THE SESSION

Southland Times, Issue 16844, 21 September 1911, Page 7

THE SESSION

"PROGRESS OF WORK. Eighteen bills were promised by (lie Governor’s Speech, with which ihe session was opened, and legislation will he required to give effect to at least 14 of ihe proposals embodied in (lie Budget. Of the programme submitted at the opening of Ibo sessdon, most of the items were of a minor character. Twelve of the bills have been introduced, and the remaining six, which have not yet been circulated, comprise a bill to amend the Native Land Act of two sessions ago, a Wages Protection Bill, bills to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act, the Marriage Act, and Hie Loans to Local Bodies Act, and. of course, (he Local Government Bill. Of the dozen, the Town-planning Bill has been dropped, and the Land and income Assessment Bill, a lengthy and important measure which was not mentioned in the Governor's Speech, will not lie proceeded with tills session. The following Dills Introduced by the Government have passed through the House, .and have been sent on to the Council:-—Mental Defectives, Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks, Friendly Societies Amendment, Wanganui School Site. Hutt Railway and Road Improvement, Stone Quarries Amendment, and Kaikoura Hospital Site. Sevof the bills promised by the Governors Speech have been read a first time, but are not yet circulated. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS. The House has decided that Government business shall for the rest of the session take precedence on Wednesdays. This means that the chances for private members’ bills have gone. Mr Jenning’s Gaming Amendment Bill may come up again, because of a promise given by the Prime Minister. Mr Herdman’s Public Service Reform Bill, Sir William Steward’s Elective Executive Bill and Marriage Amendment Bill, and Mr Stdey’s Mean Time Bill have all been killed by the vote of the House. Mr Fisher’s Sunday Labour BUI has gone to the Labour Bills Committee, whence it may return during the end of th’e session rush. There still remain on the Order Paper the Lqnd Agents Bill (Mr Witty), Christchurch Domain Amendment Bill (Mr Davey), Legislative Amendment Bill No. 2 (Sir W. Steward). Land Act Amendment Bill (Mr Newman), National Sick and Accident Insurance Bill (Sir A. Guinness), Land Act Amendment Bill No. 2 (Sir W. Steward), Legislature Amendment Bill (Mr Fisher), Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill (Mr Davey), Universal Saturday Halfholiday Bill (Mr Laurenson), Duties on Food Abolition Bill (Mr Hogg), Hereditary Titles Prevention Bill (Mr Newman), Shearers' Accommodation AmemD ment Bill (Mr McLaren), and Proportional Representation Bill (Mr Fowlds).. There are 13 on this little list, and the number for once Is significant. They are already counted with the slain.