11 JUNE

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

993

A consolidation of the State Advances Act and its amendments will be submitted for your consideration and also a Bill to redefine the objectives of the building societies movement and to provide the framework for its future growth. It will be the purpose of another measure to give relief to those residential ratepayers whose homes are situated in well developed commercial or industrial districts and whose rates reflect the enhanced valuation of land in such areas.

The construction of houses for Maoris is proceeding at a pace beyond what was planned. More and more Maoris are moving from substandard homes to accommodation of good quality in areas offering better employment for themselves and better education for their children. This gratifying evidence of the determination of the Maori people to improve their own living standards is apparent also in the increasing number of young Maoris applying for assistance from the Maori Education Foundation.

My Ministers are deeply sensible of the problems of adjustment arising from the marked trend towards urbanisation in Maori life. Emphasis will be placed on creating, among employers and the community generally, a better understanding of the special difficulties facing many Maori workers in their process of social readjustment.

My Government contemplates further amendments to the law relating to Maori land with the object of reducing the complications arising from multiple ownership and enabling some benefit to be secured from land now lying idle.

The problems which young people have to meet today have recently been the subject of intensive discussion at a Youth Forum convened at the instance of my Prime Minister. Very careful consideration is now being given to the resolutions adopted by this widely representative group.

While continuing to accord high priority to educational needs at all levels my Government has embarked on a massive programme for the expansion of the facilities for higher education in the universities, the teachers’ colleges, and the technical institutes in order to meet the demands for skill in the years ahead. A Bill will be introduced to consolidate the existing law relating to education.

To ensure that the right to the equal protection of the law is made effective through access to legal representation in Court proceedings, irrespective of the means of the individual, my Ministers are preparing a scheme of legal aid in civil cases for persons with limited financial resources. This will be discussed with the New Zealand Law Society before legislation is submitted to you.

You will be asked to consider an amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act to enable industrial unions to engage in welfare activities and to give their members a simple method of obtaining redress when a union fails to observe its rules. Bills will also be introduced to establish a system of superannuation for farm workers and to revise the Wages Protection and Contractors’ Liens Act.

My Ministers are considering whether legislation should be enacted to create a reserve power to intervene if, to the detriment of the general welfare, overseas interests should move to acquire a dominating influence in New Zealand companies.

Discussions will be initiated this year on the basis of future representation in Parliament and at a later date you will be advised of the procedure to be adopted in the further study of this question.

An Extradition Bill will be submitted to you to replace the United Kingdom legislation which at present defines the law applying in New Zealand on this subject. A National Military Service Amendment Bill will propose a different system of registration under the principal Act. Further measures to be introduced for your consideration will include a consolidation of the Milk Act; a Bill to make up to date provision for the care and treatment of alcoholics; a consolidated Plumbers and Gasfitters Registration Bill; and a consolidation of Parts I, II, and IV of the Social Security Act.

I commend these matters to your careful consideration and I pray that Divine guidance will attend your deliberations.

Price 6d.

BY AUTHORITY: R. E. OWEN, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND—1964