HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 31 October 1922, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Jhe House of Representatives met at 11.30 a.m. The Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading of the Chattels Transfer Amendment Bill, which, he explained protected buyers and sellers of ch'attels affected by unregistered instruments. The Bill passed all stages without amendment. The Native Land Amendment and the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill was recommitted. Minor amendments wore inserted in clauses 7 and 28, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. " N " The Scaffolding and Excavation Bill was introduced. The Hon. G. J. An£*6t- , son explained that the-Bill was tfe^vesult of a conference between the parties interested; and their suggestions were embodied in it. The Bill was passed through all stages. VOTE FOR THE CHATHAMS. -The Legislature Amendment Bill (&i& 2), giviftg representation to the Chatham Islanders, was passed through all stages. The European portion qf the population is added to the Lyttelton electorate and the Maoris to the Western Maori electorateMr. 8,. McCallum (Wairau) moved an amendment giving the Governor-Gen-eral power to make full provision for . hospital patients recording their votes at the general election. Mr. Massey promised to give effect to- *- the proposal, if practicable, and? the amendtoeni; was withdrawn. THE FINANCE BILL. Further clauses to the Finance Bill * were introduced by Governor's message,, making provision for the distribution of the .surplus profits of the accident insurance branch of the GovernmentLiftf Insurance by way of rebates of premiums in lieu of bonuses; that- tne service of an original contributor to the Public Service Superannuation Fund shall include the Education Service; that the service of a contributor to the teachers' superannu_ ation fund shall include Government service; altering the dates of the closing of the Public Service and teachers* superannuation funds. .' ' " The clauses were passed -without fur- . ther comment. On'the third reading, Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) congratulated the Government on renewing the rent restriction legislation until July 31 next, by which time Parliament would be in. session, when the whole question, could' be reviewed, but he regretted the renewal of the protection formerly givenreturned soldiers had not been favourably considered The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill)5 asked what the Government was doingto put the Public Service superannuation funds on a sound footing. The Hon. C: J. Parr replied that - £5Q,000 was voted-on the Supplementary Estimates to strengthen the railway and £25,000 was voted to strengthen the teachers' superannuation funds. This vr'ould put them on a sound- basisfor this year After the Premier had briefly replied, t>«» TMII was read a third time and' passed I *'■ THE HIGHWAYS BILL. I The managers appointed to confer with the Legislative Council on the; Mam Highways Bill reported that they had agreed to increase the members of the board from four to six. giving the Government an additional representative, and two members who would be = appointed on the recommendation of theCounties' Association executive. It is- ! understood one of these will be a North. Island and one a South. Island representative. j These amendments were agreed to. i The Hon J. G. Coates stated he wished to have the term of appointment of three years struck out, and it wasagred to ask the. House to agree to aGovernor's message to-morrow. ; The House then rose at 12.30 a.m. till! t 11 a.m.