ORDERS-IN-COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24449, 7 November 1940, Page 10

ORDERS-IN-COUNCIL

PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW APPROVAL OF PRINCIPLE NEW ZEALAND PRACTICE CRITICISED (Pen United Press Association* NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 6. The principle of parliamentary review of legislation by Order-in-Council was approved in a remit carried by the Associated Chambers of Commerce to-night. It was'pointed out that an Act to give effect' to that idea had been introduced in England. The remit, which was sponsored by Canterbury and Wellington, was that—- “ This conference urges restriction of the use of Orders-in-Council for effecting changes in law on the ground that it is contrary to the principles of democratic government and urges the Government to discontinue the practice, except in those cases that can be met only by such emergency procedure. It further recommends to the Government that to ensure that all legislation is directly under the control of Parliament a law be enacted prescribing that all regulations automatically lapse, unless confirmed by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament within, say. two months after the commencement of the session following the gazetting of the regulations.” “ Last year,” said Mr J. Roy Smith. “286 regulations were issued, and this year that number has already been reached with two months to go.” Legislation by regulation checkfeci criticism and discussion, and. in addition, the regulations received little publicity, so that the people concerned might know nothing about a regulation til] they ran up against it. One 0 f the instances he quoted was the farm loans emergency regulations, which had the effect of seriously modifying existing legislation. That practice was wrong, unless it could not be avoided. The aim of the remit was to put emphasis on legislation against regulation, and to provide a check by Parliament on legislation by Order-in-Council. It was recognised that the use of the regulation method was necessary, and it was not wished to hold up the business of the Government in any way.