PARLIAMENT AT WORK

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 288, 22 August 1923, Page 8

PARLIAMENT AT WORK

JUSTICES BIIL COMMITTEE’S AMENDMENTS —— ' The Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill has been amended by the Statutes Revision Committee. Clause 2, dealing with the powers conferred on the Supreme Court by the Bill, to “increase or reduce” sen-, tences or fines has been amended by the substitution of the words “confirm, reverse or modify.” . Clause 7; conferring on a justice power to alter warrant of commitment to prison, has been amended, to confine such power exclusively to a Magistrate. Clauses 6 and 8, with regard to service of notice of order for costs or commitment, have been amended by the addition of the following words at the commencement: “Where it appears to . any Magistrate that any person is evading service of any notice.” The committee have struck out clauses 19 and 20, which extend from aix to twelve months the time within which informations may be laid for offences punishable on summary conviction, and the time within which complaints may be made under the principal Act. MOTOR ACCIDENTS THROUGH NEGLIGENT DRIVING ! - LEGISLATION PROBABLE The comments of Mr. Justicte Reed at Christchurch and the recommendation y of tho gu*ancl jury, on th© frequency of motor accidents, were brought to the attention of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. R. F. Bollard) in Parliament yesterday by Mr. Witty, who said he had brought up the matter some time ago, but had not received a satisfying answer. The Minister of Internal Affairs said ho had reafl the judge’s comments. The Government had had the matter under attention, and a suitable clause was being considered to deal with the matter. WASHING-UP BILL WELLINGTON DISTRICT INTERESTS In the Washing-up Bill, circulated in the House of Representatives yesterday. there are matters of interest to the Wellington district. Provision is made for extinguishing certain rights-of-way, and closing cer. tain crossings over the railway line at Ngaio. including the approach through the station yard. The Manawatu County Council is empowered to cttjry on. the business of sawmiling, over an area of 400 acres in the Manganui Survey District. Authority is given the Hutt County Council to acquire land as a site for a public hall and other purposes. Part of Mount View Wellington Reserve is to be vested in the Wellington College governors, as a site for an observatory. Nearly an acre of land in the Lower Hutt borough, vested in the Public Trustee, in the estate of the estate of the late Edmund Hayes, is to be acquired by tho Lower Hutt Borough Council for recreation purposes. The Petone and Lower Hutt GasLighting Board is authorised by the Bill to pay £1585 to the Lower Hutt Borough Council, in connection with an action brought by Albert Ford, of Wellington, consulting gas engineer, for damages for breach of contract of employment. Provision is made for the validation

of the disposal to the Manawatu Racecourse Board by. the Foxton Borough Council of certain land, of threequarters of an acre in the township of Foxton, set apart as a public park and recreation ground. MAIN HIGHWAYS / APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS The first appropriation of Government funds for the purpose of construction and maintenance of main highways is contained in the Finance Bill, which authorises sums not less than £35,000 to be paid from the Consolidated Fund to the Main Highways Fund, for the year commencing on April 1 next. Authority is al-3 sought in the Bill to pay such sums as may be required from the Public Works Fund to tho Construction Fund of the Main Highways Account. Unexpended appropriations for roads at March .31 next may be also so transferred. 'The amount to bo transferred under these two items shall be not less than £200,000. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was introduced vesterdav afternoon by Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East), and read a first time.

DEBATE ON FINANCE BILL OPPOSITION PREDICTS FALL IN PRICES FURTHER LOANS DEPRECATED I ’ Despite anticipations of the Government, no progress was made with the business on the Order-Paper during the whole of yesterday afternoon, which was occupied by Christchurch members exclusively in discussing the report of the - Committee on a local Bill concerning the Waimakariri, in connection with which they reviewed the proposal for borrowing £900,000 for the scheme for hamessirig the Waimakariri River. Eventually the report was talked out. In the evening the Prime Minister moved the second reading of the Finance Bill, and, although he explained that the Bill opened up no new line of policy, but provided financial authorisation for the Advances to Settlers Act and Public Works expenditure mainly, a long debate ensued, the measure not reaching the Committee'stage until neatly midnight. /

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SUPPRESSION OF NAMES IN COURT CASES ■ The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. The Hon. G. M. Thomson asked whether the necessary steps would be taken to provide, that the discretionary (lowers now vested in Judges and. Magistrates of ordering the suppression of names in Police Court and criminal cases should only be exercised in the cases of first offenders whose' lapse has not been a serious crime against society, and that in all graver charges no names of persons implicated should be so suppressed. In reply, the Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Bell) said it, was' not considered advisable to interfere with the powers now vested l in the Court unless, further experience necessitated such action. RECKLESS DRIVING The Hon. M. Cohen gave notice of motion to ask whether, with the object of preventing so many motor fatalities, the Government would take steps to amend the law in the direction of preventing holders of drivers’ licenses who may be adjudged guilty of reckless driving from holding motor licenses for a definite period, also where such, offences involve the loss of life it should! not be reduced from manslaughter under the criminal code to one of reckless driving while in charge of a motor-car. BILLS PASSED The Auckland and Suburban Drainage Amendment Bill and the Thames Harbour Board Loan' and Empowering Amendment Bill were passed through the final stages without discussion. The Native Land Claims Adjustment Amendment Bill was postponed until to-morrow. LAND AND INCOME TAX The Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Bell) introduced the Land and Income Tax (Annual) Amendment Bill. No amendments were proposed and the Bill was read a second and third time and passed. STAMP DUTIES BILL

The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill was read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. Sir Francis Bell stated that the Bill was practically a repetition of that which was introduced the session before last and passed during the last session. The Council had no. power to amend the Bill, but members of the Council who had foreseen grave difficulties in the language of the measure would be able to ascertain that these did not exist. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONGRESS DOMINION REPRESENTATION The question of New Zealand’s representation at the International Labour Congress at Geneva was the subject of a question of the Prime Minister in tho House of Representatives on Monday afternoon by Mr. M. J. Savage, Labour member for Auckland West, who inquired whether Mr. Massey had received any communications from the trade unions on the subject. He added that Australia had appointed a delegate. Mr. Massey, in reply, said that his recollection of the correspondence that had passed was that both sides of the labour problem—employers and employees—would be represented. There was a suggestion at the Peace Conference that each country should send two or more delegates from each side. Nothing had been done by New Zealand. The Government had had a lot of communications on Hie matter, and they replied that they wished to bo advised of everything that took place at the congress. Thov had given full information, in answer to inquiries, as to the result of tho working of tho Labour Laws of New Zealand. A good deal of expense was involved in representation at Those conferences. He did not mind if the expense was guaranteed other than from the public funds.