WORK OF THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 15

WORK OF THE SESSION.

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEASURES. BRIEF" SUMMARIES. Altogether 117 public Bills were passed during the late session, but one, the Shipping and Seamen Bill, was reserved for tho signification of Ms Majesty's assent. Tho restrictions on space' will not permit of the insertion of a summary of each of the measures.' Below will be found, however, a synopsis of some of the most important Bills passed. PUBLIC- WORKS AMENDMENT ACT. The Public Works Amendment Act gives authority to* the Government to construct and maintain water works. Land , required for water power or irrigation may be taken as for a public work. Before any water race or water supply works are begun the owners or occupiers of all lands likely to bo benefited shall be given an opportunity to enter into contracts for water. If loss than one-half are willing to enter into such contracts, tho works shall not be entered upon. Before the completion of any such work the Government may acquire the whole or any portion 6t 'any land with.respect to which neither the | owner nor tlic occupier is willing to enter . into such contract, and which can, in. the .opinion, of, the Government, .-.bo-usefully' irrigated: .Of such, laud no greater area'than' 200 acres shall bo sold or leased to anyono person without the consent of the Minister,, and/ the" sale'or-leaso shall not confer up'ori' the purchaser or lessee any interest in the water race. • Authority is given to tho Minister to use electrical energy in connection with any public work or for tho treatment of ores. Regulations may 1 be made by the Government regarding the price at which water for irrigation jr other purposes, or electrical energy, or water power may be "sold, leased, etc., and preventing any interference with any waters or injury to any electrical supply, water works, or water races. Any local authority may establish and maintain public swimming baths. Heavy traffic may be restricted between any two points or places by way of auy road or street. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AMENDMENT ACT. According to the new amendments to the■-. municipal law, the closing hours in. regard to all polls shall .bo seven o clock. The use of vo.ting' machines at elections is permissive. ■ Among the disqualifications for councillor'or mayor is included participation on the part of a business, man, otherwise, than as a member of an incorporated company, in which there are moro than 20 members, and of which he is neither, a director nor a general manager. Provision is made for the payment of travelliug expenses to councillors whilst on the business of tho council. There is a clause to enable a corporation to borrow a sum sufficient to clear oft' auy overdraft existing on March 31, 1910. Corporations may also establish free insurance funds in connection with their, buildings, etc. Upon the presentation, of a petition bearing ten per cent, of signatures a poll shall be ordered on the question of the constitution of a new borough or addition or.exclusion of land from a borough. Power is given to advance 'the "cost of drainage connections, etc.- Dwellinghouses erected .in breach of the provision as to open space- to bo provided shall' be deemed to bo unfit for occupation. Among new 'purposes in rcspsct of which by-laws may be nip.de are prescribing, the minimum frontage and area of an allotment of land on .which a dweUinghouse may be erected in. a borough;" the licensing of refreshment rooms; for defining and licensing itinerant traders, not being hawkers and pedlars, and for permitting hawkers and pedlars and keepers of.coffee and other stalls to occupy stands in streets and public .• places/ Landowners are to pay compensation for increase in value derived from widening streets, but claims f6r cbrrTpiifslitioif'sliall be "'made" within' one year, from tho- execution of the work. Heavy traffic licenses granted by the corporations of the four chief centres shall also apply within five" miles "of the' boundaries' of .the city,'and the fees payable shall be apportioned among tho local authorities within whose districts . the licenses ' are available.'

DESTITUTE PERSONS ACT. This. Act repeals, and re-enacts with numerous alterations, the TJestituto Persons!-Act, IMS, which is itself a consolidation of tho Destitute . Persons Act, 1894, and its amendments.' Most of tho 'alterations .relate 'to tn* details of judicial. procedure,' -but attention may ljo called to tho following amendments in -matters of substance:— An amended 'definition of "near relative, with special reference to the effect of adoption and to .illegitimate relationships; power to order payment on account of past maintenance, as well as maintenance for tho future; amended.definition of "parent" with reference to tho liability of parents for deserting children or leaving-them-without ■■ maintenance; provisions as to effect of the death or bankruptcy of persons ngninst whom maintenance orders have been made; better provisions as to attachment of wages in satisfaction of maintenance orders; provision is made for the making of charging orders for securing tho payment of moneys duo under a maintenance order,, and also for the appointment of the Public- Trustee or : other person to receive income arising from'the.property charged in case of default of payment of moneys clue under the maintenance order; amended provisions as to recovery from relatives of the cost of the maintenance of persons in public or charitable institutions'; further provisions making it an indictable offence to desert a wife or xhildby leaving Now Zealand; provisions for giving effect in New Zealand to affiliation and maintenance orders made •in Australia. .-. . '

COMMERCIAL TRUSTS.. The Commercial Trusts Act, which is to como into force on January 1 next, provides tho machinery for the stampingout of trusts and combines. Tho Act provides amongst other things against illegal concessions: in consideration of exclusive dealing; illegal monopolies, sales of gcods at prices fixed by a commercial trust, and sales by a commercial trust (it an unreasonably high price. The goods to which the Act applies are: Agricultural - implements, coal, meat, flour, oatmeal, and other, products of tho milling of wheat or oats, petroleum, or other oil, sugar, and tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes.

SHIPPING AND SEAMEN. The Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act, which is reserved for the assent of ■his Majesty, makes provision for seamen employed in ships plying between New Zealand and the Commonwealth of.Australia, or from Now Zealand to the Cook Islands, being P n 'd the current rate of wages for the time being ruling in New Zealand. In the case of ships in cither of the above trades, wholly or in part manned by Asiatics, passenger tickets issued for passages from Incw Zealand, and bills of lading or shipping documents for cargo shipped .in New Zealand, shall be liable, in addition to any duty imposed under the Stnmp Duties Act, 1008, to a stamp duty equal to 25 per cent, of the amount of the passage money or the amouut'chnrged for freight. _

INDECENT PUBLICATIONS ACT. The previous law as to indecent publications was contained in the Crim'cs Act, 1308, Section 157, and in the Police Offences Act, 1908, Section JO nnd Sections •13 to 18. The Crimes Act, dealing with indictable offences only, is unaffected by this new Act. The foregoing sections of the Police , Offences Act, however, aro repealed and superseded by more comprehensive provisions! Under the old law, a person charged with the sale or publication of indecent literature could not bo convicted summarily, except with his own consent. In accordance with the recommendation mado in 1908 by a Joint Select Committee of the Imperial Parliament (Lotteries and Indecent Advertisements), the Act provides that all such offences can be dealt with, on summary conviction, but by a Stipendiary Magistrate only. The Act obviates the difficulties'in the way of prosecutions for indecent matter published in newspapers, and determines what nersons aro to be held responsible

for the conduct of a newspaper in this respect. Indecent 'literature is defined under tho Act to include any book, newspaper, picture, photograph, print, or writing- paper . . . which has on it any indecent word, statement, illustration, representation, or significant, sign. Heavy penalties of fine and of imprison-' incut aro laid down against persons convicted of selling, delivering, . printing, publishing, publicly exhibiting, or otherwise disposing of any document held to bo indecent. of guilty knowledge is no defence unless a person proves that ho has taken all reasonable means of ascertaining tho nature of the publication. INALIENABLE LIFE ANNUITIES, The . Inalienable Life Annuities Act provides for tho creation and issue of inalienable life annuities, which may be purchased for cash or under any contract for payment by instalments, with or without provision for the return in whole or in part of the premiums to the applicant or his nominee in any stated event. Protection is made from creditors and all alienees. The limit of protection under tho Act is to the extent of .£loi in each case.