PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VIEWS AT GEHEVA [Per United Puess Association.] WELLINGTON, October 1. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr M'Combs asked the Prime Minister if the Government’s attention had been drawn to the statement that New Zealand had not ratified any of the conventions of the International Labour Conference, and, if it was correct, would the Government consider taking suitable action? ' Mr Savage, in reply, said the question of ratifying the various draft conventions of the conference had been under consideration, but the Government’s legislative programme had precluded the possibility of any action being taken during the current year. The matter would be brought up for consideration when the legislative programme for next session was under review-. Mr Coates asked the Prime Minister whether the views expressed at Geneva by Mr Jordan regarding sanctions represented the policy of the New Zealand Government. . Mr Savage, in reply, said the views of the New Zealand Government on the reform of the Covenant of the League of Nations were laid on the table of the House on September 9. The views expressed by_ Mr Jordan on New Zealand’s participation in a complete and automatic system of collective security, as reported in the Press cables, did not seem in any way inconsistent with that statement. The desirability of licenses being ■granted to hostels at scenic resorts to sell liquor was stressed when the Rev. CJyde Carr, chairman of the Public Petitions Committee, reporting on petitions praying that such licenses should be granted, recommended that the petitions represented matters of policy and should be referred to the Government for consideration. The Railway Authorisation Bill,which Mr Semple explained was a measure to authorise deviation of the New Plymouth railway near Turakina was introduced and read a first time. The Main Highways Amendment Bill was introduced. Mr Semple explained that the Bill gave authority to the Government to take contro 1 under the Main Highways Board of 4,000 miles of main arterial road. It had been found necessary to take the authority, as they could nqt plan ahead without it. The taking over of the highways would, relieve the counties. Some of them had played the game, some had not; consequently there were gaps in the highways. The counties would be saved £BO,OOO to £IOO,OOO a year and they would be under, n»~ liability for the future maintenance or construction of those 4,000 miles of main highway. The Bill would give counties that had played the game certain concessions. In soma of those counties it would he necessary to make still further improvements, and if it meant that they _ would have to raise money, their- indebtedness would grow instead of diminishing, and under the Bill they. would be exempt from that, and the Highways Board would take over. The Bill was read a first time. The second reading debate on the Industrial Efficiency Bill began. It it reported elsewhere in this issue. The House rose at midnight till Tuesday afternoon because of to-morrow’t functions connected with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce.