THE SESSION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 296, 12 November 1934, Page 6

THE SESSION.

LIST OF BILLS PASSED. HOUSE SITS ON 81 DAYS. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. Although Parliament is to reassemble in February to deal with business the Government has not been able to complete, the 81 sitting days of that section of the session which ended on Saturday have been fairly productive. The session began 6lowly, and little was accomplished in the first six weeks but after that progress was made with both routine business and new Government Bills. When the House rose 39 public Bills had become law, and a number of local Bills and .private Bills had also been placed on the Statute Book. The presentation of this year s Budget was probably the most cheerful event of the session. For the first time since New Zealand found herself in serious economic difficulty, the Government was able to bring down a Budget which revealed definite financial improvement, and to announce some taxation relief. The concessions to the taxpayer, small though they were, and a 5 per cent, increase in the wages of public servants, were brought into effect by appropriate Finance Bills. The most arduous task faced by members of Parliament this year was the general revision of the Customs tariff, a task which was not completed until practically two years after New Zealand’s undertaking at Ottawa. The Dominion’s policy of increasing preference for British goods, an obligation of Ottawa, and a recommendation of the Tariff Commission, took shape early in the session, but tlie Customs Amendment Bill was not passed until late in September. The Royal Commission which investigated company promotion methods in New Zealand sprang the surprises of the session. Two interim reports, received by the House at intervals, resulted in the speedy passage of two special Bills, one providing for comprehensive investigation of companies’ affairs, and the other designed to protect bondholders.

The report of the Dairy Industry Commission and the legislation that followed the presentation of that document were outstanding features of the session. The session closed soon after the resignation of the former Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata, and the discussion on the report of the Native Affairs Commission. The appointment of another Minister of the Crown is expected shortly and there are some who consider the Government will respond to a wide demand by increasing the strength of Cabinet to twelve Legislation passed during the session is as follows: PUBLIC ACTS. Arms Amendment. Agricultural (Emergency Powers). Appropriation. Companies (Special Investigation). Customs Acts Amendment. Cinematograph Films Amendment. Counties Amendment. Companies (Temporary Receivership). Electoral Amendment, No. 2. Education Reserves Amendment. Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Amendment. Finance, No. 1. Finance, No. 2. Finance, No 3. Imprest, No. 1. Imprest, No. 2. Land and Income Tax (Annual). Local authorities (Members Contracts). Local Authorities Interest Reduction and Loans Conversion Amendment. Local Legislation. Mutual Fire Insurance Amendment. * Alining Amendment. Native Plants Protection. Noxious AVeeds Amendment. Native Purposes. Opticians Amendment. Poisons. Passports. * Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments. Rent Restriction. River Boards Amendment. Reserves and Other Lands DisposaL Stock Remedies. Second-hand Dealers Amendment. Slaughter and Inspection Amendment. Transport Licensing (Commercial Air craft Services). Thames Borough. Commissioner Amendment. Unemployment Amendment, No. 2. LOCAL ACTS. Auckland Transport Board Empowering. Bluff Harbour Board and Bluff Borough Council Empowering Amendment. Christchurch City Empowering. Hawke’s Bay River Amendment. New Plymouth Borough Land Exchange and Empowering. Ohai Railway Board Amendment. Oainaru Harbour Board Empowering. Te Ore Ore River Board Rating. Timaru Borough Empowering. Woodlands Drainage Board (Rating Validation). Wellington City Empowering. " airau River Board Empowering. PRIVATE ACTS. Church of England Tribunal (Validation of Election). Church Property- Trust (Canterbury) Amendment. AlcLean Institute. Trust 10 ’ Gould ’ Guinness (Limited) Wellington Bishopric Endowment Trust (Church of England) Amendment.