POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2293, 11 September 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

PUBLIC BODIES LEASES BILL.

[Special to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Sept. 9

The Public Bodies Leases Bill was circulated to-day. Its provisions are explained by Air. Salmond, counsel to the law-drafting office. The Bill is intended: as a substitute for the Public Bodies Leasing Powers Act, 1908, which re-enacts the Public Bodies Powers Act, 1887. It makes general provision as to leasing powers of local and other public authorities so as to avoid the necessity of making special provision in every Act which establishes such ail authority. The Bill differs from tho,existing law in two chief respects: (1) It lays down more adequate and explicit rules as to tho granting of renewable leases. Two kinds of perpetually renewable leases are provided for in tho schedule, namely (a) a lease renewable at a rent to be determined by valuation, the analogy of the renewable lease of Crown lands, and (b) a lease which is to be offered by auction at the end of each successive term, the incoming tenant paying to the outgoing tenant the value of his improvements. Both forms of lease are substantially tho same as those now granted by municipal corporations under authority of the Municipal Corporations Act. (2) The Bill is wider in its application than the existing law. It applies (a) to specified kinds of local authorities (County Councils, Town Boards, Harbor Boards, etc.) without the sanction of any Order-in-Council; (b) to anybody or persons to whom it is made applicable by any subsequent act; (c) to any body or persons in whom lands are vested for any public purpose, and to whom, with their own consent, the Act is made applicable by Order-in-Council. The powers conferred on a leasing authority by the Act will be in addition, to any powers conferred on that authority by any other Act, and be exercised only so far as they are not contrary to the provisions of any other Act or any trust by which the lands are affected.

ARBITRATION AMENDMENT BILL SECRET COMMUNICATION BILL.

The Hon. J. A. Millar states that the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill will be reported from the Labor Bills Committee to-morrow afternoon. The Extension of Commerce Committee reported to-day that it had carefully considered the Secret Communication Bill, and recommended that it be allowed to proceed without amendment.