PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19808, 1 December 1927, Page 13

PARLIAMENT.

[LICENSING AMENDMENT LONG DEBATE IN HOUSE. FINANCE BILL APPEARS. LOANS FOR PUBLIC WORKS. TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER. | WELLINGTON, Wednesday Tne Licensing Bill made its reappear ance in the House of Representatives to day. A long debate in Committee ?ol lowed, during which several minor altera lions were made to the bill. Following the conferences which have been held by the Prime Minister with representatives of the contending partie.* in the [louse, several amendments were made to the bill as introduced, and prac tically all of these were agreed to. Th* Prime Minister made it clear that he wa* still opposed to the bare majority prtn ciple adopted by the House, and he said he would oppose its adoption and he woulr 1 not move the thud reading of the bill. The Finance Bill, which seeks authoriu to borrow £7,000,000 for pubfic work*, railways and education purposes, was m traduced by Governor-General's message and read a first time. The bill provides for an extension of the operations of the National Provident Fund. In the Legislative Council to-day the Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. GOVERNMENT OFFICES. NEW BLOCK OF BUILDINGS. THE TIME NOT OPPORTUNE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday That, the Government is alive to the desirability of concentrating all the departments of State :n one building was emphasised by the Prime Minister in the Ilouse to-night, when replying to questions and complaints concerning the existing accommodation'. The Prime Minister said ho had seen the rough plans and estimates, and speak- . ing from memory ho thought the proposals would involve the expenditure of about £250,000. The idea was to erect a building of four wings, with a central well, on the site now occupied by the present Government Building!! in Lambton Qnay, but in the opinion of the Government the time was not opportune for the spending of such a large sum of money on public buildings. The existing wooden building would last for many years, but its replacement would have to be considered ultimately. When a start was made the first wing of the new building would be erected at the back of the site and to it would be added the refnaining wings. DRAINAGE SCHEME. THE RANGITAIKI DISTRICT. f PLAN TO ASSIST SETTLERS. [BT TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday .Authority to ease the position of the settlers on" the Rangitaiki drainage area is sought by the Minister of Lands, Hon. !A. D. McLeod, in the Finance Bill, ■which was introduce! in the House tonight It is suggested that the rates levied for the past year shall be halved, the uncalled half being added to the capital sura borrowed for the purpose of draining the area, It is provided that commencing from April 1 of the current year the amount of interest chargeable against the block shall be £2OOO for the first two years, the amount then being raised by £IOOO a year in each successive year until in 1937 it shall he £IO,OOO. The uncalled'amount of interest in each year is to be capitalised at compound interest, and in March, 1937, the Minister is to strike such a rate that the whole of Hie liability on the block shall be extinguished in 50 years. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER. 3 WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The Public Petitions Committee has re- j ported on the petition of James Aggers, of Auckland, and others, praying for amendment of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act. The report states in view of the fact that the operations of the Act are under consideration by the Government, the committee recommends that the petition be held over until next session. j The committee recommended favourable j consideration for the petition of Michael John Coyle, of Auckland, and two others, praying for remission of stamp and gift duty, on the gift of a property at Pom! Chevalier. The recommendation 13 conditional since the committee says that favourable consideration should be given providing satisfactory provision is made enablng the public to have undisputed access to the Point Chevalier property for the purpose of a sports ground. The Public Petitions Committee made no recommendation in connection with the petitions of James Egan, of Auckland, praying for compassionate allowance be cause he is-unable to support his children owing to blindness; and Joseph Chulav, of Matakana, seeking an annual grant owincr to inability to work as the result of nn alleged accident while employed by the Public Works Department. RESTRICTION OF RENT. deadlock over bill. • [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Legislative Council this afternoon transmitted to the House of Representatives the following reasons for insisting on the amendments made by it in the Rent Restriction Continuance Bill:—1 he amendments were proposed for the purpose (a) of ensuring the long contemplated end to the special legislation on this subject, and (b) of mitigating as far as possible tli.o effect upon the tenants. MOTOR VEHICLES BILL. DISAGREEMENT OF HOUSES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER. | WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Legislative Council decided to-day to insist on the amendments made by it in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill. The House of Representatives disagreed with the amendments on the ground that it would be a hardship on owners of motor vehicles plving foi hire by rendering them li&blo to plying t'o.- hire fees charged by local authorities in a district where no garage of sAch owner was Bituated. The Council decided to reply that it insisted on the amendment for the reason thai, it expressed in clearer language that tvhich was apparently intended to be effected by the original section of the bill.