GAS FOR HUTT VALLEY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 56, 29 November 1929, Page 13

GAS FOR HUTT VALLEY

LAST SESSION’S LOST BILL EFFECT ON THE DISTRICT The adverse effect the loss last session of the Pctonc and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Bill will have on the Hutt Valley was referred to by Mr. H. F. Johnston, Reform candidate for Hutt, in the course of an address at Petone last night. “As an example of the impotence and inefficiency of the present Government I will give you the legislative history of this Bill,” said the candidate. “You will be able to see from that whether the Government has the strength or the ability to put any Bill through Parliament at all. According to the information I have received, the Bill was introduced bv the Hon. T. M. Wilford, and referred to the Local Bills Committee. When being considered by this committee objection was raised to two clauses by the Mavor of Wellington on the ground that it interfered with the Hutt Road, rhe two clauses to which exception was taken wereTeally not part of the Bill, but were clauses which were for the purpose ot assisting the company when carrying on its industry. Further, the clauses would have been ruled out by Mr. Speaker on the ground that they were foreign to the measure, and should be introduced as a private Bill. Desire for Information. When the Bill came back from the committee and was reported to the House in the ordinary course, it was ordered into the committee of the House, with Mr. Wilford in charge. There was a tendency on the part of some members ot the House, in committee, to endeavour to elicit information concerning the synci- ■ cate which was interested in the Bill. Progress was, in consequence, somewhat slow, and the 5.30 dinner adjournment was nearly reached. Mr. Wilford then appealed to the committee, saying that ho wished to get the Bill through betoie Ihe adjournment, but his appeal was not heeded, and at the time when the Chairman of Committees had to leave, Mr. H. G. R. Mason. Labour member tor Auckland Suburbs, was speaking. The chairman then announced that be would have to leave the chair to report beiore uMU, and Mr. Wilford stated that the Bill would be dropped. ~ “That,” added the candidate, was the attempt made to get the Bill through, and the loss of the measure, 1 am informed. will cost this district some £12.000 n year. If that is an example of the legislative ability of the Government in office over such a Bill, then such ability can easily be dispensed with. (Applause.)