PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2669, 26 November 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE CONSOLIDATED STATUTES.

rpint Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. In the Legislative Council this afternoon the Hon. S. T. Georg© asked the Attorney-GeneraL if he' would issue, to all solicitors in the Dominion, a request that they will notify him of any defects, alteration of the la\v\ or omission that they may notice in the consolidated statutes, with the view of rectification. , The Attorney-General said that he would cominunicate the request to the Law Societies.

REGISTRATION OF BONDHOLDERS Tlie Hon. C. C. J. Stevens moved—- “ That it is expedient that facilities-bo given for the registration in the name of the holder of any bonds of the New Zealand Government which are payable to bearer, and if local bodies are not empowered to establish a similar system of registration of any of their bonds payable to bearer, the necessary power should be given them.” The Attorney-General said that the question raised some ■difficult points‘.regarding the operations of the urv. He was not aware how far the Government was prepared to accede to the suggestion made. If the matter was allowed to stand over he would confer with the Minister of Finance on the subject. The matter was accordingly held over. " CHATTELS TRANSFER AMENDMENT BILL. The debate on the second reading of the Chattels Transfer Amendment Bill was continued. The Hon. J. Anstev and others pointed out that if all Bills were to be; registered it would seriously hamper the transactions of the farming community. , . . . The Attorney-General, in replying, admitted the force of the arguments respecting farmers, and said that he thought to overcome the difficulty, but the farmers only represented a small proportion of those dealing in these securities. The. Bill was intended to protect the trading community. It was a defence of honest trading against dishonest trading. The second reading was agreed to, and the Bill referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Council then adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES BILL.

After midnight on Wednesday, clause 59 of the State Guaranteed Advances Bill was amended by increasing the maximum of loans to workers from £350 to £450. Progress was reported, and th© House rose at 12.50 a.m.

GRAND JURIES ABOLITION BILL. At.the afternoon sitting to-day, further debate took place on the first reading of Mr, T. E.. Taylor s Giand Jury Abolition Bill. The measure was supported by Mr. Davey, Sir W. J. Steward, and Mr. Baume. , . ~ . , The discussion centred in the .Christcliurch motor tragedy, and the throwing out by a grand jury ol the bill against A. W. Humphreys. Mr. Taylor said that the case had created a widespread sensation . m Christchurch, and there was an impression that Masonic influence had something to do with the grand jury s failure to find a true bill. The first reading was agreed to. STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES

BILL.. Tbe State Guaranteed Advances Bill was further considered m committee. Mr* Guthrie moved that the words “no rebdt© be allowed” be struck out of clause 68; which fixes..the rate of interest on advances to local bodies. The motion was negatived. On clause 70. which repeals the granting of loans to local bodies under nart 2 Sf the Local Bodies Loans Act Dr. Newman moved that the c | au f® ■amended,.so as. to alloW the cil to continue to raise loans under tne by the tbe discussion on Ur Neuman's amendment was conJoseph Ward said that the do.ifnts going on in the Dominion ll pSent called for the extension of borrowing powers beyond u’hat was thorised under the present Act,. The proposal outlined m the quirmg local bodies to provide one per Sent sin'king fund,. were tar more favorable than-the provisions of the Loans to L Guthrie, Buchanan, Lang, and Allen supported the amcndmThe Premier said, that thd amendment would mean a loss of over £2OO, OQO on the half-million* loan m 36i Massey said that the existing Act had been in operation since 1884, and had given every satisfaction, lie was quite sure that if the» Bill went on tho Statute Book local bodies would not ho ablo to borrow more than at present, as stated) by the. Premier. He saw no reason why Jim existing Act should not he retained for the benefit of the smaller 1 bodies. The amendment was then put and rejected by 39 votes to 23. _. r j On the motion of Sir Joseph ard, clause 70 was amended to read, that after the coming into operation the Act tho Minister shall not grant-a loan to any local authority under partll.ot tho Local Bodies Loans Act 1908, pro vided that, in any case where below the coming into operation of the Acr, tho Minister has agreed to grant a loan but the loan has not been paid over, or where any statutory proceeding tor obtaining a loan from the Minister have been commenced, the local authority may apply for a loan under tho new A °Mr. Allen moved to insert at the end of sub-clause 1, clause 71. the following words, “provided that the limitations to the amount that might be lent in any one year imposed by section 6J of tho Loans to Local Bodies Act, IJUS, shall not apply to any loan applied tor under this Act.” ' _ , ■ The amendment was lost by 38 votes Malcolm moved that clause 72, wliiclv provides that th 6: provisions a* the Local Bodies Loans Act as to sinking funds shall not apply,, lib amended, so that with:such limitations as te the amount of loans as are provided uTthe Abt, the said provisions snail continue to apply. ' 7 on The amendment was rejected by oJ votes to 21. . , . „ 0 Mr. Sidcy moved to add-to clause “tliat tho provisions of section 25 of the Local Bodies Loans Act shall only apply in the case of loans, to local authorities guaranteed by the Government under tho last mentioned Act. amendment was carried by 32 to

On clause 75, sub-section 2, which modifies-. part X. of the Mining Act, Mr. Alien, moved thatuncalled capital be made security for loans to mining -companies. The amendment was lost by 35 to 10. (Left Sitting.)