PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 173, 1 November 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. The House met at 2.30. The following Bills were read a first time:—Seamen and Shipping Act Amendment (Hon. J. A. Millar); Noxious Weeds Amendment (Hon. T. Mackenzie). On the motion of the Hon. D. Buddo, amendments made in committee to the Taranaki Scholarships Amendment Bill were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Opium Amendment Bill was passed. The Kauri Gum Industry Billwwars r taken in committee. At clause 4, which provides that holders of special licenses for gumdigging shall be entitled to employ any member of his family under l(i .without taking out an additional license. Mr. V. H. Re«d moved that holders of such licenses be also allowed to employ their wives. This was agreed to. The clause added by the Lands Committee, limiting special* licenses to British subjects by birth or by naturalisatioi in New Zealand, was objected to by Mr. llcnies. who considered that persons who had been naturalised in other parts of the Empire should be entitled to special licenses.

Hon. J. A. Millar pointed out that in the principal Act any person naturalised m other parts of the Empire had only to produce his naturalisation papers and prove his good character to become a naturalised subject of the Dominion. The Bill was still under discussion when the House rose at o.:J0 p.m. In the House in the evening the Bill was reported with amendments. The Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill was taken in committee. Hon. D. Buddo moved to .amend clause C, which amends clause 5!) of the principal Act, by adding the words '"otherwise than as a member of an incorporated company in which there are more than 20 members, and of which he is • neither a director nor general manager." The clause in the principal Act provides that no member of a council can vote on or discuss any matter in which he has directly or indirectly any pecuniary interest. ' Mr. T. M. Wilford pointed out that the clause would have .the etl'ect of preventing a director of a newspaper company having an account with a council from standing for election as councillor or mayor. Mr. James Allen considered the amendment too drastic. To prevent directors of companies from being councillors or mayors would exclude some of the most capable men from municipal offices. This was ridiculous.

Mr. Wilford suggested that the Minister should add to the end of the clause tlft following words: "That the insertion of advertisements in a newspaper shall not be deemed to be a contract for work done within the meaning of this section." Mr. Buddo said that if the clause were passed he would add a proviso to the Uill exempting newspaper advertisements The Minister's amendment was carried by 41 to 19. An amendment by Mr. Wilford to strike out the proviso providing that the amount borrowed and owed by a council on any of its accounts shall not exceed the estimated revenue account for the current year ending March 31, was carried by 34 to 28. At clause 16, Mr. Wilford moved an amendment worded so as to .prevent contracts being declared invalid because the seal of the Council was not affixed to the same. The amendment wa» agreed to on the voices-. A new clause, sa, providing for the permissive use of voting machines, was inserted on the motion of the Minister. Clause 6 was amended by adding the words, "and of which he'is neither a director nor the general manager."