PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 August 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

NEW PLYMOUTH EXPRESS. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. Ihe member for Egmont has' been officially informed that it is not possible under the present time-table to arrange for the New Plymouth mail train to arrive earlier at Wellington than it is now scheduled to arrive. CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS’ PAY. Mr Hawken has been informed by the Minister of Public Works: On assumption that the work done by cooperative contractors would he measured up and that all usual proceedings regarding lialf-pay to wives were carried out fortnightly the additional-cost ot this would be about £IO,OOO a. year under the exitsing workers’ agreement. In cases of necessity the men can get advances up to 75 per cent, of their earnings, and as many ot them pay no rent and can get credit from the departmental canteens, cookhouses, etc., the alteration does not appear to be warranted. Men working m the cities are already paid fortnightly. LAND FOR TREES.. 1 TARANAKI PROSPECTS. The Minister of Lands was urged by Mr Hawken to have till lands in his hands in the Taranaki Province that are unfit for any other purpose than that of growing trees put on the market so tliat local bodies and others may have an opportunity of obtaining land for the purpose of'afforestation. The Minister has replied: It is estimated that in Taranaki an area of about 2000 acres of ordinary Crown land may be' suitable for tree planting. This land is mostly in the Qliura. district. In addition the estates acquired under the Lands for Settlement Act may contain isolated portion suitable for treeplanting, but no reliable estimate can be given at short notice, as the question as to whether the lands are more fitted for afforestation than settlement is a matter of opinion, and depends largely on the accessibility of the land for manurial treatment. ~ It is also suggested that local bodies or persons interested apply to the Taranaki Land Board for anv area considered suitable for tree-planting, when consideration in detail can be given to each application. TE ROTI-OPUNAKE LINE. Mr Hawken recently asked the Minister of Public Works whether he has any information that would enable him to fix the date when the Te Roti-Qpu-nake railway will he opened to Opunake, also whether it is intended to open any further section of this line in time for the dairy season this year.

The Minister replied that it is expected that this section of railway will be ready for traffic to Opunake in fifteen to eighteen months’ time. A further portion of line to Auroa station yard can be made available for traffic during the coming dairy season. HOSPITAL STAFF SUPERANNUATION. The member for Rangitikei having made inquiries of the Minister of Health whether it is the. intention of the Government to introduce legislation providing for the superannuation Of nurses, and, if so, will they consider the granting of the benefits of superannuation to women dispensers at public hospitals, has been informed that a Bill has been drafted and is at present under consideration. The Bill provides not only for nurses, but for all permanent hospital employees. GOITRE TREATMENT IN NEW ZEALAND. “What steps are being taken to deal with goitre, which the school medical officers have reported to be very prevalent in certain districts?” asked the member for Wallace recently. He has been informed bv the Minister for Health that investigations into the incidence of goitre, carried out in association with Professor Helens, of the Otago Medical School, are being conthe chief areas in New Zealand where this condition, is endemic. Such areas are found to lie those where the soil has a low iodine content. Facilities are now-being provided by which affected children in schools in the endemic areas may obtain treatment. The results so .far have been very encouraging, and some thousands of children are now receiving treatment.