RIVERS CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1941, Page 4

RIVERS CONTROL

BILL PASSED

LITTLE OPPOSITION

The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Bill was put through its committee stages yesterday in the House of Representatives, read a third time, and passed with the amendments made b;~ the Select Committee to which the measure had been referred. No new points were brought up in the discussion in the committee stages, j although two amendments were moved! by Mr. J. N. Massey (National, Franklin), one being leclared out of order and the other being defeated on a division. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) said that although he was not opposing a Bill that should be in the interests of the country it could not be brought into operation without causing hardship. Mr. J. N. Massey (National, Franklin) said that increased taxation on the land would mean that millions of acres would go out of occupation. The real wealth of the country was produced from' the soil and if costs were constantly increased the wealth diminished. Too much power could be taken under the legislation by Order in Council. He moved an amendment with the object of increasing the number of persons to be appointed to the proposed council by the Gov-ernor-General to three, instead of t-.vj, these to be on the recommendation of the Counties Association instead of the Minister. As the amendment involved additional expense by the Crown, the Chairman of Committees (Mr. McKeen) ruled it out of order. Mr. Massey then moved another amendment seeking to reduce the number of Public Works representatives on the council from two to one, thus making the council consist of five instead of six members. The amendment was lost by 38 votes to 18, Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (National, Riecarton) voting with the Government members. After further discussion the Bill was put through all its stages and passed. , ,