MANY BILLS PUT BEFORE HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17888, 2 July 1926, Page 6

MANY BILLS PUT BEFORE HOUSE.

NONE IMPORTANT FROM POLICY POINT OF VIEW. (Special to the “ Star. ”.) WELLINGTON, July 1. Over a dozen Government Bills were introduced by Governor-General’s message in the House of Representatives to-day, but none of the measures were important from a policy point of view, the majority being consolidations. It is proposed to consolidate all the laws relating to the National Provident Fund, also the Public Revenues Acts, though in regard to the latter the Hon W. Downie Stewart. Minister of Finance, mentioned there might be some new clauses introduced at a later stage. When the Local Bodies Loans Consolidating Bill was introduced, Mr P. Fraser asked if this provided for the proposed Local Government Board. Mr Coates replied that it was not in that Bill. Another consolidation is that of the Coal Mine's Act, and it is intended to introduce some new clauses relating to oil rights. The Hon J. A. Young explained that the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill was a consolidating measure only. Later a small amendment of a minor nature, referring to private hospitals, might be introduced. The Fire Boards Act was purely a consolidating measure, said Mr Bollard. When Mr Holland, the Opposition Leader, afeked if it contained provision for additional financial assistance in connection with the firemen’s annual conference, the Minister said no increase was being made so far as financial assistance was concerned. Mr Nash thought that the machinery enabling Fire Boards to raise money should be enlarged, as frequently the boards were hampered by restrictions when they desired to raise loans. DESTITUTE PERSONS. The maximum amount which a Magistrate can order for maintenance against a near relative under the existing law is 21s a week. Under the terms of a Bill amending the Destitute Persons Act, this sum is increased to 42s a week, also the maximum of £3 weekly, which the existing law prescribes in case of orders made for the benefit of wives. is abolished, the amount being left to the Magistrate's discretion. Power is also given to a Magistrate to impose a fine in addition to imprisonment for disobedience of an order. The chief feature of the new Bill is the extension of the provisions of the existing law for the appointment of maintenance officers, whose duty it is to see that payments under an order are kept up. Explaining the Bill, the Hon F. J. Rolleston said that, by the latter provision, arrears would be less likely to mount up.

Mr P. Fraser asked if the Bill made it possible for a wife to proceed againr t a defaulting husband who had gone to Australia. At present women were required to bear most of the expense when this was done.

Sir John Luke wanted to know if the Bill made more effective provision for the collection of maintenance fees in other countries.

The Minister said there was no provision in the Bill on the lines of Mr Fraser’s query. At present it seemed difficult to improve on the existing law. There was a reciprocal agreement with Australia by which a New Zealand order could be enforced in Australia and vice versa. As far as Samoa was concerned, there were ample provisions for collection of fees under the existing law.

Replying to Mr Parry, Mr Rolleston said it was impossible to make provisions regarding collection of fees in the United States of America, since anything of that nature would have to be reciprocal. CONTROL OVER OPTICIANS. The Minister of Health is in charge of a Bill introduced to-day which provides for the registration of opticians, and regulation of the practice of optometry'. Members showed amusement over the matter, but asked some serious questions, also. Mr Forbes wished to know if it would prevent watchmakers and others from selling spectacles. He remembered a colleague in the House who bought his spectacles for half-a-crown a dozen and declared they were as good as those which cost thirty shillings. “ Suitable provision was made for the protection of such people,” replied the Minister of Health.

Mr Holland, leader of the Opposition, hoped the measure would protect people from deliberate frauds practised by travelling persons, who pretended to test sight, often obtaining £5 for glasses worth as many shillings. There were others, of course, properly qualified. The Minister assured members that the public would be protected from such imposition. He did not answer Mr Forbes's query whether the Bill deals with glass eyes.

The Bill, which passed the first reading, proposes to set up an Opticians’ Board, comprising a registrar, three persons who practice optometry in New Zealand, and a medical practitioner. It will keep a register of opticians and conduct examinations for admission to this register. Persons entitled to register will be those who were actively engaged in the practice of optometry in New Zealand for not less than six years prior to the passing of the Act, or those who with three years’ experience pass an examination in theoretical and practical optometry and apply within one year for registration. Registration also will be secured bv persons whq have received satisfactory training as opticians and hold a certificate regarded by the board as adequate. A final class eligible for registration includes persons who have

passed an examination, theoretical and practical, after a course of not less than three years in New Zealand as will be prescribed by regulations. The board will have power to remove from the register persons guilt# of improper I conduct. Any decision of the board relating to registration will be subject to appeal before a board comprising a magistrate and two assessors. Provision is made for the recognition of dispensing opticians, who may supply ophthalmic lenses and dispense prescriptions for spectacles. It will be an offence punishable by fine up to £2O for a person unregistered to describe himself as a registered optician or to practice optometry. No person other than a registered medical practitioner may describe himself as an oculist or cause any persons to believe he is qualified to practise medical or surgical treatment of the eye. Administration of any drug to the eve is forbidden to any but medical practitionVETERINARY SURGEONS’ REGISTRATION. Similar machinery for registration and control of veterinary surgeons to that proposed in the Opticians Bill is contained in another measure in charge of the Minister of Agriculture. The board will comprise a registrar, one person nominated by the Minister of Agriculture, and two veterinary surgeons appointed on the recommendation of the New Zealand Veterinary Association. The Bill provides that unqualified persons practising or describing themselves as veterinary surgeons will be liable to a fine of £2O. DEATH DUTIES. Is it proposed to increase death duties? asked the leader of the Opposition when an amendment of the Death Duties Act came before the House today. The Hon W. D. Stewart, Minister of Finance, replied in the negative, adding that the Bill contained onlj’’ three technical amendments, the most important relating to penalty for late payment of duty. A penalty was provided for in a recent amendment, but it was overlooked that statutory* provision existed to charge interest on overdue amounts. The penalty would be reduced to 5 per cent in view of this fact, but it would be retained, as in some cases there might be greater revenue from the unpaid amount retained in the estate than the interest chargeable by the Stamp Department. SCENERY PRESERVATION. It was explained by the Minister of Lands that an amendment of the Scenery Preservation Act is designed to give the Minister of Lands, power to give authority to his officers to use dogs and guns on scenic reserves for destruction of deer and vermin likely to do damage. It did not deal with the general question of the destruction of deer. SAMOAN LEGISLATION. A short Bill, in charge of the Hon W. Nosworthy, was explained by the Minister to be designed to give Polynesians of mixed descent, but having the status of Europeans, the right of being declared Samoans. Another provision is to enable the number of official members of the Legislative Council of Western Samoa to be reduced to four. This provision had been approved in Samoa. The Legislative Council would be authorised to make ordinances dealing with divorce and other matrimonial matters applicable to Samoans only. The Bill dealt also with the superannuation rights of New Zealand officials who have had concurrent service in Samoa and authorises the application of profits in reparation’ estates as follow's: Not exceeding 30 per cent to Samoan Treasury, not exceeding 50 per cent towards maintenance and development of estates, the balance to be credited to a reserve fund. The latter, with the approval of the Minister of External Affairs, may be applied for any special purpose for the benefit of reparation estates or may be paid into the ordinary revenue account of the Consolidated Fund. STATISTICAL POWERS. Mr Bollard explained that the Census and Statistics Act, 1926, was simply intended to bring census requirements up to date and to simplify procedure regarding the work of subenumerators. The Bill authorises taking a census in 1931, and every fifth year afterwards. ] t prescribes particulars to be collected, and throws upon the occupier or person in charge of a dwelling the duty of supplying information. The Government Statistical also is given right of entry for statistical purposes to any factory, mine or workshop, and if any authorised person is obstructed in his duty the offender is liable to a fine of £lO. There is another penal clause indicating a fine up to £SO and a further fine of £1 per day during default of answering lawful inquiries made by the Statistician, though this provision may be qualified by recognition of the right to object to enumeration of religious denomination. A local {body which fails to supply information may be penalised by having its subsidy with-' held. Penalty up to £SO is provided for wrongful disclosure of information by Census officers.

In addition to the periodical census the Statistician is empowered to collect information regarding the following wide range of subjects; Population and the housing thereof; immigration and emigration; vital statistics and morbidity; social and educational matters; imports and exports: land tenure, occupation and condition of land; primary and secondary production; wages, hours and conditions of labour; employment and unemployment; industrial disturbances; wholesale and retail prices; stocks of manufactured and unmanufactured goods; transport and communication by land, water or air; banking and finance; transfers of land; mortgages, registered and discharged; fire, marine, life, and accident or other insurance; incomes and earnings; local government, and such other matters as are prescribed.