PUBLIC REVENUES BILL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2552, 28 August 1915, Page 3

PUBLIC REVENUES BILL.

NEW SECURITY FOR WAR LOAN. The Public Accounts Committee recommended tliat the Public Revenues Amendment Bill (No. 2), whicli was read a second time, pro forma, should bo _ allowed to prooeed. Urgency was claimed for tlio measure. On the motion to commit the Bill, SIR JOSEPH WARD (Minister iof Finance) said that it would enable tho High Commissioner to borrow money for war purposes 011 security :of memorandum of agreement, instead of security of Treasury bills, us at present, Tho reason for thin was that if Treasury JuJlsjwsa iasuad Jissjvould, cost. this..

country Is. per cent., and by having power to borrow on agreement they would save the country very largo sums of money. Clause 3 proposed to increase the amount of Treasury bills from £2,000,000 to £3,000,000. As indicated in the Budget it was not known what amount of Treasury bills the.y might have to issue. During last session authority was obtained for £2,000,000 for war purposes, and that authority became exhausted before the present session of Parliament began.' To broach over that period it becamo necessary to pledge the Reserve Fund securities in London. Clause 4 was to l'oinstato the Reserve Fund securities, if desired, out of money borrowed for war purposes. _ Clause 5 provided for a special Sinking Fund of , one pef cent, to enable them to extinguish the war loans over a. period of years. Clause o 'lacilitated the remittance of moneys to and frorii members of the Expeditionary Forces. Bill was put through remaining stages and carried without debate. WORK OF KINC'S COUNSEL. SHOULD THEY. PRACTISE AS SOLICITORS? The Law Practitioners'- Amendment oill was committed. Mr. A H. HINDMARSH (Wellington couth) moved as an amendment the following new clause:—"No practising barrister of the. rank of King's. Counshall, also practise as a solicitor, either alone or in partnership with an -Y other solicitor, and ho certificate «n<« Section 4o of the principal Act shall be issued to any such barrister." He said that lie 1 did not bring the motion only on his own behalf. There had been two meetings of the lawyers in Wellington, and they'had decided that iiings counsel should not practise as solicitors. TV) matter was of some concern to the public,'.for at:.present the cost of litigation was increased. At one.of the_ meetings he had referred to thirty-nine _of those present appiovea of the idea, hut there was some opposition from those hoping to attain the rank of K. 0., and from those young fellows, who got £1 Is. to m'' y r?. K - 0; attend in Court. ' ' n A- Herdriian (Attor-ney-General) said- that he could not accept'the amendment; the effect of it would bo to abolish King's counsel altogether, and in, his opinion it. was . definable that they, should be retained. JNo barrister would accept a K.C. Patent in this country if he could not practise as a solicitor. Mr: O. J. Parr (Eden) said that he nad a good deal of sympathy',with the amendment. A man should not accept a -K-O. Patent if he was not prepared t-o give up his solicitor's work. K.C.'s in New South Wales wore not allowed to do solicitor's work as well as counsel s work. He differed with the Attor-ney-General in his statement that there was not enough work for K.tl's in Zealand to permit them giving up their solicitor's practice. He would support the amendment if it was made to apply to future appointments. Mr. Hindmarsh said that' a man ' might.be a most brilliant lawyer and jet, because his practice was in the country, he was not made a K.C. The publio and the ordinary solicitor had to be considered in this matter, as well as the_ present K.C.'s. A division was called on the amendment, and it was negatived by 32 votes • to 18. . • ; Mr. Hindmrfi then moved the same new clause; with the proviso that it should not. apply to barrators at pre- 1 sent having the rank of K.C. This was ■agreed' to by 25 votes. to '22. -Tho motion was then' put that the - new clause should bo added to the Bill, .and another division wa'S called. The motion was carried by 27 votes 21. The Bill was reported with amend- ■" .ments. "A HALF-HOLIDAY." . ■ The Hon.: W. F. JIASSEY (Prime 1 Minister) said that, it had been sug- -i gested to him that they might ad- . journ till Tuesday. He agreed that 'i they had done a lot of work ' that, afternoon; as .a matter of' fact, ! they had done as much work as usually j took two_ or three days, and members were entitled to "a half-holiday:" He < moved the adjournment till' Tuesday accordingly, /'v The House rose at 5.48 pim, ' • —' ■ .