Question & Answer in House

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 47, 18 November 1937, Page 3

Question & Answer in House

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WOOL FOR JAPAN Company Donations To Political Funds RADIO PRIVILEGES

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I t WELLINGTON, Last Night. j Tae House of Representatives meb this afternoon and devoted its consideration to questions ^ asked durmg j the session and Ministerial replies. Replying to a question hy Dr. D. G. | McMillan (Govt.— Dunedin West), who , asked whether he would introduce legislation requiring company direetors to obtain the approval of the maj'ority of shareholders before shareholders Eunds were donated to political parties, the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Bavage, said- the matter would receire eonsideration. If Dr. McMillan would supply details . of donations that had aot been disclosed in the accounts of any company or had been wrongfully described, the Prime Minister said he would arrange for inquiries to be made. . Asked by Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Opp.— Riccarton) whether in view of thei attitude of waterside workers towards the export.of scrap iron to Japan the Government would ensure • shipments or -wool to Japan would not be stopped, Mr Savage stated that the embargo on the export of scrap metal was general and was not * directed particularly against any country. . The Government ■was not aware of any policy that wonld interfere with- the sale of: wool to Japan pr its export to; that country. Saturday ;Half-Holiday. | The Minister ofr Labour, 'Ron. H. T. 'Armstrong, answering a question. by -Mr A.'G.'Hultquist, said' the question of a WvArsaL Saturday. half-holiday would receive eonsideration when -the proposed review of - the .Shops- and.Offices Act was ' being • undertaken. > • . The Minister 'of- Internal Affairs, Hon. W. E. Parry, announ'ced' that in any . future 'eonsideration .of film- publicity- as.affiecting, children - the Government -would investigate the. desirability of establishing - a children's . cinema council such as that suggested by Mr C. H. Burnett (Govt.— Tauranga) -in - the question asked by-him. -• > ■ - An'- announcement that there .wero items on the estimates to provide a cost of living bonus for recipients of low superannuation payments was made by the - Prime Minister in replying to & question by Mr H. Atmore (Ind,— Nel-^ gon), - who asked if the Governmentj would consider supplementing • the in-; comes of such superannuitants. 1 t Mr W. J. Polson (Opposition— Strat-1 ford) asked whether the Minister ofEducation was aware that a member of' the staff of ono of the training colleges, 6peaking from 2YA re.cently, had made a statement that, while one heard of bombings in China, one did not.hear of women and • children • killed by British bombings on the North-west Frontier of Tndia. Hon. P..'Fraser, in reply, ' said the gentleman in question had spoken as. aprivate individual, and there was no' reason for any action. or . comment by. the Minister of Eduction on the matter. The Government had * no intention of Instituting or encouraging victimisation;

or pcrsecution of teachers or other public servants for their expression of opinions on controversial subjects.. Public servants . had the same- civil rights as other citizens. Replying to a question by Mt J. Har-. gest (Opposition— Awarua) concerning the action of the crew of the motor-ship; Port Tauranga, who walked off the ship, leaving it in imminent peril from the rising seas,'Hon. P. Fraser, as Minister of Marine, said the action and attitude of the crew in the circumstances were 'to.be deplored and - were condemned by tbe Seamcn's Union. The master of the ship- could have takeb. action against the men if ho desired to do so, but he had decided not to and the Minister considered the'present law, if .invoked, was adequate. It would not be neccssary to amend the law or take any further steps at present. Re-sale by Germany. The Minister of Customs, Hon. "W. Nash, replying to a question by. Mr W. J. . "Broadfoot (Opposition — ^Waitomo) whether eonsideration had . been given or precautjon taken preventing Germany from re-selling, say, butter and apples, taken in exchange or barter for Germari manufactured . goot}s, - said the procedure mentioncd would not be in accordance with the agreement. Asked by Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition — Christchurch North); whether he would give 4 the • Opposition the" same privilege .of broadcasting bulletins as Iwas granted to the Prime Minister 's Eepartment, Mr • Savage stated it • was not intended'to make any alteration in 'the present procedure. Questioned by Mr K. J. Holyoake •(Opposition — Motueka) regarding construc'tion woik on t the Midland Railway, the Minister of Public "Works, Hon. R. Semple, said the survey party had not . yet completed its investigations, and until these were finished it would not be possible to consider the matter further. Insurance Abroafl. 'Roferring to a question by Rt Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition — Baipara) whether the Government inteuded to introduce legislation preventing New Zealand nationals from attempting '0 lAace insurance business in England without hrst making large deposits, Mr Savage stated there was nothing in the law requiring a deposit frop persons affecting fire and accident insurances on their properties with oversea insurance companies not r'epresented in New Zealand and there was no intention of amendirig the law in this respect. . It is not proposed ta set up a Parliamentary committee to investigate the number and class of contracts for in..duatriai insurance. polici.ei is. , th|

Dominion, said Mr Savage, replying to a question by Mr A. S. Eichards (Govt. — Roskill) to that effeet. Mr Savage added that the question of any amendment in the industrial insurance law would be cousidered by the Government with the fcational superannuation proP Asked by Mr Holyoake whether tliero was any ncw plan to be put into operation for the future marketing of Kew Zealand produce, the. Minister of Marketing, Hon. "W. Nash, said the marketing of butter and cheeso was being conducted on the new procedure adopted by'the'Primary Products Marketing Department in 1936. No material changes in this system were at present contemplatcd. . •