HOUSE RETURNS TO DEBATE

Southland Times, Issue 23342, 28 October 1937, Page 6

HOUSE RETURNS TO DEBATE

Defence Proposals Discussed GOVERNMENT BRINGS DOWN MEASURE AMALGAMATION OF LOCAL BODIES 0 (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 27. Following a sudden spurt of activity yesterday, the House of Representatives today suffered a comparative relapse into a prolonged debate. A new Government measure, the Local Government (Amalgamation Schemes) Bill was introduced during the afternoon, but the rest of the sitting was given over to a continuation of the discussion on the .Army Board Bill and the defence proposals in general. The Bill providing for the amalgamation of local bodies is not altogether a new measure. In very much the same form, it was introduced on the final day of last session and circulated for public information, while the proposals which it embodies have been actively disseminated for some months with rare enthusiasm by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry). The Bill aims at the amalgamation of local bodies, voluntarily, if possible, and, if not, by direction of the Minister in cases where he thinks the necessity arises. A commission is set up under the Bill to make recommendations about amalgamation schemes submitted. EVIDENCE BY BODIES It will probably be some tune before the Bill comes before the House for general discussion. Mr Parry intimated today that he proposed to have it referred to a special select committee which would hear evidence submitted by local bodies, and it seems more than likely that there will be a fairly long interval before the Bill is reported back to the House. No sensational turns were taken by the debate on the Army Board Bill which was opened yesterday afternoon. There was a certain amount of argument today about the respective merits of the army, navy and air force as the most reliable means of defence, but in general the House seemed to be agreed that a policy of co-ordination was desirable. For the most part the debate was carried on by back-benchers, but towards the end of the sitting the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) replied to the discussion and the Bill was read a second time.

The House rose at 10.30 o’clock.