PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 September 1928, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE! OF REPRESENTATIVES. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS. (By Telegraph—Piv&s Association..) WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. The Church of England Empowering Bill was read a. third time : and passed without discussion in the House of Representatives to-day. Replying to Air. F. N. Bartrem, the Prime Alinister said the Public Works Department at Auckland had been instructed to take on as many as- possible of the unemployed in that district. The Hon A. D. AlcLeod, as Alinister in charge of the Electoral Department, said that in many of the country districts where polling was not heavy the appointment of a deputy returning officer to look after licensing voting papers was an unnecessary expense, and in many polling places at the last general election returning officers reported that only one- deputy was necessary, provided a g-o.od poll clerk was appointed to assist. On this occasion there would be one electoral deputy and sufficient polling clerks to assist in each polling booth, and licensing deputies would be appointed only at polling booths where the voting is expected to be exceptionally heavy. Air. H. T. Armstrong gave notice of his intention to introduce the Tramways Amendment Bill. / OOAIPANfIES AMEND AIENT BILL. The Hon. F. J. Rolleston moved the second reading of the companies Amendment Bill. He saitl it had been hoped to introduce a comprehensive amendment of the Companies Act this session, but for various reasons it had been found impossible to do- so. This Bill was therefore only a temporary one, and was designed to meet special and urgent cases which were not of a controversial character. The main Bill would have to be postponed tili next session, and clauses for this purpose' were being drafted. . These clauses might possibly contain points of a more controversial nature. Air. 11. G. R. -Alason said it was becoming a habit with the Government to put a thing off till next session. Alany amendments to the Companies Act were required,. some of which had been provided for, but others more important had not been included. He wondered why. He regretted that the inertia of the present Government prevented it from adopting progressive legislation such as this country was accustomed to in the days of its predecessors. However, they had to be thankful for small mercies and go on hoping that before long they would have a change of Government. 1 Sir Joseph Ward asked if the Bill was intended to deal with any cases at present before the courts. The Hon. D. Buddo.commended the provisions of the Bill giving priority to claims for wages and salaries. In reply, the Hon. F. J. Rolleston said that" although Air. Alason appeared to be in a somewhat querulous frame of mind he was glad to know he could approve some of the clauses of the Bill. The measure had no application to any cases at present before the courts. The Bill was read a. second time. AUCTIONEERS BILL. The Hon. F. J. Rolleston moved that the amendment made by the Legislative Council in the Auctioneers Bill he not agreed to. The Leader of the Opposition said it was an extraordinary amendment to come from the Legislative Council. Air. J. Alason said a number of auctioneers met in conference in Christchurch and had informed the committee which considered the Bill that clause 30 was not fair or justifiable. Air. H. Atmore said that whether the clause was left or struck out it still resolved itself into a. question of the honesty of the auctioneer.

The Minister’s motion was agreed to and managers were appointed to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendment. The amendment was to delete the proposal that every lot be, sold to the highest bidder, "but to retain the provision that it should not be lawful for an auctioneer to refuse to accept a bid. The House then went into committee on the Public Reserves, Domains and National Park . Bill, the first clause of which was passed. Progress was then reported and the House rose at 12.55 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. The Prime Minister intimated that the Public Works Statement would be discussed on Monday. LEGTSLiA'TIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, iSept. 27. Th-e Legislative Couneil met at 2.30 p.m.- to-dav. Leave of absence for one week was granted Sir Robert Stout on account of illness. The Mental Defectives Amendment Bill was received from the 'House and read a first time. The Land and Income Tax (annual) Bill was received from the House and put through all stages and passed without discussion. NEW BANK BILL. The ITon. Y. H. Reed moved that the Council agree to the report of the special committee on the London and New Zealand Bank Limited Bill, stressing that all the proposals had been unanimously approved. Sir E. M'itelielson moved as an amendment that the report ho referred back to the committee for reconsideration of the period of -four years proposed by the committee for the raising of the paid up capital, and of the terms in regard to brokerage and commission charges. He -said the Council should not agree to the report without having seen the evidence. The Hon. J. A. Barr said that notes had been taken before the committee on the vital questions and none of the witnesses had opposed the measure. In supporting the Bill the Hon. 11. L. iMiehel said he did not think the terms of flotation provided were unreasonable. Sir Francis Bell referred to the argument that the ißill should pass “because the bank could not do any harm,” and said he had never before heard such a plea made in respect to a Bill before the danger of the establishment of a weak bank. The committee had not reported that it considered there was need for another bank and he supported the amendment, at least in order that the couneil might know the nature of the evidence given. He thought £1,000,000 -of paid up capital was little enough, and asked what, worse could he provided for. The Council had a duty to perform to the country, and they should not vote in support of a thing 'the evidence on which they wore ignorant of. 'They should ho assured that further banking facilities would be of benefit to the country. Sir .Tames Allen, who also opposed the Bill, said he was not convinced that a new bank was needed. Indeed, a new bank, he thought, would be a menace to the finance of New Zealand. The existing; institutions offered sufficient facilities.

Col. G. J. iSmith said the committee had left it; to the Council itself to decide -upon the principle of the necessity of the creation of a new bank or otherwise. If the capital was forth-