POWER BOARDS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 8

POWER BOARDS

THE FORMATION OF DISTRICTS. Replying tofc sugegsticn that the formation of power boards should be expedited, • tho Minister of Public Works (Mr. Coates) told Mr. Mitchell (Wellington South) that the subdivision of 'he Dominion into suggested power board districts had already been undertaken. A list, together witli a map showing the proposed districts, was being issued as an appendix to the printed report of the Electric Power Boards' Conference, held on August 3, 1920, and would be available shortly for distribuv tion. The Department had always given every assistance to local bodies and others in the formation of electric power districts, but the initial movement for the formation of power board districts niust be made by the communities concerned by the preparation and circulation of the petition required under the Act. THE COSfOF MILK PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT SUGGESTED. "The Government will be very glad to havo un opinion from the Mayor and Corporation of Wellington on the matter referred to," said the Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) in reply to a suggestion by Mr. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua) that the; Government should agree to the purchase of sufficient land and cows for the supply of milk and butter to one of the towns at oost price. Mr. Hamilton's idea was that the experiment should be baaed on a charge of 5 per cent, for capital and 1 per cent, sinking fund, the farm to be ran and managed by tho Labour Party on union wages and conditions, provided that the farmers accepted the result as the cost of production in New Zealand, and undertook to supply local markets at the ascertained result. LOCAL BILLSPASSED QUICK WORK IN THE HOUSE. Eight Local Bills were passed by the House of Representatives last nigli't with very little debate. Indeedi there would have been scarcely any debato at all had. not northern members differed about details of the Thames Harbour • Board Loan Bill. The House realised that another opportunity for dealing l with local Bills might not occur this session, and members evidently were disposed to oblige one another. The Bills passed were as follow:—Christchurch District Drainage Amendment Bill; Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill ;• Wanganui Borough Council Vesting and Empowering Bill (No. _2); Dunedin City Corporation (Empowering Bill (second reading); Bay of Islands Harbour Bill (second' reading); Gisborne Harbour Board Amendment Bill; Wanganui River Trust Amendment Bill; Thames, Harbour Board Loan and Empowering Bill. CANTEEN"FUNDS THEIR FATE STILL UNDECIDED. Mr. T. E. Y. Scddon (Wcstland) asked in the House of Representatives if it was a fact that the surplus of the"canteen funds of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force has been paid into the Consolidated Fund;'and, if so, whether the Government will consider the advisability of supplementing the Trentham scholarship fund with all or part of that surplus. "The total amount to the credit of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force canteen funds is approximately .£70,000," replied the Minister of Defence. The whole of this sum has been paid into the consolidated regimental" canteen fund account, and a portion of it has been invested by the Treasury on behalf of the fund It is proposed to introduce legislation during the present session authorising the Government to set up a special committee to administer the fund on behalf of ex-members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Consideration can then be given to tho honourable member's suggestion." THE BOARDIF TRADE PROGRESS OF INVESTIGATIONS. | "The Board of Trade has reported to the Government on tho financial operations of the various woollen companies in New Zealand, and Cabinet is considering the question of publishing the report," said the Hon. E. P. Leo in the House of Representatives. "It may be Ftaled in the meantime that as a result n'l the board's investigations proceedings in several instances are pending under section 32 of the Board of Trade Act. Tho board's investigation into the leathfer industry has not yet been completed. An interim report, however, on the largest tannery operating in New Zealand has already been published, and showed that tho pr'loes charged for the manufactured products were reasonable and the net profit on capital invested was under 7 per cent." THE ORDNANCE CORPS INTENTIONS OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. Mr. Wright (Wellington Suburbs). asked the Minister of Defence if he would explain by what principle some members of the Ordnanco Corps were placed on tho permanent list whilst others with longer service were still classed as casSi:' R. H. Rhodes replied that when the Ordnanco Corps was formed in 1917 a small permanent staff was appointed as nucleus, made up of the permanent civil staff of the Dofenco stores and of the others selected from the temporary staff on account of their special qualifications This nucleus was augmented by temporary employees in sufficient number to cope with the extensive activities of the corps, which was called upon to perform duties during the war and demobilisation outside of its ordinary function*. On this account, and also because most of the recruiting had to lie mi-He from casuals, no full permanent establishment was fixed, and the pnncimo of temporary employment was continued. No further appointments to tho permanent staff would bo made until BU'jK time as a permanent establishment could be determined, and this could not be doiie until all divisional equipment had arrived and been 6tored and tho Dcfencu policy decided. AVhon permanent apiMintmonts wero finally made selection would bo according to qualifications. ■■i ■ i.fro