PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL* LOANS FOR LOCAL BODIES. IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Law of Libel (further amendment) Bill was read, a third time and passed. In moving the committal of the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill, Sir. Francis Bell (Leader of the Council) said there had been considerable discussion in another place on the clause dealing .with the investment of municipal sinking funds, of which the Public Trustee was the commissioner. Some municipalities argued, that if they were forced to pay high rates of interest they should have the right to invest their sinking funds at a higher rate' than was obtainable from the trustee’s common fund. The Government was prepared to accede to this, but had promised thq House that the matter would be further considered in the Council, and that in any case an amendment would be made to enable the House to have the point brought before it again. A nominal amendment had been made to give the House this opportunity. The Hon. O. Samuel (New Plymouth) spoke of the clause which extended the time within which an authorised loan l may be raised from two to five years, and suggested that conditions might change considerably in that period, and that therefore it was desirable that ratepayers should have an opportunity of reconsidering the loan. The Hon. W. H. Snodgrass (Nelson) suggested that the Minister’s authority should be necessary in each ease where advantage was taken of the extension.

Sii* Francis Bell said no loan could be raised without authority if the interest was higher than that fixed by the Act, and therefore as the interest rates were likely to remain high the Minister’s authority would be needed in each case.

The Bill was committed amended as indicated in the previous debate, read a third time and passed.

The Rabbit Nuisance Amendment Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Hon. J. MacGregor’s Legitimation Amendment Bill, which repeals the exception of the principal Act in the case of a child at the time of whose birth there existed a legal impediment to the inter-marriage of the parents, was passed. The Hon. J.. MacGregor’s Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill, which limits the damages recoverable at common law from an employer in respect of an accident due to the negligence of a fellow employee, was put through its final stages and passed. The Council adjourned at 3.26 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FURTHER RETRENCHMENT. P. AND T. SERVICE. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki), the Hon. J. G. Coates said there was to be further retrenchment in the Post and Department. He would nor it drastic retrenchment, but about eighty-three offiers were being retired throughout the Dominion. Replying to Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon), the Hon. C. J. Parr said the figures supplied by the Public Health Department did not support .the statement that catarrhal diseases were more prevalent in New Zealand than in other countries.

Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said it was not correct to say that the Government was paying £6 per ton for Welsh coal imported into the Dominion. Replying to Dr. H. T. Thacker (Christchurch East), the Hon. C. J. Parr raid every possible precaution was being taken by the Health Department .to prevent plague spreading from Queensland to New Zealand. One of the best precautions was that every municipality should destroy every rat within its confines.

Amendments made in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill were agreed to and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 12.56 a.m.