with the consent of the superintendent, it shall not be lawful for a land board to cancel a borrower's right to compensation or valuation, of improvements. Where default' is made, the superintendent is to be empowered to lease the mortgaged land with or without the right of purchase. A worker shall not own "any land other than the land which ho offers as security for the loan, for which application is made." . Power is given to a worker to obtain a loan to acquiro as well as erect a dwelling. The expression "to erect a dwelling-house" includes adding to a dwelling-house already, erected. Advances may be made to workers to pay off loans raised by way. of second mortgage prior to the commencement of the Act. SECRET COMMISSIONS ACT. ' ' The chief object of this Bill is to render illegal tho practice of agents in secretly accepting payments and other valuable considerations from third persons, in respect of tho business of the principals. It has already been found necessary to pass legislation for this purpose in England, Victoria, and the Commonwealth, of Australia. It creates the following offences:—(l) The giving of secret bribes 'or other considerations to agents by third persons. (2) The receiving of secret bribes or.other considerations by agents from third persons. (3) Tho concealment by an agent of his pecuniary interest in a contract made by him on behalf of his principal. (4) The giving to an agent' by a third person of a false or imperfect receipt, invoice.'-. or other document,"with intent to deceive the principal. (5) The giving by an agent to his principal of. any such, document. (C) The receiving of secret commissions for advising third persons to enter into contracts with the person paying such commissions.

The new Act does not interfere with certain, recognised trade practices.

CRIMES AMENDMENT ACT. Under tho Crimes Amendment Act it is provided that a sentence for. an ilidictable offence may includo reformative detention for any period not exceeding ten years.. Summary conviction may also include' reformative detention for three years. The jurisdiction conferred upon a magistrate by this section shall not be exercised by any justice of the peace other than a' magistrate. Power is given for the right of appeal as from such sentences. Every person so sentenced shall be detained in prison for the period, but may be released on probation on discharge. Future habitual criminals shall after tho determination of their sentence be detained in prison during tho pleasure of tho Government. For the purposes of tho Act there shall be constituted a Prisons Board, to consist of not less than three, nor more than seven, persons, including a judge of the Supreme Court, who, shall be tho president" Among tho functions of the board shall be to inquire whether there is reasonable cause for belief that any habitual criminal or person undergoing a sentence of reformative detention is sufficiently reformed to be released on probation or discharged. Tho board is (o take into consideration at least once in every year the case of each habitual criminal or person serving sentence of reformative detention. A person may bo declared a habitual criminal despite any former declaration to tho snnio eifoct. Reformative detention is to be deemed imprisonment. Other clauses provide for wages earned by prisoners to bo credited to them. Nothing in the Act shall be so construed so as to limit /or affect the Royal prerogative of mercy.