PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19171, 30 November 1927, Page 9

PARLIAMENT.

SUPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. NEARING THE END? (rRESS ASiOCUTIOK TILIOIUM.I WELLINGTON, November 20. When tho House of Representatives net this aftomoon, Mr Frasor (Wellingon Central) gave notice of his intension to introduce the Unemployed Workjrs' Bill. Mr Frascr (Wellington Central) moved for leavo to introduce tho British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Bill. In ioing so, ho said the purpose of tho Bin was to allow British women who were married to aliens to retain their nationality. Tho Bill was road a first time. A largo number of Parliamentary Committees brought down their final reports, which were tabled. Tho Minister for Mines moved that tho amendments made by the Legislative Council in tho Coal Mines Amendment Bill bo disagreed with. This was agreed to, and Messrs H. E. Holland, .1. Horn, and tho Minister were appointed managers to draw up reasons for disagreeing with tho amendments. The Estimates. Tho Houso then wont into Committee on tho Supplementary Estimates. Tho Leader of tho Opposition asked for an explanation of tho item of " £316 professional sorvicos in connexion with Sarnoan potition." Ho said tho Committee hearing the potition sat for only ten days. There was no need to citgago exponsivo counsel, and yot the amount being spent on this item for a few days was moro than a member'• net salary amounted to for a whole year. It only showed how easy money was got in Now Zealand, even though it was not earned. Mr Sidey (Dunodin South) asked tho Minister for Education whether it was intended to pass tho Univorsity of New Zealand Amendment Bill, since it was necessary to comploto tho legislation of last year. He was sorry ho could not congratulate tho Government on the way they had handled tho business of the Bcssion. In formor years tho Supplementary Estimates woro almost tho last thing done beforo tho Appropriation Bill was brought down, but this year thoy know thero was important legislation yet to eomo down. For instnncc, thoro was tho Finance Bill. Tho Hon. Mr Downio Stcwnrt: That will be down to-night. Mr Sidey, continuing, said thoy were entitled to know whnt tho Government's loan policy was, but bb it was, everything was in a state of uncertainty. Mr Howard (Christchurch South) said that if a Now Zealand representative was going to tho Copyright Conference at Rome, he hoped ho would do something to check tho operations of that octopus that now was claiming copyright over all classes of music, and was trying to stop anyone singing, whispering, or whistling. Ho hoped the Government would stop this organisation in the same way as it had stopped the operations of another organisation which was trying to fix prices. Ho also protested against the payment of £315 to counsel attending tho Sarnoan Petitions Committoe. To pay a man at the rate of £3O por day was absurd. Mr Forbes (Hurnnui) protestod against the' House being uskod to pass the Supplementary Estimates without knowing what business was coming beforo the House. In past years the Prime Minister was able to indicate the course to be pursued, and when tho bobsion would end. Sir Joseph Ward (Invercarglll) Baid that before tho Supplementary Estimates came boforo tho Houso thoy should have been sent to the Finance Committee, where they could be enrofully examined. Tho Hon. Mr Nosworthy said that tho £585 set down as the cost of tho Minister's visit to Samoa, was tho lowest it could bo done for, and if oxperioneo proved that ho had not done a good > piece of work for New Zealand, he would be proparcd to submit to tho most severe criticism tho Loader of tho Op-

position could level at him. Tho £3OOO Bet down as the cost of tho Samoan Royal Commission waß only an estimate of the cost. It might bo less; it might be more. This voto was only to cover the rough Cost of the Commission. The charge of £315 for counsel appearing before tho Samoan Commission was, he thought, fair and just to the country. Mr Holland: How does it comparo with the payment of members f Mr Nosworthy said he had not made any comparison, but unfortunately members were not paid in the way that counsel were paid. MrTSulllvan (Avon) said he rogrctted that tho Government had made no provision for Labour representation on the International Labour Conference at Geneva. New Zealand was practically the only country in the world that was not taking advantage of this opportunity to discuss labour problems from a world point of view. New Zealand was virtually dishonouring her signature to the Versailles Treaty by failing in this dnty to the workers, who made such enormous sacrifices in the Great Wat, Mr Wilford (Hutt) advocated the appointmont of a liaison officer nt the British Foreign Office, who would keep the Now Zoaland Government informed as to the International movements and developments, as was the case in Australia, and, he understood, Canada. Mr Fraser asked the Government to say what step they proposed to tako to cope with possible unemployment, which might ariso during tho recess. He supported tho suggestion by Mr Wilford that an officer should be appointed at the Foreign Office, as it was not possible for peoplo to know too much of what was going on in International affairs. The Hon. Mr Anderson said tho Government had not arranged \o send a Labour delegate to Geneva on the ground of expense. He could not see what return the country would get for this expenditure. The Primo Minister had, however, promised to go into the quostion, and would let tho next Labour Conference know what his decision would be. As to unemployment, there were now 1600 men on the books. Some of these were not easy to employ, but generally unemployment was on the decrease. The matter wonld not be lost Bight of daring the recess, but it was very difficult to lay down any hard and fast scheme. Mr Armstrong (Christchurch East) declared that it was a disgrace that New Zealand should remain the only country outside the Labour Conference at Geneva. For an hour and a half after the supper adjournment the Committee discussed the salaries of messengers and committee clerks of the House, tho Minister promising to take various cases into consideration. The first vote was passed at 11 p.m., and the last, the whole involving an expenditure of £206,547, at 11.80 p.m. The Prime Minister stated that tho Licensing Bill would come on to-day, after which the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill would be taken. He saw no reason why the session should not be concluded by Monday next. The Hot** wee a* 12.49 aop*