Council Busy

N. G. Legislative Council Busy

From Our Own Correspondent RABAUL, February 1.

THE fourth session of the Legislative Council of New Guinea was opened by His Honour the Administrator (Gen eral McNicoll) on January 14. The ses sion lasted for three days, and during this time over 20 Bills were brought be fore the Council and passed.

Mr. Simcocks, the acting treasurer in the absence of Mr. H. O. Townsend, laid before the Council the estimates for the coming period. It was shown that the estimated revenue would be £358,100, carrying forward a surplus from last year of £26,127; the estimated expen diture was put down at £383,690; of this amount £178,800 was for salaries. Road development was estimated to incur an expenditure of £26,000. Of this sum, however, nothing was put aside for the construction of the contemplated road from Salamaua to Wau.

A Bill was brought down dealing with the Inauguration of the Territory’s own coinage. This provided for the making and issuing of silver cupro-nickel and bronze coins. British and Australian coinage are to remain legal tender, but the re-issue is prohibited of British and Australian coins by the banks. During debate an amendment was brought for ward to protect bank officials from un wittingly infringing this ordinance.

A Bill to amend the existing mining ordinance was also introduced. One in teresting clause provides for prospecting licences of an exclusive nature to be issued to prospectors for an area not exceeding 7,000 hectares for a period of two years. No person may hold more than one such licence. A further amend ment empowers the Administrator to publish a warning advice or information regarding any mine which he may deem fit; he also has power to deal with pros pectuses issued regarding mines in the Territory. This latter amendment is made primarily for the safeguard of investors.

The Bill introducing the Native Labour Ordinance occupied a considerable por tion of the session, but was eventually passed without any drastic amendments.

For over seven years this ordinance has been under consideration and has been the subject of considerable comment by employers of labour within the Territory.

Several amendments were proposed and, after the member in charge of the Bill had signified his concurrence, were passed.

Amongst other Bills was the Petroleum Bill, which places oil companies pros pecting for oil on an entirely new basis; the regulations affecting such companies are decidedly more stringent and are framed on the advice of Australian ex perts. The Bill is similar in most res pects to that recently introduced by Papua.

Mr J. C. Mullaly, the senior non official member of the Council, moved that the Council should record its ob jection to the introduction by the Com monwealth of any combined superannua tion scheme for officers of the external Territories which would involve appro priation from funds of New Guinea other than those required for officers of the New Guinea Public Service. This motion was carried.