YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19723, 25 November 1927, Page 12

YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL [Abridged from Press Association.] The Council decided not to insist on its amendments in the Local Legislation Bill. The motion of Sir Robert Stout for a return to be furnished giving details of the expenses of the High Commissioner’s Office was vetoed by 25 votes to 8. The Coal Mines Amendment Bill was put through its final stages and passed with technical amendments. The Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill was put through its final stages and passed with an amendment, providing that a motoi vehicle plying for hire between two terminal points situated within the districts of different local bodies shall bo subject to charges made few each body, but not by intermediate districts. The Contributory Negligence Bill was read a second time. The report of the'Joint South IslandAustralian Shipping Facilities Committee on tho shipping facilities between South Island ports and Australia was referred to the Government for favorable consideration after brief discussion. The Council adjourned at 4.52 pan. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The major portion of the afternoon was devoted to a discussion on public petitions. Tho A to L Committee reported on tho petition of Dr M. Beattie, formerly superintendent at the Avondale Mental Hospital, praying for an inquiry into the administration of mental hospitals. Tho committee’s report was against tho petition, and detailed its reasons at length,_ pointing out that thero had been strained relations between tho petitioner and his staff and tho departmental officials; also that immediately after tho petitioner’s departure the conditions at Avondale snowed a .marked improvement.—The Minister of Health “ (Mr J. A. Young), in the course of a lengthy statement, said that at the hearing of tho petition by tho committee, the petitioner set out to accuse tho department of extravagance, but was soon placed on tho defensive regarding his own management at Avondale. Mr Young stressed the fact that the department’s sole object was to have the mental hospitals conducted in a manner that would give the patients the best possible chance of recovery. The Minister said that the genesis of the petition was the personal feeling evinced by Dr Beattie towards the late Inspector-General, and added he had received a letter from the petitioner after Sir Truby King’s retirement, suggesting that he was willing to drop tho request for an inquiry.—The report was tabled.

The interrupted debate on the motion to lay the report of the Education Committee on the Education Amendment Bill on the table was. resumed. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E, Holland) opposed clause 5, and expressed the hope that provision for appeal by teachers in case of non-ap-pointment would be included, and also that the Nelson system of Bible-reading in State schools would bo placed on a definite footing. The Minister of Public Works (Mr (K. S. Williams) moved the second reading of the Electric Power Boards’ Amendment Bill.' Ho said that all the clauses except three had been approved by. the Executive of the Power Boards’ Association, and others had been proposed since the executive had last met. The boards were to be given power to alter or add to their outer_ areas in the same manner as they might alter their rateable district. The existing law with regard to the disqualification of members of boards was to bo eased so as to bring the boards on practically the same footing as county councils. An important clause so far as tlio rating powers of boards were concerned was designed to enable hoards to levy rates upon a graduated scale, > according to the degree of benefit which they considered the various parts of their districts had received as a result of their operations. Provision was made in the Bill to give the ratepayers ample warning of the proposal, and for the lodging of appeals. The right which hoards now enjoyed of levying what was known as an availability rate on properties within ten chains of the boundaries of main roads was to he taken away in cases where persons had provided themselves with a supply of electric power from a private source. Hitherto such persons, although liable for the rate, had been entitled to take out the money paid in power. The position of smaller boards which found it difficult to comply with the requirements of the Local Bodies Loans Board to provide sinking funds for their losses was met by a clause which provided, under certain conditions to bo approved, the establishment of_ a sinking fund on special loan, which may bo suspended for a period not exceeding seven years. The consent of the Local Bodies Loans Board to the suspension of tho sinking fund would have to bo obtained in all cases. Land owners whose properties were crossed by power lines were considered in another clause, which provided that damages ought to be claimed against boards for damage done to any of their property, and not merely to their land as .was now the case. The Minister stated that if the Bill were passed this provision would be retrospective to January 1 last. Other clauses in the Bill suggested that power boards might establish fire and accident insurance funds. Boards were also_ to be compelled to create depreciation funds in respect of their undertaking, and authority was also to be given to establish reserve funds from revenue. Tbe reserve fund was to bo used for such extensions and permanent improvements as the board might think fit. Tho Bill was read a second time, reported from committee, read a third time, and passed. _ Mr K. S. Williams (Minister of Pub-! lie Works) moved tho second reading j of the Waimakariri Biver Improvement Amendment Bill, which proposed to relieve the ratepayers in the Gust area frorn_ special rates. Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) said he did not like the Bill, hut as he had not received any objection of it lie would not oppose it. Mr D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) explained that the rates from which the Gust ratepayers were being relieved would rot bfe charged to any other district, because they were doing their own work out of loan money. The Bill was read a second time, reported from committee, read a third time, and passed. The_ Minister of Finance (Mr W. Downie Stewart) moved the second reading of tlie Stamp Duties Amendment Bill, which was generally approved, and tho second reading was agreed to. The Bill was reported from with one minor amendment, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 10.55 p.rn.