PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1911, 21 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

[Our Special Wire]. Parliament Buildings, July 21. It is expected as a result of tho recent poll of p'dicy hoi len of the Gov foment In-u ance As mcialio i that tea Government will intro luce a short Kill immediately to give effect to the desire of the policy holders to return the managemect to Parliament, and providing for a commissioner responsible te Parliament with a committee of three, elected by the policy ho’dcrs, members of Parliament to be ineligible Tho select committee on Government Insurant will probably bring up a report to-day of to-morrow, and the Government will probably wait for a report before taking any action. MrDownie Stewart has given nctu;that he will ask the Minister for Defence to day whether the long service medals to

volunteers have been ordered, nod if Dot, why net, nnl also when such medals will be presented. The Houbc has refused to agree to the amendments made by the Council hi claure 38 of the Local Bodies Loan Bill Tbo Council’s amendment is that instead of three fifths of the total number of votes polled being in favor of raising the loan a majority of the ratepayers will be sufficient. A Committee has been appointed to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendment. The Joint Committee on the Rabbit nuisance report that although rabbits have in some districts diminished in numbers the Coiony is suffering a heavy annual loss from the greut numbers still existing in the infected districts, and that the area infected is constantly increasing. The Committee recommends an amendment of the Act to provide for simultaueous action on the part of the landholders in the destruction of rabbits, and the maximum penalty for a breach of |the provisions of the Act be increased to LIOO, tbe defendant to Lava the right to produce evidence in mitigation of the penalty, and where the penalty exceeds LlO the right of appeal to the higher tribunal. The Committee is also of opinion that if the ratepayers of any or more counties of tho Colony express by petition to the Governor their desire to have the administration of the Rabbit Nuisance Act placed in the hands of trustees elected by themselves such request should be granted,and such trustees should be empowered to levy i ates ior the purpose of doing such things bb are now curried out by the Govcnment in connection with the Rabbit Nuisance Act, and also for tho purpose of erecting wire netting fences or for any other protection works which may be considered noccssary by such trustees either in reducing or preventing tho spread of the rabbits ; that the Government should assist local’efforts by granting a subsidy to the extent of 000 pound for every pound raised by local rates and spent in the administration, destruction or spread of the rabbits, subject however, to the supervision of Jib Government Inspector, and on condition that in ease of failure to exclude or destroy the pest, the administration of the Act should be resumed by Government. and the powers of the trustees should be withdrawn, and the Committee recommends the necessary legislation for the formation of such districts. The Committee maintains that firm, impartial ami judicious administration of the Act, is all that is necessary to produce most satisfactory results. On the administration of the Sheep Act the Committee Bay that the portion of the Act which provides for the destruction of lice in sheep should be modified in the direction of allowing greater facilities for the travelling of 6hcep intended for slaughter, that with respect to eweflooks, uo person should be compelled to dip any such flock during lambing time ; that the penalties provided for in Section 3 of ths above mentioned Act should be assimilated to those named in Section 5 thereof.