TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 49, 27 August 1923, Page 8

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council sat at 11 a.m. to-day. Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to the Hon. Sir E. Mitchelson, on account of sickness. Beplying to a question asked by. the j Hon. Dr. Newman, the Leader .of the Council (the Hon. Sir Francis Bell) said the programme upon which the Public Works Department is working in respect to the Mangahao hydro-electric scheme is based on the expectation that current will be available for Wellington by June next year. Speaking upon the Native Land Claims Adjustment Amendment Bill, the Leader of the Council said that he proposed during the recess to consolidate the Native Land Act so as to avoid the present position, which since 1909 had resulted in continuous annual amendments. The process would be a difficult one, but he intended to have it undertaken. Eeferring to the clause in the Bill authorising a modification of the conditions upon which the Tongariro Timber Company, Ltd., is to construot a certain railway, Sir Francis said that the company was to complete the railway subject to conditions laid down by the Railways and Public Works Department*. At the end of a certain period the' temporary line was to be so altered as to make it part of the Government system. The gauge would be the same a« that universally used.on the Government railways.

The Companies Special Empowering Bill was passed.

The Committee adjourned at 12.3 p.m. until 3 p.m. .