YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19697, 26 October 1927, Page 10

YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE CO'JKCIL The Bankruptcy Amendment Bill was reported from the Statutes Pcvision Committee with amendments. Tho Guardianship of Infants Amendment Bill and the .Police Offences Amendment Bill were reported without amendment. A motion by Air M. Cohen was passed, after discussion, in which the Council expressed the opinion that it is highly desirable to amend the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, m order to remove certain disabilities at present suffered by British and New Zealand-born women who are married to aliens, and to redress tho grievances of children born of such marriages.—ln replying to the discussion, the Lu tkr of the Council (Sir Francis Bell; said he believed a measure to grant rights to women who are British by birth was to be initiated in the Imperial Parliament, but ho doubted whether it would go the length proposed by Mr Cohen. The Apprentices Amendment Mill and Apiaries Bill were put through their (inai stages and passeil without amendment. The Land Laws Amendment Bill and the Shops and Cilices Amendment Bill were received from the House and read a first time and the second time pro forma, and referred to the Standing Committees. Tho Council adjourned at I.It) p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr A. 1), M'Lcod muved 1 lie sw oml reading nl' tlic Tongariro National .Pari; Ainciicl lll e ll l Bill, which, he said, was designed to conserve the natural beauties of the great national domain and to control the introduction of plant, bird, and animal lile to that area. There, for instance, had been a good deal of criticism in connection with the introduction of heather into the National Park. This had been dune, years before it was ever contemplated constituting it a park, and personally he did not regret it, because lie thought it gave added beauty to the landscape without any risk at all.—Tile Bill was read a second time, and reported from committee without amendments. .Mr A. D. M'Leod moved the second reading of the Kauri Gum industry Amendment Bill, which, he said, provided for the prohibition of the holding by the same person of a gum broker s license and a gum buyer’s license. Persons at present in possession of both licenses will be permitted to use them until the expiration of the period lor which they were granted or last renewed. The Commissioners of Crown Lands, it is further provided, arc to issue digging licenses, while hrokeis and buyers’ licenses arc in Intiire to he issued liv the Kauri Gum Control Board.—Mr A. Harris (VTaitemala) said the prevention of a person being both a broker and a. merchant was unJuly limiting commercial practice. It was done in almost every avenue of business and commercial activity.—l ho Hill was read a second time, reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. On the motion that the J-erlili.sor Bill he committed,, the Minister ol Agnenlure (Mr U. J. llawken) said the Bill had been returned from the Stock Committee in much the same lorm as it was introduced into the House. It was necessary because the last Fertiliser Bill was passed many years ago, since when the methods of treating fertilisers had changed considerably. The Bill was based on the experience of other countries. New Zealand annually used 1100,UUO tons of manures, valued at nearly fd,000,000, so that it was a la illy large business and required watching. Jhe more manures used the better the results would lie, and this Bill would give fanners greater’confidence in the quality of the fertilisers supplied.—Air T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said tic regretted that the Stock Committee had not seen its way to give greater consideration to the representations of merchants engaged in the maiinlaeturo of manures. They wore being asked to disclose die formulae of the thing, thus giving away their proprietary rights acquired as a result of years ol experience. A good deal of the information asked for by the. Bill would he misleading to farmers if supplied.—The Minister, in reply, said ho did not think the manufacturers of manures would suffer any damage from the operation of the Bill, because farmers were now generally using “straight” manures, and where they were mixed lanncrs mixed them themselves. Secrecy in mixtures was scarcely possible, because chemists could soon determine what any mixture contained. The price of raw Nauru Island phosphates was the same at all ports in Australia and New Zealand. The retail price was a matter with which the Government had nothing to do.—The Bill was read a second time, reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 1.35 a.m.