Wanganui Chronicle. AND PAREA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, MAT 13, 1889.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 11401, 13 May 1889, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle. AND PAREA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, MAT 13, 1889.

MiNiSTßiis are pushing 1 on with, tho preparation of their bills for the approaching session of Parliament, which has been summoned to meet for the despatch of business on the 20th proximo. The New Zealand Times is our authority for stating that bills will bo brought forward dealing with the following subjects : Electoral, Hospitals, Charitable Aid, Chattel Securities, .Patents, Industrial Designs/^jkitdu r JGrade Marks, Medical Prncfcßftmers, Copyright and Libel Act Amendment. It is understood that the Civil Service Reform and Classification Bill will also be among the number. The same paper says : — " The provisions in reference to hospitals and charitable aid will be embodied in two distinct Bills, instead, of beinglamped together in o.ne measure as at present. Both will be framed on the lines indicated by the Premier in his Hawera speech, and both will be based on the same principle. The intention is : to simplify administration, to vest it more in local bodies than at present, and to adopt the system of subsidising in proportion to the number of cases dealt with — of patients in the one instance and of paupers in the other — and not merely in proportion to the sums raised locally by subscription or otherwise; The Electoral Bill will, in all probability, be a very close reproduction of last year's Bill. The Hare system will again be proposed for 'adoption in a somewhat modified shape, but it is not yet decided what size the districts shall be, nor how they shall.be grouped. By tuo -.o]} attel .Securities Bill tho laws relating to tke subject will be consolidated and simplified so as to lesson tho heavy expense? now of ton associated' with' bills of sale. This will : partly, be. effected by introducing a now method of definition, interpretation, and specification, which will obviate to a great extent the present need of : voluminous and elaborate descriptions in the bills of sale. Consolidai tion and simplification will also be ma%ily aimed at in tho measure relative to patents, industrial designs, trade marks, &c. The provisions now in force in Great Britain will, so far as practicable, bo incorporated in the proposed new legislation : on thoKft points. In the Libel Law Amendment Bill the provisions of the new English Act will l?c adopted, as also certain other provisions pve. viously existing in the English' Libel ; Law, but not in that of New Zealand. Tho effect will be to render | tho libel law of this colony virtually identical with tiiat of the Mother ' Country. One of the earliest uiGiunjrPS to be introduced will be the Medical ' Practitioners Bill, which provides for the establishment and incorporation of a Medical Council, and for the manner in which the itsdionl Register is to be carried on," The above Bills have been prepared by direction of fcljo Ministers in charge of the departments to which they relate. They have not yet heei) considered in Cabinet, and consequently fi summary of even the 1 moro important of the measures is not obtainable, tt i« expected that Ministers will have most oi their Bills veady by the opening of Parr liament.

We understand that the determination of the Borough Councillors to proceed with tho erection of Municipal gasworks is contingent only upon the decision of a public meeting of ratepayers, to be culled at an narly date to consider tho 1 question. Sn far ;is i}it]jvidu.il Councillors . avo concerned they are stiid to have agreed to stand together in tho. matter, and ryfuKf to bo parties to any compromise. Unfortunately, the rotations beI twoßn the Horouffh Council and the I directors of tlto (jiia Company have boon , considerably strained for some little time, ' and the lino of action now tal;on by tho i former savours suspiciously of retaHa.tion. Nevertheless— however it may have boon brought about — wo are assured by the Mayor and by Councillors tlitvt ttio whole question has been, ex--

■ haustivoly gone into, and that, if the rate payers are agreeable, the Borough neoc have no difficulty in making and supply- ; ing its own gas, within a brief periodi and at a very large reduction upon the rates at present charged. The deliberations of tho Committee of tho Council have invariably boon conducted in secret, aud I tho details of tho scheme have hot yet ' been made public. However, if the Councillors can make outtheircase, there is little doubt but that they will have tho sympathy of tho public, with whom the opinion is pretty general that they aro at present paying too much for an inferior article. There are, of course, other questions to bo considered. We presume that an enabling bill •would have to be pub through Parliament, and that it is now too late for tho Council to take tho necessary stops for tho forthcoming session. Further, the prospect of getting a bill through at all will depend greatly upon the views that mombers of the Legislature may take pf the action of the Council in .proposing to enter into competition with a company, in order to the formation of which it granted certain concessions and rights. It is highly desirable that the whole question should be calmly considered, in all its bearings, before the Council stands committed to its proposed scheme.