LOCAL BODIES LEGISLATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16175, 11 July 1923, Page 7

LOCAL BODIES LEGISLATION.

DRASTIC REFORM IN METHODS

(Forhamemary Reporter) WELLINGTON, this day. Every year Parliament is required, during the last feiv days of tho session, to pass a Local Bodies Empowering Bill, usually containing hundreds of clauses of validating proposals relating to land, and correcting irregularities. In many cases, ill has been pointed out, the clauses in this Bill are i complete Bills in themselves, and should go through the proper formula, which would enable tho persons interested to understand what is proposed. This "Washing-up Bill" has been so abused that the Government, in its Local Legislation Bill, introduced and read a first time yesterday, proposes to enforce a procedure under which a > local authority desiring specific empowering legislation, is required to submit its proposals in concrete form to the Minister of Internal Affairß for consideration by the Government, and no such proposal may bo submitted after the expiration of two months from the commencement of a session. If tho Minister is satisfied that the proposal is ono which should properly bo submitted to Parliament, he publishes in tho Gazette notice to that effect, together with a copy of tin) clause, thus enabling all persons locally interested in the proposed legislation, to become acquainted with the proposals for a sufficient timo beforo Parliament deals with tho subject; also enabling objectors to present any objections for consideration by a committee of Parliament. A further object is to enable members of Parliament and any special committee appointed by either House to doal with local legislation and have the exact details of tho proposed legislation in their hands. Due provision is thus made for full consideration by departments of tho Government and for full notice to the public beforo Parliament is called upon to consider the advisability or otherwise of passing the legislation. ■____