PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2580, 30 September 1915, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

HIUTARY MANOEUVRES TAXING BILL PASSED PATRIOTIC RAFFLES The Legislative Council met at 2.30' p.m. . ~ The Hon. G. .CARSON asked the Leader of-the Council whether he would submit for the consideration of the House and Library. Committees the -wisdom and propriety of extending to exmembers of the Legislature certain privileges of Parliament,_ namely,' tho use of Bellamy's, of the Library, and of scats belliiid the chair when Parliament is sitting. ' The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL said tliat the Government, would be glad to bavo tho opinion of both committees, but he did not think the Government had any power to refer the matter to the committees without motion, and lie was not prepared to move that. If tho committees gave their opinion, tho Government would give the matter every consideration. '■'A Message was received from tho House agreeing to- the amendments made in the Cook Islands Bill, and the Land Transfer Acts Compilation Bill.

, BILLS PASSED. The Lights on Vehicles Bill (the, Hon. R. Mooro), the State Advances Amendment Bill (the Hon. J. T. Paul), the Factories Act Amendment Bill (the Hon. J. T. Paul), and the Census and Statistics Amendment Bill (the Hon. Sir Francis Bell) were read a second time, put through Committee with a minor amendment in" the first Bill only, read a third-time, and passed. .

MILITARY MANOEUVRES BILL. SAFEGUARD FOR LAND-HOLDERS. The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL moved the second reading lof the Military. Manoeuvres Bill. An amendment had' been accepted in. the Lower House, he pointed out, providing that before any land belonging to a private person was used for tho purposes of the Act not less than 24 hours' notice should be given to the owner.. He held that such "a" proviso was not neccssary, because a proclamation would have to! be issued before the land was taken over, and notice was inserted in a newspaper circulating in the 'district. The Minister of Defence had accepted the amendment, but the Council had some right to reconsider a question of that kind. Although he could not oppose it as a, Minister. of the Crown, he intended to call the attention of the. Council to tlie fact that this was a matter on. which they might well require a conference with tho House. , The Hon. 0. SAMUEL said he thought it had been shown that such a provision was unnecessary. He proposed to take on himself the. responsibility of asking the Council to strike out.the clause.

, Tho Hon. SIR WALTER BUCHANAN said that in conncction with the Taulierinikau Camp water-races had been formed, without notice to the local body. He thought it was right that notice should be given where reasonably possible. Sir Francis Bell agreed with that, but said the point did not. apply to tho proviso.

The Bill: Was read a second time. InCommittee, " The Hon. 0. Samuel moved that the proviso should be struck out. Full.publicity was given of the.intention to take any land, and as thirty or forty owners might occupy the land proposed to be used it would _be very difficult to issue individual notices. . 1

The Hon. Sir Francis Bell said that in the case-of land at Tauherinikau it was cut up into small holdings and the owners in some cases were not known. It would- be impossible to give them individual notice, and as compensation was given for damage the proclamation and notice in the newspaper should be sufficient.- . The Hon. G. Carson said that there was 110" provision requiring a notice to bo. inserted in a newspaper, - except in the case of a road being taken over. i . The Hon. Sir 1 William Hall-Jones took it that the proviso was to safeguard farmers who might have valuable stock in their paddocks. The manoeuvres were thought out before they tookplace, aijd it should be easy to give notice. Sir Francis Bell: What will we do in the case of the absentee owner? Sir "William Hall-Jones: Make it that tho notice shall bo issued where practicable. The Hon; 0. Samuel withdrew his motion to strike out the proviso, and the Hon.' Sir Francis Bell amended the proviso to read , that notice should be given in all' cases where reasonably practicable to do so. The amendment was agreed to. Tho Bill was reported from Committee with amendment, read a third time, and ,passed.

SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENT BILL. The Hon. SIR' FRANCIS BELL moved tho second reading of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Bill. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. . .. .

•WAR FUNDS BILL. The War Tiin3s .Bill was committed, and niiuor amendments made by tho Statutes. Revision Committee were agreed to. The. Bill was put through final stages and passed. 1

THE FINANCE BILL. ' COMMENTS ON THE TAXATION. Tho Finance Bill was received from' the House and lead a first time. On the second reading, The Hon SIR FRANCIS BELL, in urging that the Bill should be put through without delay, said that it had already-been so long-delayed that considerable -revenue had been lost.

The second reading was agreed to. The Bill was put through Committee, read a third time, and passed. The Council rose at 5.5 p.m. till 8 p.m. to-day.