THE SESSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 12 June 1926, Page 7

THE SESSION

GOVERNMENT’S MEASURES FORECAST OF BILLS (From our own correspondent). ‘ WELLINGTON., This Day. The session of Parliament widen will open oil Wednesday will lie of more than usual interest in that the Coates Government will be facing the House of Representatives for the first time.since it received the endorsement of the country and the Labour Party for the first time in the Dominion's history will be occupying the seats of the Opposition. There wil.l be a heavy programme of work for the House to get through, and it will be necessary for the Prime Minister to take his departure for the Imperial Conference somewhere about the end of August or the beginning of September. A definite announcement on .this point will, it is understood, be made to Parliament together with some definite information regarding the date of the Conference. It is generally believed that Mr Coates will leave the House sitting when he goes, Mr Downie Stewart probably taking charge of the remaining business, but this is one of the matters which will no doubt be decided a little later on." Land legislation will again figure on thh Government’s programme for there will be a Bill empowering the Government to dispose of various endowment lands .which are not considered to .In sufficiently: worth, retaining from a revenue point of view. The appearance of this measure may be expected to :ovive the oldtime leasehold v. freehold arguments. Following on the Agricultural Bank : ing Commission’s inquiries abroad it.is anticipated, that there will be a Bill dealing with the provision of credit facilities to farmers, but the Land Banks Bill can scarcely be brought down until late in the session for it will take some little time for Cabinet to frame its legislative proposal after it receives the*'report of , the Commission. ' " . ’■ .’ 1 ’ LOCAL BODIES’ BORROWING In accordance with his announcement in the last Public Works Statement, Mr Coates intends to introduce a Bill constituting a Local Government Board to which all applications for loans by local bodies will be referred. ,Tt will be the function of this Board to ins vestigate thoroughly all such applications, and make recommendations to the Government concerning the propriety or otherwise, of- consenting to the money being raised. The idea is that all local body schemes which will s necessitate the borrowing of money for-their execution shall first of all lie scrutinised by a body of experts qualified to judge whether they' are in the interests of the particular locality nr.fi of the country. One of the most important Bills of the session will be that proposing ih« adoption of a* system of compulsory contributory pensions somethings on the lines of an enlargement of the National Provident Fund or of a national superannuation scheme. The preparation of such a measure has entailed much research ifito pension systems in operation in other countries and many elaborate calchlat'ibds have had to be made to ascertain how such a scheme can be launched on a basis which is sound afctuarially. It is understood' that tire Bill will show that nothing short of a huge firianci »i fabric will have, to be built up to sustain a compulsory scheme in its initial stages, that is to say, to make provision for people who are now between the ages of, say, 25 and 00, but it is not thought that the Bill will contain any provisions for the payment of unemployment 1 benefits similar to the English “dole” system in view of the fact that unemployment is but intermittent in New Zealand and seldom a widespread 'and really grave character. An allied social measure is the Family'"Allowances Bill which is not likely* to-coine down until well on in the "session. Information which the Government Statistician obtained at the recent census in reference to family earnings had a direct bearing oh this Bill, but from the nature of the questions asked; on the householders’ personal schedules it •is unlikely that people earning upwards of £0 or £7 per week will come within the scope of the Government’s proposals. Tn connection with this subject it is interesting to note that family allowances system has come into increasing vogue-in France while at the same time it has declined in popular favour in Germany.

DAIRY- CONTROL . .It is believed to be improbable that the Government will alter its policy in regard to the compulsory control of dairy produce, but this subject is sure to be raised. At any rate a Bill will be brought down to institute the ward system of electing 'members to tln> Dairy Control Board, the election to ne on a tonnage basis, six wards for the North Island and three for the South Island. The Government’s policy, at any rate, may be expected to be attacked, but it woijld lie too much to hope that it might be altered by pressure from the House as the Labour. Party supports it and the votes of the ..Labour members together with those of the Government Party in favour of conti ol are. sufficient to leave matters as they are while the Government is in its present frame of mind on the question. The Prime Minister has promised that a Licensing Bill will be submitted to members this session. Such a Bill has been asked for ami promised in recent sessions, but that is where the matter has stopped. Although not of a party nature, licensing questions, like those connected with gaming, arc always contentious. Improvements to the present licensing system have been promised, but wlmd everybody is anxious 10 know is whether this year's Bill (if it appears) will contain a provision extending the time between polls. Broad hints have been given by the Minister of Mines from time 1o time that he is not wholly a believer in the pllurements sometimes held out in mining prospectuses. He has said that he is prepared to assist genuine mining. 1-ut not those whose interest in mining is centred in transactions on the Stock Exchange. Legislation will lie brought in dealing with mining prospectuses.

HARBOUR MATTERS -Harbours legislation will be of snr.n importance this session, especially as in view of certain happenings in <>n« or two parts of the country, it is intended to give the Marine Department power to decide whether any particular district is able to support a harbour. There has been a tendency in recent years for coastal harbours to spring up like mushrooms, with consequent heavy burdens on the people in surrounding districts from the standpoint of finance, and a certain amount of

loss to the railways in the matter of the carriage of goods. Besides the general question of harbour provision, the Bill wilt contain prohibitions against the discharge, of oil fuel into harbours to the detriment of fish and foreshores. To afford protection against unfair competition there will he a Bill pro riding for the registration of lohacfonisls, and then* will lie other measures dealing with the closing hours < f shops, the industrial laws, compensation to workers; amendments to the Municipal Corporations Act. changes in the publicity scheme, town planning, compulsory grading of cream, and compulsory dehorning of cattle’. In addition there will be'other Bills, one giving effect to the recommendations of the University Commission, another empowering (he establishment of the Agricultural College, while others will concern unregistered dentists and th ■ legist ration of opticians. There may also Ik* amendments to the electoral law. particularly with respect to voting by «:irk people and in connection with the assessment of costs by Election Courts.