USUAL BOMBARDMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22144, 26 September 1935, Page 17

USUAL BOMBARDMENT

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 25. The following written _ answers to questions were presented in the House this afternoon : Mr Hawke asked the Minister of Transport whether he will exempt from all taxation farm tractors used exclusively for cultivation of the soil. Mr Coates replied that at present all farm tractors are exempted from taxation provided they do not use the roads. The position of farm tractors which do use roads has changed in recent months, but not due to aiiy action taken ny the Government. Until this year successive Governments had arranged with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles that farm tractors used solely in connection with the owner’s fir™ would be permitted to use the public roads to proceed from one part of the owner’s farpi to another for distances not exceeding one mile. Provided these conditions were complied with there was no obligation to register or license a tractor under the Motor Vehicles Act. In April of this year the Controller and Auditor-General queried the validity of this arrangement, and it was necessary, therefore, to review the position of such tractors. In May last an Order-in-Council was issued by which tractors used on roads only in connection with the owner’s farm work are permitted to traverse the roads to an unlimited extent provided they are registered at a non-recurring cost of £l, and also insured against third party risks at an annual cost of 10s premium, and 2s for “ E ” plates. By this insurance the owner would be protected against third party claims for personal damages due to the tractor being used negligently on the roads. A refund of the road tax on motor spirits used in all agricultural tractors may be claimed, irrespective of the manner in which they are used. ROAD SUBSIDIES. Mr Kyle asked the Minister of Finance whether _ the Government will introduce legislation.; authorising the payment of a pound for pound subsidy on roads other than highways, instead of the present subsidy on rates. Mr Coates replied that it was not intended to deal with the question of altering the present basis of subsidy on rates this session. SKELETON WEED. Mr Kyle asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention had been drawn to the serious spread and ravages of the “ skeleton ” weed in Australia, and in view of the importance of the wheat growing industry in this Dominion, whether he will take what immediate action is necessary to prevent the importation of this serious menace in free of duty feeding barley and other stock foods imported into the Dominion from Australia. Mr Macmillan replied that the Department of Agriculture has kept in close touch with the spread of skeleton weed in Australia. It does not take the view that there is at present any danger in the importation of feed barley from Australia, inasmuch as the weed has not yet become established in barley areas of South Australia and Victoria, from which importation is made. Many lines of imported grain from Australia have been examined for the presence of weed seeds, without any'seeds of the skeleton weed being found. Arrangements have now been made for regular examinations of all importations. RELIEF PAY. Mr Stallworthy asked the Minister of Employment whether he will immediately issue instructions _ to all _ local bodies and persons receiving financial assistance from the Unemployment Board that, in all cases where accumulated hours of work without pay stand to the credit of men on relief works, tlie men shall be paid for the work done. Mr Smith replied: This is a question involving certain difficulties not at first apparent, but I have referred the matter to the Unemployment Board for investigation with a view to seeing what can be done. FRACAS AT CHATEAU. Mr Langstoue asked the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department whether he will inform tlie House as to tlie nature of the fracas that occurred on a recent Sunday night wherein the manager of the Chateau Tongariro was seriously injured, and had to be taken to Taumarunui Hospital, and why the Police Department has not taken action in the matter. Mr Hamilton replied that inquiries were being made by tlie police and were not yet complete. > Information received to the present indicated that the occurrence was greatly exaggerated. MILK PROTECTION. Mr Barnard asked whether the Government would, in the interest of public health, take steps to ensure that' all _ dairy cows are tested for tuberculosis? Mr Macmillan that the application to all dairy cows in the Dominion of a test for determining the presence of tuberculosis had been under examination by the Government. It had been shown that to carry it out would involve a great volume of work by trained men, and a heavy financial expenditure. Tlie question of how public health -can still further be safeguarded than under the existing inspection system, is having the present consideration of the Government. During the 1934-35 financial year 707 samples of mixed milk of individual herds were subjected to biological test for tuberculosis, and all except eight gave a negative result. STUDENT LOANS. v Mr Jones asked the Minister of Education whether the Government will take steps to remove the hardship, inflicted on training college students living away from home hy_ refunding the amounts' they have repaid of loans advanced, and also wiping out the amounts still owing. Mr Smith replied that when the question of training college students’ allowances is under review, consideration will be given to the representations made by Mr Jones and other interested parties. REPORTING SICK. Mr Veitch asked tlie Minister of Employment whether he will amend the regulations governing unemployment relief to provide that sustenance men who are ill may report by declaration instead of in person. Mr Smith replied that the purpose of the calls made at the employment bureaus by men on sustenance is to show their availability for employment. Persons who are ill are not available for employment, and are the responsibility of the hospital boards. The Unemployment Board has, however, been allowing relief recipients’ payments to continue during the first week of sickness, for the reason that it recognises that in many cases some days may elapse before the extent of an illness can be known; and, in order to enable the necessary application to be made to the district hospital board

during this first week of sickness, the Unemployment Board already makes whatever arrangement is reasonable in the particular circumstances to enable the applicant or his-representative to collect his sustenance allowance. BAN ON MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS. The Rev. Clyde Carr asked the Minister of Education whether he proposes to remove this session the ban on married women teachers. Mr Smith replied that the employment of married women in the State primary and post-primary _ schools of the Dominion is in the discretion of the appointing authorities, and it_ is not intended to introduce legislation to modify tho powers which they severally possess under the existing Acts and regulations.