PARLIAMENT AT WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1927, Page 7

PARLIAMENT AT WORK

MORE BILLS INTRODUCED WAR DISABILITIES BILL SAVINGS BANK AMENDMENT i . ■ By Tvlegrsph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. When the House of Representative* met this afternoon Mr. J. McCombs gave notice of his intention to introduce the next sitting day a Daylight Saving Bill. Replying to Mr. A. M. Samuel, the Hon. G. J. Anderson said he did not anticipate New Zealand fishing grounds being exploited by outside influences, but if surh did happen steps would be taken to protect New Zealand interests. Replying to Sir John Luke, the Prime Minister said a conference between the par-, ties interested had been held and had discussed the possibility of establishing a sick benefit fund for members of the second division of the Railway Department. Certain details were agreed upon. He hoped eoon to receive the matured scheme, when it would be further considered. Friendly societies would also have an opportunity of discussing the scheme. In reply to Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames), the Hon. A. D. McLeod said the question of the constitution of a valuation assessment court was now under consideration. When the House resumed at 7.30 the following local Bills were read a second time: Makerua Drainage Board Loan Empowering Bill (Mr. J. A. Nash); Wellington City and Suburban Districts Ambulance Transport Service Bill (Sir John Luke); Matai Road Water Race District Bill (Mr. C. E. MacMillan); Whangarei Harbour Board Vesting and Empowering Bill (Mr. W. Jones); Dunefl'n City Corporation Empowering Amendment Bill (Mr. T. K. Sidey on behalf of Mr. H. L. Tapley); Wellington City Exhibition and Grounds Bill (Mr. R. McKeen); Napier Harbour Board Loans Enabling Act, 1918, Extension Bill (Mr. J. Mason). With the exception of the Makerua Drainage Board and the Dunedin City Corporation Empowering Bills, all the Bills were put through the committee stage. The local Bills, which had passed the committee stages without amendment, were read a third time and passed. When the War Disabilities Removal Bill .reached the committee stage, the Hon. F. J. Rolleston said that he proposed to move an amendment abolishing political and civil disabilities from those few military defaulters affected by them. Mr. A. Harris objected to the removal of the disabilities from alien enemy teachers, contending that it was unsafe •to place the training of our young in the hands of aliens, some of whom had taken advantage of British protection so far as they could get it by residence here, and yet had refused to become naturalised British subjects. He moved to delete from the schedule line “1915, No. 67, the Alien Enemy Teachers Act, 1915, the whole Act.” On a division the amendment was lost by 47 to 13. The Minister then moved an addition to the schedule of the Bill inclusive of the "Expeditionary Forces Amendment Act, 1918, Sections 12, 13 and 14.” This •was agreed to and the Bill was reported with the amendments. The House then went into committee on the Savings Banks Amendment Bill. The Minister moved a new clause permitting the chairman of any private savings bank to receive an annual payment of £lOO and trustees £1 per meeting, but the payment is not to exceed £24 per annum. Sir Joseph Ward objected to the smallness of the amounts offered. They were almost offensive considering the responsibility involved. The Minister explained that these banks were originally started to aid the working people to make savings and they were to be managed voluntarily by business men. It was therefore foreign to the original purpose that large payments should be made for management and, in the absence of any demand for higher payment, he had considered the amounts fixed ample. The clause was agreed to and the Bills were read a third time and passed. After Mr. A. Harris had protested against the removal of disabilities from alien teachers in the War Disabilities Removal Bill, the Minister defended the removal because the original Aet w . ae P’JDdy a war measure, and similar disabilities had been removed in Britain since 1925. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. EGMONT PARK BILL PASSED. » Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The War Funds Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

Some question was raised in the course of the second reading of the Egmont National Park Amendment Bill on account of the proposal to enable Certain loan moneys to be raised without an actual poll of ratepayers being taken, but the Leader of the Council, Sir Francis Bell, explained matters to the questioners’ satisfaction and the second reading was put through. The Bill was then put through the final stages and passed without amendment.

The Whakatane County Council Empowering and Loan Moneys Diversion Bill was read a second time and the Council adjourned at 3.8 until 2.30 on Wednc-lay next.