PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20867, 6 November 1929, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. '<Abridged from Press Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON, November 5. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day, LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Sir Edwin Mitchelson and Mr L. M. Isitt were granted leave of absence for the remainder of the session on account of illness. ARMS AMENDMENT BILL. The Arms Amendment Bill and Roman Catholic Bishopj>f Auckland Amendment Bill were reported from select committees without amendment. 'Speaking on the motion to commit the Arms Amendment Bill relaxing the requirements of the law in respect of the possession of firearms, Sir Francis Bell submitted that there was no cause to vary the provisions of the Act as proposed. While there was a possibility of armed resistance by dangerous persons in the community it was said that the provisions of the Act were proving irksome to the police and a nuisance to sportsmen, but what was that against the duty of Parliament to preserve law and order. Mr G. J. Garland, Mr W, Earnshaw, and Sir Robert Stout supported Sir Francis Bell’s remarks, and Mr J. Barr, Mr T. S. Weston and Mr V, H. Reed spoke in favour of the Bill. The motion to commit the Bill wag' carried by 16 votes to 10. but when Sir Francis Bell divided the Council on the clause restricting the provisions of the Act requiring the issue of a permit for the purchase of firearms, etc., the clause was struck out by 16 votes to 11. Progress was reported on the Bill, and the Council rose at 5.5 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. Mr W. J. Poison (Stratford) was granted three days’ leave of absence on account of illness. KINEMATOGRAPH FILMS' BILL. The Kinematograph Films Amendment Bill (Mr P. A. de la Perrelle) was introduced and read a first time. LOCAL BILLS. The following local Billrf were read without opposition a second time:—Sumner Borough Land Vesting Bill (Mr J. M’Comhs) and the Gisborne Harbour Board Amendment Bill (Mr W. D. Lysnar). There was a lengthy debate on the second reading of the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Amendment Bill (Mr T. M. Wilford). The motion was carried. The House went into committee on the three Bills. The measures sponsored by; Messrs M'Combs and Lysnar again received no opposition. Mr J. S- Fletcher (Grey Lynn) objected to the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Bill on the ground that it proposed to hand over to a private company a community-created interest. He disagreed with the principle of permitting a company to take over a supply of gas which he declared should be operated by a public body. A division was taken on the short title which was retained by 43 votes to 21. Progress was reported on this Bill. The other two were read a third time and passed. LOCAL LEGISLATIVE BILL.

.The House agreed to the amendments of the Legislative Council to the Local Legislation Bill.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m,

EVENING SESSION,

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Minister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom) moved the second reading of; the Railways Authorisation Bill (the discussion on which appears under a separate heading). * The debate was still in progress when the Telegraph Office closed at 2 a.m. (Left sitting.)