PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19153, 9 November 1927, Page 14

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. PROGRESS WITH BILLS. (PRESS ASSOCUTIOH TSLXORAM.) WELLINGTON, November 8. After tho House of Representatives had read the Licensing Bill a first time further amendments to the Motor Vehicles Bill were brought down by Governor-General's message and read a first time. On the motion of the Hon. Mr Wright, the Child Welfare Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Education ComThe " Hon. Mr Rollcston moved the second reading of the Mortgagees Indemnity (Workers' Charges) Bill The Bill was read a second time without debate. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in tho Tongariro National Park Amendment Bill were agreed to, notwithstanding that such amendment was a breach of the privileges of the House, such waiving of the privileges of the House not to be taken as a precedent. The House then went into Committee on the Mortgagees Indemnity (Workers' Charges) Bill, which ported without amendment.

The Post Office. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was then taken in Committee. On Clause IS, providing that the Minister for Finance might fix different rates of interest in respect of different amounts deposited by the same or by different depositors, Mr Fraser raised a question as to how the Minister proposed to use the power he was taking. He maintained that the Minister would drive money away from the Post Office Savings Bank to trading banks. The Minister for Finance said it was unprofitable business for the Post Office Savings Bank to hold large deposits at call, and they wanted to be in a position to control the amounts deposited. That was all there was in the clause.

Sir Joseph Ward agreed that deposits of £SOOO at call were too large, and should never have been taken. Mr Wilford agreed with this view. After considerable discussion on these lines the clause was agreed to. Exception was taken by Mr Howard to the heavy fines imposed under Clause 18, providing for penalties for owners of unlicensed wireless sets. Ho also urged* that license fees for crystal sets should be reduced to ss. The Minister contended that Magistrates would not impose a fine of £SO if 5s would do. He would go into the question of reducing license fees with the Broadcasting Company. The clause was agreed to.

Exception was taken by Mr Savage to Clause 20, which vests in the Gover-jior-General-in-Council the appointment of certain officers of the Department. There was, he said, some concern in the Post and Telegraph service about it.

The Minister said the clause was intended to bring about uniformity in the public service. The Post and Telegraph service was growing rapidly, and provision had to be made to meet that extension. The head of the Department should know who should be promoted in the Department. The clause was agreed to. The two Bills were then read a third time and passed.

Property Law. The Property Law Amendment Bill was then further considered in Committee. Amendments made by the Statutes Eevision Committee were read into the Bill. The Bill was reported with formal amendments moved by the Minister, read a third time, and passed. Petrol Tax. By Governor-General's Message the Customs Amendment Bill was introduced imposing duties on motor spirits. The Hon. Mr Williams said the Bill not only imposed duties ,on motor spirit, but made provision for the allocation of the revenue derived therefrom. The Bill was read a first time. The House rose at 11.35 p.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (ibess association telegram.) "WELLINGTON, November S. In the Legislative Council to-day the Electoral Bill and the Intermediate Rural Credit Bill were put through their final stages and passed without amendment. ' After dealing with two local Bills the Council adjourned at 5.10 p.m. until to-morrow.