WORK OF SESSION

Northern Advocate, 21 September 1933, Page 6

WORK OF SESSION

NORMAL PROGRAMME

"SHOCK" BILLS ENDED. OBSERVATIONS OF MINISTER. (From Our Parliamentary Special.) This Day. The passage through Parliament during the past three years of legislation of a new and drastic character makes many of the measures which will be submitted to the House of Representatives this year appear unimportant. As one Minister, diseussipg the situation last night, expressed it, the country as a whole has not so far realised that a return to normality, facilitated by the general • improvement in economic and trading / conditions, marks the end of ‘ ‘ shock ’ ’ legislation. Failure to appreciate this has'led to the criticism that the present session is unnecessary and that the Government might as well have left Parliament in recess until the "tariff ses-' sion’’ in February or March next year. The critics have overlooked that while these emergency measures were being enacted legislative proposals of importance to different sections of the community, have had to stand on one side, and they will make their appearance, or reappearance, now that the stocks are free of urgent bills. Thus, during the present session, the Government will be proceeding with quite a number of bills which, according to representations made from time to time, were required in the interests of various classes of the community. These observations have some relevance to the substantial batch of bills which the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, will place before the House. It is .understood that as many as eight separate measures will be "fathered" by, this Minister, who, according to lobby impressions, is .showing considerable courage in tackling a job which will place him well in the liring line of criticism and controversy. His bills are mostly those which his department has had under consideration for .some time.- They have been drafted in response to representations from interests affected. What the fate of any or all of them will be in the House remains to bo seen, but the hallmark of Cabinet approval, which has been given, should assist the passage of most of them to he Statute Book.

The Poultry Amendment Bill will be reintroduced, and proceeded with. The broad object of the measure is the pro- | vision for registration of poultry runs used for the production of eggs for sale, and payment of registration foes to provide funds for the organisation and development of the poultry industry. An amendment to be introduced will seek to define more clearly the purpose of the main operative clause, the functions of the Poultry Board and the payment, of allowances. It is understood the proposed alteration will go ,a long way towards making the bill more generally acceptable to the House. Although passed by the House last session, the bill was killed in the Legislative Council. It is proposed to reintroduce and pass the Orchard Tax Amendment Bill, the purpose of which is to exempt from the special fireblight tax, orchards containing fruit trees other than apple, pear and quince trees, as the latter trees only are susceptible to fireblight. Another bill which did not see the light early in the year, and which' Mr Macmillan will bring forward this session, is the Stallions Bill. This measure will require the licensing of stallions of heavy bi’ceds intended to i be used for stud purposhes, if found on examination to bo free from disease or hereditary unsoundnoss. A new measure, the Dairy Industry (Pig Marketing) Bill, will make its appearance. The object is to extend Lhc scope of Part 111 of, the Dairy Industry Act, .1008, to include co-opera- i Live pig marketing companies, in order I that they may, on becoming registered under the ,section, exercise the same powers as to surrender of shares as are now conferred on registered co-opera-;ive dairy companies.

Mr Macmillan will take charge again of the Stock Remedies Bill, which aims to make provision for controlling the sale of proprietary medicines and preparations for the treatment of diseases affecting stock, <hy requiring the registration of such preparations before being offered for sale. Under his care also is the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies’ Amendment Bill, the design of which is to empower associations to make by-laws requiring the licensing of side-show men at. A. and P. shows. Providing for the dehorning of young cattle, other lhan stud stock, the Dehorning Bill is ready for submission, | but it is not certain yet whether it i will proceed. I The final bill of which the Minister M Agriculture will be the Parliamentary sponsor is a measure adopted iy the Royal Agricultural Society of S T ew Zealand, and which aims to provide for the improvement of livestock, jy regulating its dale in certain cases,