QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1519, 15 August 1912, Page 6

QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS.

.... TRAVELLING STOCK. ' -• BETTER RAILWAY SERVICE As -usual on Wednesdays, two hours were set aside for tho discussion of questions addressed by members to Ministers. Mr. WILSON (Tiuimaruiiiii) asked the Minister for Railways whether ho would create a bettor service for live stock on the Main Trunk line. Ho. stated that at present stock travelling south of lJulmerston North to a point north of Taumaruniii -were compelled to remain in tmcks for part of three days. Tho Hon. W. H.'HERBIES (Minister for Railways) replied: Investigations into the matter show, that there. is no great volume of stock.'travelling south of Palrneraton North to stations north of Taumaruivui. . The Department is desirous of giving;a reasonable service, and if stockowners will combine ami give a full trainload, a special train will be run for the conveyance of live stock at any time on reasonable notice'"bsing given. I regret, hWbver, that such trains cannot bo run I'lic-nonly α-fewtrucks of stock hf.o ofwring.".'-.' , ''' • ■''.'«• Mr. Wilson, commenting upon tho ri-ply, said.that ho recognised that tho Minister had hud very littlo time to in-vt:--.tigßte;.thi= matter. Ho ideclnred, how<!Vi:r, that, the facilities afforded for tho rarriagb of stock.on the M:iin Trunk li.'ic wfrc a dirKiv.ee td Ihu Department. 'I , hi' Kiii;: Country vj? ;j i liewlv-?eltlj!fl district, and il.' wa* ncc«:-:iry to procure :.l;icit. trdtn the .older districi-'. It was ;>.b»iml t/i s-uaswt that the stock-owners ,-rKiuld arrange for .a 5-jitrc;pl truiii. What was jiectliitl w;;s nitire consideration. - for live stock, as ajjaiust dead freight.

Mr. W. C. BUCHANAN (Wairarapa) also attacked the- Railway Department for slow carriage of live stock. Ho had at somo trouble to himself designed u double-floored sheep truck. Everyone knew tho enormous advantage of this truck in that it enabled tho trucks to be kept clean at less trouble to the railway staff. In, view of this it might bo supposed that the Department'would have made a change at once to make all the floors of sheep-trucks made double, but a, number of the sheep-trucks had not been altered.

Mr. D. fIUICK said that stock were damaged on other lines than the Main Trunk line. Ho had seen stock standing about in . the yards at Palmerston for hours at a stretch. Afterwards they -were sent to Wellington by slow trains, and were shunted and delayed at every station en route. The matter undoubtedly called for attention.

Mr. G. V. PEARCE said that anyone who knew anything about fat stock knew how tho animals were depreciated if they were delayed in transit. If through trains could not bo run, the Department should; at least provide yards at intermediate points where tho stock, could be watered. Tho double-decked trucks mentioned by Mr. Buchanan had saved thousands of sheep to tho farmers in this country, because when a sheep went down on the double deck, it. w<is not deprived of air.. One-third of the trucks owned by. the Dcn.irtment still had the. old style of decks, and they, should bo.converted at once. ' . .... '..'....

Mr. E. SCOTT, (Tuspeka).said that this matter- .had" been .a. perennial grievance with farmers in- tho. South Island,for many years. Ho. hoped that the- Minister, for.Railways'would.take' it upon him■self to seo that stock), and .particularly fat stack,,got .through, with the least possiblo delay.' ; , ■ • ' " •■■ Tho Hon. W. H. HEREIES said that if members who had complained could bring 'instances of stock being wilfully delayed ho would take notice of them.

Mr. Wilson: Stock is ■ kept three days on tho lino now. That is cruelty. Mr. Horries replied that if tho honourable gentleman would find him any amount of money he would find a special train to carry any number of stock, however small. But ho was informed by tho ..Department that it was ."impossible, to move-stock more .quickly in.-small' lots. They must- be .'carried .in tho ordinary goods .trains. If live stock were-left behind -in sidings unnecessarily, ho asked to bo supplied with specific instances, and ho would sco that this sort of thing was stopped.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. THE DOMICILE DIFFICULT Y< Mr. T. E. Y. SEDDON/Wcstlaml)'asked' for an amendment of tho Workers' Compensation Act, to allow thn dependants of injured workers to receivo compensation, even though domiciled in Australia. Tho Hon. W. P. Massoy (Ministor for Labour) stated: It is not quito correct to say that compensation is not payablo lo dependants of workers injured if the dependants are- not domiciled in New Zea,land, as under Section 53 of tho New Zealand Act reciprocity has been established with Queensland, Western Australia, and Great. Britain; and it is also being established with South Australia, tho South Australian Act, recently brought into force, containing provision for compensation for the New Zealand relatives of workers injured in that State. 'When any of tho other Australian States are prepared to make similar arrangements the provisions of Section 53 of our Act will bo applied, and an amendment to tho Act is not necessary. ■ RACING PERMITS. NO DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY,' The PRIMK MINISTER (tho Hon. W-. 1\ Massey) made a statement yesterday concerning racing permits, replying to Mr. Cr. W. Russell's question as to whether the Government had surrendered the allotment ofracing permits to tho Racing Conference. The Prime Ministor stated: "The present Government has not handed over, nor has it any intention of handing over, tho allotment of racing permits to any conference. Licenses ■ under tho Act 0f'1909, to race at meetings where tho totalisator is not used,' are not issued where persons taking part in such meetings, and horses racing thereat, would bo disqualified under the Rules of Racing or the Rules of Trotting. To-issue Government licenses in such cases is to mislead both the applicants for licenses and tho public." The Hon. W. H. HERRIES subsequently explained that the conference had nothing to do with the granting of permits, and the Government had nothing to say about tho dates on which -aces should be held. Probably the member for Avon hnd confused the two functions. He added also that the Government would not make any change in- tho number of permits to be issued.

RURAL DELIVERIES,

GOVEENMENT WILL GIVE FACILITIES. ' The desirability of establishing a country postal delivery, on the lines proposed by tho late Postmaster-General wasbrought under tho notice of the Hon. E. H. Bhodes, by Mr. D. Buick. Mr. RHODES stated that rural deliveries were proposed somo considerable time ago. 'Postmasters were advised, and tho matter was brought under, tho notice of settlers as far as possible. As, however, few applications for euch deliveries camo to hand, a special officer was detailed to visit country, places, with the result that, tho deliveries are being extended as rapidly as possible. In addition to this, responsible officers wero instructed to givo the , question of rural deliveries every consideration in connection with the reletting of tho mail services for tho ensuing tripiimium. If there- was any particular district in which tho questioner considered a rural delivery would bo of advantage, niul'would give the name of a resident who would interest himself in the matter, a form of petition would bo sent to be signed, by residents. The Minister , pointed out that rural deliveries were never likely to be so popular in. New Zealand as in Canada, owing to the fact that the Post Office of this Dominion controls the telegraph and telephone, with the.result thatit is possible to place combined post-and telephone. offices within easy distance of each other. Mctnrr settlers within easy reach .of a combined office appear to prefer to receive their .letters when doing telegraph or telephone business rather thnn by rural delivery.

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. A REPLY TO MR. VIGOR BROWN. Mr. J. VIGOR BROWN suggested'that tho Conciliation and Arbitration Ant should bo amended so as to give preference to unionists. ,Tho Hon. W. F. MAS.SEY replied: "The Government d*?s not deem il. advisable to amend the Act as suggested, ii? oijvmrlunil.y ').» now given under the Act to "any union nf -.vorkers t" apply for condition's of employment, includiD , ' prctcrencc to be fcedj'i

FREIGHT ON FIREWOOD

A RipUCTIOX PKOPOSKI). A reduction in the railway tariff on firewood was slighted by Mr. Clark in a question to the Minister for Tluilwars. Mr. HEIMUKS replied. Firewood, is ii'lready charged at the lowest rate in the tariff. The phnrse fur the conveyance of a β-ton truck I*lo miles is ,tl 10s., equivalent to a charge of (is. per ton, or less than seven-tenths of a penny per ton per mile. 'J'his rate does not press unduly on anyone. It is, moreover, umemimerative, and barely covers the transportation charge. 1 regret I e:\miot therefore make any further reduction. MORTGAGE TAX. A CASE OF HARDSHIP.

Mr. H. G. ELL (Christcbnrch South) asked tho Minister for Finance whether it is the intention of the Government; to introduce legislation to abolish the mortgage tax paid by tho 13,308 payers of mortgage lax; and, if. so, how do they propose 'to make up for the loss of i£163,318 which the mortsagc tax yields Tho Hon. J.' ALLEN (Minister for .-Finance) replied' that it was not the intention of the Government, during; the present session to' introduce any such legislation. ■

Mr. G. .V. PEARCE (Patea) said this (ax had been in forco for the twenty-one .rears of Liberal Administration, and it had been the means of taking a goad deal of money-ont. of the peckets of poor peoplo. He cortuinly held that the'(ax should lie removed from all mortgages of small amounts. Hoknow of an instance of a widow whose total capital of .EGflO was invested on mortgage, and her total income was .£3O a year. Yet. she paid taxation on her mortgage. This was surely a frno example of the working of humanitarian leirislathn in this■p'uinrrv • The IToii. W. F. MASSEY (Prime Minister) said lie had never altered his opinion with regard to the ' mortgage tax. It was unfair to the borrower and unfair to the lender. Ho did not surest that the holders of mortgages should not be taxed, biit they should bo taxed through the income lax only.

CUSTOMS TAXATION. ME. FISHER'S ANSWER TO Mil. ELL. Mr. Ell asked whether (he Government would, introduce a Tariff Bill this session, in order that the people might be relieved of heavy taxation on articles in common use. Tho ITon. 1\ M. B. FISHER (Minister for Customs) replied: I regret to note trom tho lion, gentleman's question that at tho end of a long term of office of the parly of which lie is a. member the people should be paying heavy taxation on articles of common necessity. When the question of revising, the tariff is under consideration, tho injustice imposed upon the-people will, receivo • that 'attention which it has evidently not received in the past. .-:..■ ■■: , . . . ■ ■

Mr. E!I took some exception to tlio tone of; the-Minister's reply, and, stated that the. Liberal parly while in. office; hail remitted-largo siiriis in,-., Customs . duty-j and had removed taxation entirely from articles of food. :■■ ••.■■'-.*•■■•.■

COMMITTEES,

The following Committees were set up -.— Committee o! Selection—Messrs. Atinore, Davcy, Heed, Young, and Lang. Standing Orders on Private Bills Committee—Messrs. Buchanan, Robertson, Statham, and Lang. : Classification Committee—Messrs. Anderson, Lee, Malcolm, and . Mr. G. M. THOMSON (Duiiedin- North), moved that a special -Committee be appointed' to consider the following oirtF-tions:-,-(l) Tho constitution of a .scientific board of advice to which th-p publication of all scientific work undertaken, by various Government Departments should bo referred; 0>) the issue of all Government scientific publications in future in c-»r----tmn uniform sizes, instead of their bein" brought out as is done now by the vitrous Departments in all manner of forma and sizes; (3) tKo"i>lacTng"of-fho~iii'a'mfse: mont of tire Dominion Museum in. the hnmls of a board of trustees,- as i-j dono in the c-aso of the. Australian, and other mureums, which might, however, be the same body as is suggested in paragraph 1; such Committee to have power to call for persons and papers; threo to be a quorum • and to consist of Messrs. Anderson, Bell,' Ell, Herdman, Myers, A. K. Newman, Russell, bidoy, and tho mover.