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Chapter 12
Legislation
During the year 1954 fifty four Ordinances were enacted and reference to some of the more important of them is made below. A feature of this year's legislation has been an increase in the number of religious, charitable and educational bodies seeking incorporation; seven Ordinances have been enacted for this purpose, in contrast with two in each of the years 1952 and 1953.
Protection of Wild Birds and Mammals: Ordin- ance No. 8 implements the recommendations of a committee which was set up to consider existing legislation giving protection to wild animals and birds. The old provisions are retained and further protection is afforded in that the trapping of all birds and mammals (other than rodents) and the possession, sale and export of certain birds and mammals are prohibited.
Prisons: Ordinance No. 17 amends and con- solidates the law relating to prisons and is more fully dealt with in Chapter 13. The necessity for new legislation has arisen because new conceptions as to the treatment of prisoners rendered previous legislation obsolete, and the rules enacted in 1925 were inadequate and in certain cases inapplicable. A complete new set of rules was enacted at the same time as the Ordinance.
Housing: Ordinance No. 18 fulfils a long felt need in establishing a Housing Authority charged with the duty of providing housing accommodation for those
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