STATUTES .REPEAL BILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 30

STATUTES .REPEAL BILL.

In committee on the Statutes R-epeal Bill the \arious general New Zealand Loan Acti wen- struck out of the schedule ou fclw ♦notion of Sir J. G. Ward, uho stated that these, acts were not legally required, but a wronjj construction might be put upon the matter at Home if they were repealed. Although not of legal ealue they were of sentimental \alue to KugLi&h investors. — Mr R. M'KENZIE objected to several acts coiH^rniag; the Midland railway boing repealed, as ho wa-. informed it was neces. sary they «liould be left untouched. — Sir •I <i. WARD agreed with tins view, and they were sti uck out of Hie schedule

Mr PIRAM moved to add to the list of !.>ea-.uies to be repealed section 3 of "The PuKho Revenues Act Amendment Aot. 1900, which he said made lawful the payment of air item on the Estimates, though it was ociitiaventiion of an act of Parlia lueut.— .Sir J. G. WARD said members kp-ew \ery well that there had lieen great difficulty in oarrviug out tbe financial operations of the colony, and the act had be<»n introduced to o\ercome that difficulty so that the Treasuiy could cany out its work. If the t'.a">c u-jrs going to be repealed it would bo necessary to bring vi a drastic law to define clearly the relations between the Treasury and Controller general. The clause would nol have bee.i inserted m tin* act if it had not been nrcsssary, and there had been no desire, a= suggested, to gi\ c the Government sweater power Mr JAMES ALLEN -aid in his opinion the clause \vji-. introduced for a specific purpose — to legalise tlio illegal payment of £40 to member*, and t'> pay a sum of money to a judge. --and now that that object had been achieved tli-e L'.auMs should be repealed. — .Sir J. V, WARD agreed that there v&3 a necessity for Laviug a clear definition of the relation- between the Audilor-general aud Tre.isuiv. and he pi opo-sed to~ bnug down within a few days a a!ea.»ure d«-ahug witli die Mibjcct. lie honed tn get the bill thior.gh tin* =;cß<nt>r Mr Pirani'- proposal, hnrcr.et, «.i3 tj repeal an oppr;>ti\f> hkmsuk tha» was iiect jsary, and ho < ould not con -cut to that —Mr G. W. RUSSELL s.-ud the ( lair-e pli.e cj power f'jr <;j! m the hs'ids of .a Go-, i rui .- i.t tJi.-it it v .i- tlio buc,inchs of the Ilcn^c to n' < . j) iv,f.y ji the earlwist po-»ilj]e moment. — Altei fi'Hiiei discussion

Mr Pirnni's amendment was lost by 32 to 21. The bill -was passed through -committee ■VMtliuu'i, further amendment. BANK HOLIDAYS. In committee on the Bank Holidays Bill, Mr ATKINSON moved a new clause to piovide that no day on which a horse-racing mealing is held within 10 miles of any barfk shall be proclaimed as a 6poaial bank holiday unless such day is that on which the anniversary of the city, district, or settlemeat is celebrated. He pointed out that horse iac?s held on the statutory holidays would not be affected by this clause. — Mr LA\VRY said the Houso was becoming too \irtuous to Inc.— Mr THOMAS MACKENZIE supported the amendment, and euid the country was having too much hGrseracing. Mr ARNOLD complained that banks closed in Timaru for a race meeting in Christchurch — 100 miles away. — Mr ATKINSON said he was willing to alter the l'ndius mentioned in the clause to 100 miles. — After further discussion Mi Atkinson's clause was j rejected by 36 to 20 Mr LAFRENSON then moved that the following proviso be added to section 27 of ths principal act: — '" Provided -ihat no day other than that which is being observed as a general public holiday in the district in which a bank is situated shall be proclaimed a sp&cial bank holiday." — This proviso was read a second time by 33 to 27. — Messrs TANNER and G. \Y. RUSSELL contended that Mr Xraurcmson's proviso in it« present form wcuid bo inoperative, and it wne suggested by the Hon. Mr STBVTA.RD that the clause should t>© re- , ferrod to the Law Draughtsman before the i bill vas finally dealt with. — After further | disfiishiou Mr Laurenson's proviso was I added to the bill I Mr P IRANI moved the following new , c'nuse: ''If any bank employee he cm- \ ployed in r.he ordinary course of business I by any bank on bank holidays the banker [ fliull be liable to a penalty not exceeding j £5 far each offence in respect of each bank i employee so employed." — Sir J. G. WARD j was anxious that bank employees should get the banefits of holidays, but such s, provision v%ould cause serious in convenience to the public. It was s-ometime3 necessary, in ca~es of pmergoncy, that bank employees should go ha-ck cm holidays. — Mr Pirani's aicw clause "was agreed to onj the voices, and added to the bill. j Mr GILFJIDDKR moved a new clause | providing that banks shall dose at 1 o'clock \ on the statutory weekly half-holiday. — Aft'.r ' some di3cussion the clause was rejected by 47 to 12. A motion by Mr ARNOLD, that WhitMonday be struck out of the lisi of bank holidays in the echedul© of the bill, was lost by 40 to I*. A 1 motion by Mr ARNOLD for the excision of saints' days from the list of bank holidays was negatived on the voices. Mr THOMAS MACKENZIE moved to add to the list of holidays " the emniversary day of any provincial district within which a, bank is situated." — Lost on the -voices. Tho schedule was then passed without alteration. The bill was reported with amendments. A WASTED AFTERNOON. The whole of this afternoon's sitting was o<cupied in a discussion upon two petitions from Mr Fantham (of Huwera) and Mr Newlyn (of Christchurch), who both claim some recognition fis originators of the scheme by which settlers may borrow money from tho Govciiiment. The Public Petitions Committee recommended that Mr Fanihara should receive some recognition, but they had no recommendation to make in the case of Mr Newlyn. Many icembev tfok a hand in the discussion, which was almost a repetition of the one that took p]oo2 when Mr Fantham's petition was before tlte House recently. Sir Joseph Ward reiterated his previous rta^ment that he had consulted no private person before introducing ttve Advances to Settlers' Act. In spite of live verbose discussion (or rather because of it), the House did not have an opportunity of voting upon the question, as the motion was " tidked out," which mfaw that when the hour of adjournment arrived < members were still talking. J