WORK OF SESSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 13 March 1933, Page 3

WORK OF SESSION

FIFTY-ONE BILLS PASSED OFFICIAL RETURN ' “ According to a return furnished by Mr Speaker, before the House of Representatives rose for the recess last week, a total of 51 Government Bills received the Royal Assent during the session, and 37 Bills were dropped or otherwise disposed of. The session lasted 170 days, with an adjournment from 9th December to 26th January. The House sat on 71 days, the total number of hours being 455; the average daily sitting lasting roughly six and a-hulf hours. To do its business the House divided 166 times, and of the divisions 128 were taken in committee.

Among the Bills dropped or otherwise disposed of the most important were tile Apprentices, the Building Construction, the Electoral Amendment, providing for four-year Parliaments, the Government Superannuation Funds, the Municipal Corporations Consolidation and Amendment, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and the Stock Remedies

LIST OP ACTS PASSED PUBLIC Appropriation. Banks Indemnity (Exchange). Cook Islands Amendment. Customs Acts Amendment. Customs Acts Amendment (No. 2). Education Amendment. Finance (No. 2). Finance (No. 3). Finance (No. 4). Fire Brigades Amendment. Government Railways Amendment. Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment. Imprest Supply. Judicature Amendment. Land and Income Tax Amendment. Local Authorities Interest Reduction and Loans Conversion. Local Authorities Sinking Funds. Local Legislation. Mortgagors and Tenants Further Relief. Mortgagors and Tenants Relief Amendment. Municipal Association. National Expenditure Adjustment Amendment. Native Land Amendment. New Zealand Debt Conversion. New Zealand Loans. „ Okarito Harbour. * Pensions Amendment. Property Law Amendment. Reformatory Institutions Amendment. Rent Restriction. Reserves and other Lands Disposal. Reserves and other Lands Disposal (No. 2). Sales Tax. Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment). Tnieri River Improvement Amendment. Urban Farm Lands Rating. Waitangi Endowment. Waitangi National Trust Board.

LOCAL ACTS Auckland City Empowering. Auckland Transport Board Empowering. Carterton and District Memorial Square. Christchurch City Reserves Amendment. Christchurch District Drainage Amendment. Christchurch Tramway District Amendment. ILnwkes Bay Rivers Amendment. Napier Harbour Board Empowering. Ohni Railway Board. Otago Harbour Board Empowering. Thames Harbour Board Loans Adjustment. Wellington City Empowering and Amendment. Whangarei Harbour Board Vesting.

BILLS DROPPED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF PUBLIC Akaroa Cocksfoot Seed. Apprentices. British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment. Building Construction. Contraceptives. Currency. Dehorning of Cattle. Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment. Electoral Amendment. Expiring Laws Continuance. Gaming Amendment. Government Superannuation Funds. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment (No. 2). Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment (No. 3! Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports). Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports (No. 2). Local Government Officers. Marriage Amendment. Meat Export Control Amendment. Munieipal Corporations. New Zealand Institute of Clerks of Works. Orchard Tax Amendment. Orders in Council Confirmation. Poultry Amendment. Regulation of Speed of Vehicles. Religious Exercises in Public Schools. Reserve Bank of New Zealand. School Committees Facilities. Shops and Offices Amendment. Silver and Copper Coinage. Stock Exchange. Workers’ Compensation Amendment.

LOCAL Avon and Heathcote Estuary Conservancy. Christchurch City (Abattoir) Empowering. Moutoa Drainage Board Rating. Onehunga and One Tree Hill Boroughs Water Supply Protection. Papanui Memorial Hull Management Amendment.

AUCKLAND PRESS COMMENT Momentous things have been done during this session, especially during the after-Christmas part of it (comments the “New Zealand Herald”). ... I' l these events, the outstanding figure, fins undoubtedly been Mr Coates, especially since Mr Stewart’s resignation. He has had all the odious and unpopular work to do and his severest critics must admit he has gone about it resolutely and unflinchingly. However much people may dislike what lias been done, they must pay tribute to the courage Mr Coates lias brought to his tasks, and the hard work he has devoted to them. He has had complicated legislation to handle, and while maintaining novel principles boldly and steadfastly, has shown himself responsive to constructive criticism and suggestion. He is entitled to sympathy for having had all the unpleasant work of the renewed session in his hands and credit for his competent' management of it. The watchword for the future must he economy. The people have accepted devastating taxation with wonderful equanimity, hut they will not continue to tolerate it unless they see economy commensurate with the" sacrifices they have been asked to make. They have faced the position. It is now for the politicians to show equal resolution in curtailing the extravagance

which still flourishes in many departments. Small leakages resultant from mere red tape methods must be stopped. The possibility of saving by the amalgamation of departments must be thoroughly explored. . . . The search for economy, relentless and untiring, must be the inspiration of the future. The country cannot continue to pay taxation at the present level; nor should it be expected to do so. That is the abiding reflection from a survey of public affairs at the close oi the session.