THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1892, 29 October 1913, Page 4

THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT.

BANK DEPOSITS. A PROMISED RATING BILL. When tho House met yesterday at 2.30 p.m., Tho Hon. W. H. HERRIES gave notice to introduce tlio Rating Act Amendment Bill. ' " ' A member: Native or European? Mr. Herries: Both. Tho Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Meslage. ' Tho Hon. R. H. RHODES (PostmasterGeneral) said that tho Bill embodied some technical amendments, and in addition Taised tho amount on which interest was payable in tho Post Office Savings Banlc from £600 to £1000. SIR JOSEPH WARD asked what the relative rates of interest were to be. The POSTMASTER-GENERAL said that at present 3} per cont. was paid up to £300, and 3 per cent, on sums from £300 to £600. Throe cent, would bo paid on sums up to £1000 under the Bill. SIR J. WARD asked the Prime Minister, whether, in connection with the deolsion to raise tho '.amount to £1000, the Government had consulted tlio heads of tho financial institutions. Money could not bo diverted in this or any other country without tho faot becoming very quickly noticeable in •those places where tho money percolated froin. In his own time, as Minister of Finance, and Postmaster-General, he had always approaohnd the matter with extreme caution. He considered that tho Public Accounts Committeo should have been made awaro of the, proposal so that it might carefully inquire into The PRIME MINISTER said that the Government bad not the slightest objection to the Bill going to tho Public Accounts Committee. Tho Government had. not. consulted any hoads of financial institutions. They had no intention of .interfering with'these institutions, but considered that they were qmu; justified in-tho course they were pursuing. Withdrawals By ChoquO. :; Mr; DAVEY asked' the PostmasterGeneral ;to consider tho question of permitting Post Office .depositors to withdraw their money in the ordinary way by cheque. - " - The Prime Minister: Then they would get no interest foi it. Mr. Davoy at first dissented, but afterwards agreed that ao interest would bo paid on current accounts. . Mr. G. WITTY (Riccarton) said that "any amount" of firms in'this country were paying four or fivo per cent, oil money practically at call. He suggested that the' Post Oflico might pay up to two per cent, on money lodged 011 current account. The City Councils were accepting money at seven days' call, and paying four per cent, for tho money, and County Councils were seeking similar power. The Bill was read a first time.

LABOURERS' WAGES. Mr. P. C. WEBB (Grc t y) addressed a question to tho Prime Minister without notice. General labourers employed in connection with the erection of tho new. Parliamentary Buildings, he stated, were being paid only Is. 1 J<l- por hour, wbilo the award rate was Is. 2d. Tho City Council paid Is. 2}d., and the Potonu Council paid Is. 3d. He asked th> Government to grant tlio incroaso, and to make it retrospective. The PRIME MINISTER referred the question to his colleague the Minister of Public Works. Mr. ERASER said that-he would ask his officers to make inquiries, and would le* the House know the result. He jiddod.that M would have been glad

I give a specific reply, and would havo dono so had notice been given of tho question. This was an instance, ho submitted, of tho incoiivonionco incidental to putting questions without net ice. Tlio SPEAKER said that it had been stated to him that tho question was ono of urgency. Responsibility rested upon tho Minister, who -noed not reply ui'jess ho wanted to. A Crowing Habit. Dr. A. K. NEWMAN asked whether a member had a right, in asking a question, to mako a five or ten minutes', speech"? It seemed to him that this was a growing habit. Mr. SPEAKER said that ho had called tho attention of tho House over and over again to the fact that questions • must be put concisely, and that a member, in- putting a question, must say no more l than was necessary to put the question.