COUNTIES LAW

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 251, 17 July 1920, Page 8

COUNTIES LAW

AMENDMENTS TO COME.. • The Counties Amendment Bill, which consolidates the law relating to counties, was lead a second time in the House after some discussion. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Anderson) explained that the Bill made no material alteration in existing law. He proposed to refer it to a special committee after the second reading. The Government had some amendments of the counties Jaw, which would be sent to the committee to be embodied in the Bill. Then the complete Bill would como back to the House. The leader of the Opposition (Mr: MacDonald) and several of the Liberal members argued that the Bill ought to be .'.read a second time pro forma or postponed, in order that the second reading debate might tako place on the completed measure. Ministers replied that there would be plenty of time for discussion later. It appeared that the real trouble,, from the point of view of the protesting members, was that if the discussion took place at tho committee stage of the Bill it would not be reported fully in Han. sard. Mr. Massey remarked that he did not brieve one person in ten thousand read Hansard, anyway. ; '"Mr. Anderson said he was riot prepared yet" to say what the policy of the Government would be in restart! to counties. A policy in regard 'To roads and public works would be laid down during tho session. There would be no alteration in the size of the counties. The present areas and boundaries would remain, and the only alterations made would he those suggested, on various occasions by the bounties'. Conference; He believed that the tendency of pubiie /opinion, was towards smaller counties, and the Government was leaving the matter alone at present.

, . MR. MASSEY'S TIME LIMITING' DEPUTATIONS. Mr. Massey made a statement in the House yesterday as to his intention to limit deputations to two days per week. He said that he desired to intimate to the House and to tho public that owing tp the increasing number of deputations desiring to wait upon th& Prime. Minister.- and the consequent demands on his time, he had found it necessary to limit the days on which he was prepared to receive deputations to two por week Monday-and Thursday. Saturday and Wednesday during the session were reserved for Cabinet work, and this would leave him only the forenoons of two days for Departmental and Parliamentary duties, which would he all too little for the-work he had to do. "I would suggest," said Mr. Massey, "that in many cases deputations would receive an equally good hearing, an equally intelligent hearing, from the Minister in charge of the-Department concerned, if the; deputations were satisfied to have their, business discussed between themselves and the responsible Minister without asking the Primo Minister to be present," Mr. Wilford: Why are they not satisfied? ••■Mr. .Massey: VI suppose it is human nature. .......'.. Mr. Parr: You are Minister of Finance. _ Mr. Massey: Yes, there is a good deal in that. However, I should like to say that I cannot do anything more than I am proposing at present.

'■■■•■ THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT ■ The Prime Minister was asked in tho House yesterday whether he could give any indication as to when tho Financial Statement would be delivered. Mr. Massey replied that he hoped to bo ablo to deliver the Statement pn Tuesday week.' ; but he .was not fixing this date ' - definitely. ■ During the past few days .'• ho liad so much other work to do that .-.'. .ho. had to give up work on the Pinan- , c.ial t Statement, but he was still hopeful ■.• that-he would be ready to deliver the '' Budget on Tuesday week.

-.' , "RIGBtS'OF ALIENS' The Registration of Aliens Amendment Bill was considered in committee yesterday afternoon. Mr. Holland said that he intended to divide, the House'on the chief. operativo clause of the Bill, requiring a woman acquiring alien' nationality by marriage with an alien, to register like any other alien. Ho did not debate tho issue further, but contented himself with calling the division. The clause was retained by 49 'votes to 3T. tho bulk of tho Liberals, including the Leader of the Party, and all the Independents present, voting with the Government for the clause. The Bill went through after this without challenge, was read a third time and passed.

A MARRIAGE BILL The Marriage Amendment Bill was put through committee without opposition. Mr. jU'C'alluni referred to a difficulty that had cropped up in connection with the proposed marriage of a Native girl minor with a whito man. The girl's father was prepared to give consent, but the fluestion was raised as to whether his consent was valid in'view of the'fact that, like many other Natives, this man nnd his wife had never been married. The Minister in charge of the Bid promised to Intvo the point considered. Tho Bill went through without amendments, and was forthwith read a third time ami passed. o

HOW IT HAPPENS Tho Houso rose at 8.20 last evening. All the business on the Order Paper had been done with tho exception of one or two Bills presenting difficulties, and tho Primo Minister, in moving the adjournment, explained why ho had to do so. He had intended to go on with tho Arms Bill, but owing to his occupation with other business he had not had timo to read this important Bill 6inco it had left tho Law Draftsman.

TO HELP SCIENCE

The New Zealand Institute Amendment Bill proposes nothing more than an additional subsidy to the body named on tli'e title—the body which has to do with science in Now Zealand. The Bill went through all.stages from second reading onwards.