H.—6

1904. NEW ZEALAND.

STANDING ORDERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO PRIVATE BILLS (DRAFT OF A SUGGESTED REVISION OF THE).

Laid on the Table of the House by leave.

In this Kevision the present Private Bill Orders have been rearranged, and many of them rewritten ; some amendments on minor points are suggested; and, with a view of solving difficulties that have arisen under the present practice, a few new rules are suggested, taken in most cases from the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. All the provisions of the present Orders are repeated, although many of them either never were applicable to the circumstances of the colony or have of late years become obsolete. The range of Private-Bill legislation is much narrower here than at Home. There Local and Personal Bills alike, but here only Personal Bills, are treated as Private. Then, again, although in theory it is still possible to bring in a Private Bill on any subject, and for the amendment of any Public Act, yet in practice the tendency towards State control of undertakings of general concern, and towards municipalising undertakings of local concern, have left but little scope for the enterprise of the promoter. An Appendix has been added to the Revision containing (1) a few forms for use by promoters, (2) the Acts of Parliament in force relating to Private Bills.

I—H. 6,