PROPOSED NEW LAWS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18205, 28 September 1933, Page 4

PROPOSED NEW LAWS

GOVERNMENT MEASURES SCENERY PRESERVATION POWERS OF TRUSTEES (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Provision for taking opossums. from scenic reserves is made in the Scenery Preservation Amendment Bill, which was read a first time in the House of Representatives yesterday. The bill also increases the penalties for damage to scenic reserves by fire. Another provision allows a land-owner to apply to have ini area of land declared a private scenic reserve, to which the provisions of the Act would apply. Under another clause, steps can lie taken to obtain the value of any timber unlawfully removed from a reserve. A temporary provision that expired on March 31 lasi in connection with the borrowing powers of trustees is made permanent hv the Trustee Amendment Bill. Temporary authority was conferred on trustees hv a clause in the Finance Act, 1931 (No. 2), and, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court, enabled trustees to borrow on the security of a trust property, and to apply the moneys borrowed for the benefit of the persons for whose benefit the trustees could lawfully apply capital moneys of the trust if such were available.' LAW OF LIBEL The Judicature Amendment Bill replaces the Act passed last year prescribin,, the procedure for summoning special sittings of t-lie Court of Appeal. The only material alteration proposed to he made is to substitute a certificate from three judges, of whom the Chief Justice shall lie one, for a certificate by Hie Ohief Justice alone. The alteration is made at the request of the Chief Justice. The purpose of the, Law of Libel Amendment Bill is to protect from actions for libel persons who m good faith and without, malice, publish a fair and accurate report of the proceedings of domestic tribunals set up bv spoils organisations and other bodies. An example would he Hie proceedings and findings of the committee appointed by the Racing Conference to hear charges of malpractice against a jockey. The National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum Amendment Bill gives the Wellington City Council an additional representative on the hoard ot trustees. At present the council lias only one representative. Power to make hv-laws for the control of side-show men is given Agricultural and Pastoral Societies under the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies" Amendment Bill.

Provision for purging the roll ot nurses and niidwivos is contained in the Nurses and Midwives Amendment Bill. The present roll contains the names of many who arc dead or not practising their profession, but there was no machinery for revising the list.