QUESTION TIME IN HOUSE

Chronicle (Levin), 4 July 1946, Page 7

QUESTION TIME IN HOUSE

— Press Association

MINISTERS GREETED BY BRISK BARRAGE

Bv Teleoravh-

WELLINGTON, JuJy U. An uuusually brisk barrage of questions greeted Ministers when the House of Ilepresentatives assembled today. Nearly 20 inquirics were made including several by Government. ineuibers. Keplies to questions asked last weex were also circulated for discussion. Mr. F. W. Boidge (Tauranga) in an urgeiit qucstion, asked wlietlior any. re port liad been received from tlie Xew Zealand fligh Commissioner in London throwing liglit on a report published in a London newtfFaper tliat vast quantities of gift food parccls wero rotting in the dock wureliouses. Mr. Fraser, replviug, said the Government had no knowledge of tlie matter but as soon as' his attcntion was drawn to tlie report, a cablc avus sent to Mr. Jordan askiug ,if the circuiu stauecs Avere as represeuted in the article and if any Xew Zealand parceJs were involved. Mr. Fraser said he would be very surpHscd if Xew Zealand parcels wero affccted because our sys tcm of sending aWay parcels was sucli an exccllent oue. "The facts are aM against any Xew Zealand parcels being involved," said Klr. Fraser. Klr. W. S. Goosinan (Waikato) ga ■(> notice to ask the Prime Klinister wliether. in vicw ' of the disclosures made by the latc Australian Klinister in Kfoscow, Mr. Kraloney, he would inform the llouse w'hcther similai information had been received from our Klinister, Klr. Boswell. Mr. F. Hackett ' (G'rey Lynn) asked tlie Klinister of Labour to consider favourably ha\ing tlie rental of eara vans brouglit witliin the scopc of the Fair Kents Act. He said rcntals ranging froin £2 to £3 weckly were being charged in and around Auckland. KH. Ilackett also gave notice to ask tlie Klinister of Works to have fines eliminated and iinprisonment substitut ed in all cases whcrc breaches of the

buihling regulations were proven. Klr. 11. M. Algie (Remuera), in a notice of a qucstion, asked Mr. Fraser to tell the llouse wliy the position of organiscr of the proposed nationnl orchestra, to wliieli Mr. Andersou Tyrer . had been appointed, was not advertised J and wliy other musicians of comparable , ability and experience were denied a ' chance of presenting tlieir claims for j such ti signilicant appointment. Klr. II. E. Gombs (Wellington! Kuburbs) gnve notice to ask for a j return sliowing the numbor of rate- | [tavers in eacli countv who exerciso j •'nore than one vote and also the nuuiber who exercise more than two. Klr. t'onibs also sought a return of j the nuniber of etnpty seetions withiu tlie boundaries of Auckland, NN abington, Lower Hutt and Christchurch and tlieir aggregate value for rating pur- j poses. Klr. Sullivan, rcplying to a question : by Klr. G. II. Klackley (Masterton) i eoncerning the appointment of Klr. 0. j , JS. Ilay to the board of directors of the | j Bank of Xewr Zealand, said Mr. Hny was appointed by tlie Klinister of Finance in terms of the Bank of New Zealaud Act, 1945, after making suit able inquirics ivhicli ostablished that Mr. Ifay was well qualilied for tlu position. Hc had considerable ex perience and knowledge in primaip production, an aspect of Xew Zealand s econotny with whieli the Bank of Xew Zealand was vitally concorned-. Need for Country Houses Hon, 11. Bemple, replying to Mr. M. 11. Oram, said the Govcnnnent was full aware of tlie need for liousing iu some small centres in tlie country dis- ■ tricts and statc liousing was extended to such loc.alities wliere warrantcd. Countv councils, by a more aetive use of the credit tliey eould obtain from ; the Government At three per ccut.. ' eould iiinke a substantial coutributiou (o tlie iilleviation of tlie liousing dilliculties witliin tlieir areas.

Subsidy to Tennis Association Uon. W. E. 1'arry, answering Klr. Goosinan, said the grant of £250 made to the lluwke's Bay Tennis Association, was iuadc out of inoneys voted by Ihe House for furtlicring physical welt'are and recrealion work in tlie coni iiiuuity. The club concerned had a good case aud it was itself raising subsluutial sunis and not jnst relying on

the Goveriinient. Hucli grants were j made on a subsidy basis after careful , inquiry into the morits of tlie case.. Anv orgauisation which eould make as j good a case as the lluwke's Bay lennis [ Association, would reeeive the same j syni]iathetic consideratioii. ^ j Hua. F. Jones, answering Klr. E. P. . Adernian (Xew Plynioulh) said tlie; granti ng of subsidios to Aero ( lubs was , ; closely rolated to the new orgauisation j of the R.X.Z.A.F. wliieli was uot yet j (leterinined owing to uncertainty as to j our responsiljilities to the British 1 Coiniiionwealtli and Lnitcd Xations. ! 'The subsidy, if any, to be granted to | ' Aero Clubs would be considered with : the general policy. Hon. A. IL Xordnieyer, replying to i Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) said it ■ was not considered dcsirable or pracI ticable to have published an annual i return showing the income of e-icli in- | dividual iiicometux paycr "ind the I sources from wliieli it was deri\ ed. Forest Pires Arisiug from Klr. Klackley \s question to Mr. ttkinner conceriiing the cuuse of tlie iirc which destroyed the Rewa ! iState forest in Masterton countv, Mr. ykinner said logislation was lieing pre- | parcd to eontrol the lighting- of fires. Jle added tliat the only solution to the i lire problem in the forest areas was to ! have the wliole of Xew Zealand dei clared a lire district and tlien take necessarv steps to see that all butning 1 was carried out under supervision. Minister in State House Klr. Fraser. replying to rcferences by 1 Opposition nieinbers conceriiing Hon. A. ' McLagan 's occupation of a btate ' house, said it appeared tliere had been : an opposition attaek on tlie Klinister of ilndustrial Manpower. He said Klr. i McLagan might not be a popular minisj ter with the O])position but he was i popular in Riccarton. He said tliat. Mr. j McLagan was allocated a liouse in i Rangiora whieli uo oue else would take

because of its dampness aud its posi tion. That was bcfore he was •KJiuisler. He had a wife and family. Klr. W. iSullivan said the Klinister | (KlcLagau) received £1170 per yeui j plus a house allowance of £270 and was j transferred from one district to an I other to obtain a IState house. If Klr. j McLagan was unsuccessful in winning tlie Riccarton seat no doubt he would vacate the house. Klr. Fraser: 'flint 's totaily irrelevant. Klr. Fraser added tliat Klr. McLagan exchanged one house for the olher and Ministers had the privilege of living in a Btate-owned house. Klr. KLcLagan j would be ihe last nlau to keep people out of a homei He was quite sure he I (McLagan) had been misrepresented j and that he would not be a partv to prejudice the cliances of any other family in tlie country of getting a lionie.