WORK FOR PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 18998, 21 July 1925, Page 11

WORK FOR PARLIAMENT

BUDGET THIS WEEK ELEVEN GOVERNMENT BILLS (From Ouu Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, July 20. Eleven Government Bills, several of importance, arc on the House of Eeprosentatves’ 'Order Paper, and it is pected that the Budget will be presented during the week, probably on Friday, by the Hon. W. Nosworthy. Parliament has ample work, and the session is well forward owing to talk being curtailed on the Addrcss-in-Ilo-ply, despite the numerous amendments. In' addition to Government measures already described, there will bo an early appearance of an mportant Laud Bill, and the Minister of Internal Affairs has reintroduced the Local Legislation Bill at this early stage, showing the Government’s firm intention of doing away with the hasty legislative methods involved in what is called the Wash-ing-up Bill, when, at the end of the session, hundreds of clauses are hurriedly passed validating Acts of local bodies and varying conditions under which the Grown and local reserves are held. At that stage there is no time for scrutiny, while local ratepayers arc usually in complete, ignorance of legislation affecting their interests. The new Bill provides that a local authority desiring specific empowering legislation on its behalf is required to submit its proposals in concrete form la the Minister of Internal A hairs for consideration by the Government. If the Minister is satisfied that the. proposal is,one which should properly- ho submitted to Parliament ho publishes in the ‘ Gazette ’ a notice to that effect; together with a copy of the clause, thus' enabling all persons locally interested in the proposed legislation ’to become acquainted wtlt the proposals for a sufliciont time before Parliament dcids with the subject, and also enabling objectors to present any objections for consideration by a committee of Parliament. A further object is to enable members of Parliament and any special committee appointed by-cither House of Parliament to deal with local legislation to have the exact details, of the proposed legislation in their hands. Due provision is thus made for full consideration by the departments of the Government and for full notice to the public before Parliament is called upon*to consider iiie advisability or otherwise of passing the legislation.