THE SESSION

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 49, 21 November 1921, Page 4

THE SESSION

TARIFF BEFORE THE HOUSE THIS WEEK THE REDUCTION IN SALARIES The House of ReprcoMitativcs is to begin the consideration of the new tariff this week. The Prime Alinister stated before the House rose on Friday night that h? would ask members to make a start with the tariff on Wednesday. Just bow much time this task will occupy remains to be seen. The tariff has to lie considered by the House class by class, and members have the right to discuss every item in it. Suggestions and appeals have been pouring in upon them from manufacturers, producers, traders, and importers ever since the schedules were first issued, and it appears that every member will have some local interest to represent. The tariff, more over, will provide plenty of opportunity for party skirmishing. CUTTING THE SALARIES. The Prime Minister's announcement that he intended to propose a reduction of probably 10 per cent, in Civil Service salaries, down to £2OO, or perhaps £3OO, a year, did not surprise the House of Representatives. Alrinbers had been prepared, for something of the sort by hints from the Ali material benches in the course of earlier debates. It appeared, however, that some members had expected the reduction to lie graduated, and the Prime Minister's reply to an interjection suggested that the point was still open for consideration. If'the percentage reduction should affect salaries of loss than £3OO a year, requests are likely to reach the' Government from both sides of the House for a graduated reduction, on the ground that a flat rate hits the small-salaried men more severely than the high-salaried man. BOYS’ AGRICULTURAL CLUBS. A petition of AV. Stuart Wilson, of AVellington, urging that the Alinister of Agriculture should "as soon, as possible give effect to the decision of the. Government and the House with regard to the promotion of agricultural clubs for lx>ys,” was on Friday sent back io the House by the Select Committee to which it had been referred. The committee expressed the opinion that the movement for the establishment of the clubs was making excellent progress. It had no recommendation to make. forestry bill. The Native Affairs Committee, after considering that part of the Forestry Bill which deals with Alaori forests, reported to the House on Friday that it had no amendments to suggest. The Bill may come forward for its second reading to-morrow. RETRENCHMENT. Air. W. H. Field (Otaki) has given notice to ask the Prime , Alinister “whether relief cannot be granted in the form of re-employment at the earliest possible date to recently retrenched Public servants, who were efficiently performing useful and necessary work, who have children or other relatives dependent upon them, and'who and whose dependants are at present in circumstances approaching destitution. SOLDIERS’ GRAVES. Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston) is asking the Minister of Defence if he can state definitely when the permanent headstones for returned soldiers’ graves who have died in New Zealand will ba available. Notwithstanding the decision of the Government to take over Ihe responsibility of soldiers’ graves the Palmerston North returned soldiers have carried out all the necessary work of concrete, etc., of twelve soldiers’ graves and now only await the supply of headstones. THE BUTTER OUTPUT.

Sir John Luke (AVellington North) is asking the Alinister in charge of the Imperial Government Supplies Department- "(1) Whether his attention has been drawn to public statements, made by those advocating the dairy farmers interests, that the whole of last season s output of New Zealand butter could have been sold in the English market independent of any action of the New Zealand Government in connection with the subsidy granted? (2) Whether he will enlighten the public ns to the causes that resulted in no less than 2a1,029 boxes of butter being in the stores m New Zealand on Afareli 31, 1921, awaiting shipment at a time when there was no lock of shipping*