MINISTERIAL ANSWERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20006, 3 August 1939, Page 10

MINISTERIAL ANSWERS

QUERIES BY MEMBERS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Plouse of Representatives yesterday afternoon considered Ministerial replies to questions. In a written reply to a question by Mr. A. E. Jull (Nat., Waipawa), who asked whether his attention had been drawn to a letter published in a Wellington paper signed by Mr. Arthur Cook, a member of the Royal commission considering the sheepfarming industry, criticising ihe Farmers’ Union, the Prime Minister, the Rt, Hon. M. J. Savage, said he understood Mr. Cook, in his capacity general secretary Of the New Zealand Workers’ Union replied to die statements made at a conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union by Mr. W. W. Mulholland. Mr. Cook regarded these statements as an attack on the New Zealand Workers’ Union. It was not considered that his action of defending the union had rendered him in any way unfit to be a member of the i Royal commission mentioned.

In reply to a question by Dr. D.* G. McMillan (Lab,, Dunedin West), who asked whether New Zealand would adopt a proposal similar to the one used toy Britain to obtain overseas funds in time of financial stringency by compelling British holders to sell overseas securities, Mr. Savage said he did not consider it advisable to take the action suggested. While the statistics- were unavailable at the moment, it was reasonably certain, he added, that the amount o'f sterling investments held by people ordinarily domiciled in New Zealand was relatively small, and there was a much greater volume of New Zealand investments held by British investors.

The House discussed the questions and departmental reports for the remainder of the afternoon.