PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

THE NEW MILLION LOAN. ISSUE OF BANK SHARES. WIRELESS ON STEAMERS. it. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) gave notice of his intention to ask the Postmaster-General if he will cable to England and obtain for the Government a copy of the conditions of the. contract just entered into between the Postmaster-General in England and the Marconi Company with reference to “beam wireless,” and whether, in any negotiations with the Marconi Company in reference to “beam wireless,” he will take every care that the Dominion ie not committted to the Marconi Company in reference to the -same without incorporating safeguarding provisions. Great Britain, he said, had provided against the possibility of same being an absolute failure. A large number of petitions were presented, some in favour of and some against the Fruit Control Bill. Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) asked the Premier "whether he would withhold his consent to the Bank of New Zealand issuing further shares to the present shareholders in the terms of the announcement made by the Premier last night, as shares already issued in 1920 and 1922 were worth £2 16s 9d, which was equal to a dividend of twenty per cent. The Premier said that Mr. Lange tone had evidently overlooked the fact that the State owned a large number of shares in the bank. Mr. Langstone: “I know that.” Then, added Mr. Massey, the hon. gentleman was not candid, otherwise he would have mentioned that fact. Continuing, Mr. Massey said the Crown was entitled to take up 375,000 of the new shares and he 1 ad arranged accoraingly. Replying to Mr. ?. Fraser (Wellington Central), the Hon. J. G. Anderson said h* had promised to call a conference of those interested on the subject of installing wireless on all ships on the New Zealand coast. It was not an easy matter to arrange, but he had now got so far as to be in a position to send out notices for a conference and this would be done to-morrow. THE LAND LAWS. The Minister for Lends brought down a series of amendments to the Land Bill, the majority of which were of a purely machinery nature, and the House wont into committee to consider them. At clause 20 the Minister proposed that where more land was taken* for public purposes under the Public Works Act than was necessary the land would be taken over by the Lands Department. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) pointed out that if land was not used for the purposes for which it was taken the former owner should have the opportunity of buying it back before it was taken over by the Lands Department. The Minister explained that this right still remained to the former owner under the Public Works Act. The lauuls Department would only take the land over if the original or adjoining owner did not wish to purchase it. The amendment was agreed to.

Tn clause 165 it was proposed to increase by five years the licence to occupy rural land which an occupier was converting into freehold under the deferred payment system. The Minister explained that this concession would -be administered by land boards, who would discriminate between those settlers who • required to take advantage of it and those who did not. The amendment waji agreed to. The Minister proposed an amendment > clause 216 by providing that if a transfer of the lease of Orown lands took place within five years of a concession in rent the Crown could claim for conceded rents, but not if the transfer took place after a five year period. This, said the Minister, was intendwl to get over the difficulty which followed upon the piling up of conceded rents. The amendment was adopted. Th? Bill was reported with amendments. OTHER MEASURES. The committee then agreed to further amendments to thp Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill and the Bill was also reported with amendments. The House then passed through all stages the Amusement Tax Amendment R>ll, which provides that where the charge of admission is 2.s or less a tax shall not be imposed. The House rose at 12.7 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. PROGRESS OF BILLS. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Masseurs Registration Amendment Bill was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with amendments. The Mortgage Final Extension Bill hu ( l the Police Force Amendment Bill, which were reported from t'he House of Representatives, were referred to the Statutes Revision Committee, after being read a first time and a second time pro forma. The Prevention of Crime Bill was read a first time. The Council adjourned at 2.43 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to morrow.