BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1932, Page 9

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

INTEREST RATE REDUCTION

THE GOVERNMENT ASKED TO ACT.

LEGALISATION OF CARD PARTIES. ECONOMY IN NATIVE AFFAIRS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, November 18. Mr. J. Connolly (Ind. Co., Mid-Can-terbury) asked in the House of Representatives o-day whether the Govern-: ment would take action at the earliest possible opportunity to reduce the rate of interest on future issues of Government bonds and debentures to ; a lower rate thah 5 per cent., and give instructions to the Local Government Loans Board not to approve any loans which did not provide for a similar reduction in the rate of interest. If effect could not be given to this without a further reduction of deposit rates generally, would the Government take the necessary steps to obtain the desired result? Mr. Connolly said that while the Government was paying 5 per cent, interest on new stock it could not-be, expected that the banks and other lending institutions would lower the rates to the extent required at the present time. It appeared that Australia and other countries were doing better than New Zealand in this respect. The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes said the matter was receiving the consideration of the Government. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East): And the banks! Moving fbr leave to introduce the School Committees’ Facilities Bill, Mr. R. McKeen (Lab., Wellington South) said that the measure sought to legalise prize euchre parties and other card tournaments held with the object of raising funds for school purposes. It would make it lawful for any school committee,, home and school association or parents association, upon receiving a permit from the Minister of Justice, to conduct such-games as euchre, five hundred, whist, cribbage or bridge for the purpose of raising money. •

GAMING ACT WOULD NOT APPLY.

The provision of the Gaming Act, under which prize euchre parties were now illegal, would not’ then apply to any game played under the permit issued by. the Minister. -■ Mr.' McKeen said that although these provisions were adopted, in 1908 ; it was only in recent years that exception had bfeen taken to euchre- tournaments, and he was of the opinion that such exception Was not designed to operate against school committees, but against private individuals and companies who were conducting tournaments for personal gain. The Bill was introduced . and read a first time. The -Statutes Revision Committee, reporting on Mr. P. Fraser’s Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Bill, recommended that as the Government had introduced legislation on similar lines the Bill should not be allowed to proceed. , . , Reporting on the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Bill, the Statutes Revision Committee recommended that the measure should not be allowed to proceed, pending inquiries from the United Kingdom by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The same committee recommended that the National Expenditure Adjustment Amendment Bill should be allowed to proceed, and that the clause relating to ground rents should stand as part of the Bill. . NATIVE AFAIRS. The Native Land Laws Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor-Gen-eral’s and read a first time. Sir Apirana Ngata said the measure gave effect to some of the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission relating to the administration of native affairs. It proposed to transfer back to the Native Land Coirnt the powers exercised by the Maori Land Board concerning sales of leases or mortgages of native land. The native, land settlement account would be liquidated and arnalgnmation would be carried out by making the Under-Secretary of Native Affairs the Native Trustee, and the East. Coast Commissioner, and by setting up a native land settlement board to exercise control over the functions now performed by the Native Trust Office, the Maori Land Board and the Native Minister. With regard fo native land settlement it was proposed that the board would consist of the Native Minister, the Undersecretary of Native Affairs, the Undersecretary of Lands, the Valuer-General, a representative of the* Treasury, and two others to be appointed by the Government. This board would assume the functions of the Native Land Purchase Board with regard to the purchase of native lands, with the condition that where lands were required for general settlement the recommendation of the Dominion Land Purchase Board would be necessary. . — *