PARLIAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 30 November 1927, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEES' REPORTS ADOPTED SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. Wellington, November 29. The House ot Representatives met at 2,30 p.m. to-day. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) gave notice of his intention to introduce the Unemployed Workers’ Bill. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Cenral) moved for leave to introduce the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Bill. In doing s o, he said the purpose of the bill was to allow British women who were married to aliens to retain their nationality. The bill was read the first time. A large number of Parliamentary committees brought down their final reports, which were adopted. Tile Minister of Mines moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Coal Mines Amendment Bill be disagreed with. This was agreed to. and Mr H. E Holland, Mr J. Horn and the Minister were appointed managers to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendments. The House then went into committee on the Supplementary Estimates. COST OF SAMOAN COMMISSION Tlie Leader of the Opposition osked for an explanation of the item £315, professional services in connection with the Samoan petition. He said the committee hearing the petition sat for only ten days. There was no need to en<m"e expensive counsel, and vet more was being spent on this item for a few days than a member’s net salary amounted to for a whole year. It only shows how easy money was got in New Zealand, even though it was not earned. Mr T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) asked the Minister of Education whether it was intended to pass the University of New Zealand Bill, since it was necessary to complete the legislation of last year. He was sorry he could not congratulate the Government on the wav they handled the business of the session. In former years the Supplementary Estimates were almost the last thing done before the Appropriation Bill was brought down, but this year they knew there was important legislation yet to come down. For instance, there was the Finance Bill. The Hon. W. D. Stewart: That wij] be down to-night. Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch East) said that if a New Zealand representative was goimr to the copyright conferences at Rome, he hoped

he would do something to check the operations of that octopus that now was claiming the copyright over all classes of music and trying to stop anyone singing, whispering or whistling. Mr G. W. Forbes. Leader of the 'Nationalists, protested against the House being asked to pass the Supplementary- Estimates without knowing what business was coming before the House Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill) said that before the Supplementary Estimates came before the House they should have been sent to the Finance Committee, where they could be carefully examined. FAIR AND JUST. The Hon. W. Nosworthy said the £585 set down as the cost of the Minister’s visit to Samoa was the lowest it could be done for. and if experience proved he had not done a good piece of work for New Zealand, he was prepared to submit to the most severe criticism the Leaner of the Opposition could level at him. The £3OOO set down as the cost of the Samoan Royal Commission was only an estimate of the cost; it might be less, it might be more. This vote was only to cover the rough cost of,the commission. The charge of £315 for counsel appearing before the Samoan Committee was. he thought, fair and just to the country.

Mr D. G, Sullivan (Avon) regretted that the Government had made no provision for representation on the International Labour Conference at Geneva. New Zealand was practically the only country in the world that was not taking advantage of this opportunity to discuss labour problems from a world point of view, Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) advocated the appointment of a liaison officer at the British Foreign Office, who would keep the New Zealand Government informed as to international movements and developments, as was the case in Australia and, be understood. Canada. Mr Fraser asked the Government to say what steps they proposed to take to cope with possible unemployment which may arise during the recess

The Hon. G. .1. Anderson said tho Government had not arranged to semi a labour delegate to Geneva on tho ground ol expense. He could not see what return the country would get lor this expenditure. The Primo

Minister had. however, promised to go into .the question and would let the next Labour Conference know what his decision would be. So far as unemployment was concerned, there were now 1600 men on the books. Some of these were not easy to employ, but general unemployment was on the decrease.

Mr. H, I. Armstrong (Christchurch East) declared that it was a disgrace that New Zealand should remain the only country outside' the Labour Conference at Geneva, VOTES PASSED For an hour and a-half after the supper adjournment, the committal discussed the salaries of • messengers and committee clerks of the House, the Minister promising to take various cases into consideration. The first vote was passed at 11 p.in. Tho following votes were then passed: — Prime Minister’s Department £235. Treasury £BB. National Provident Fund £232, Land and Income Tax Department £2214, Stamp Dutice £2726, Post an ( l Telegraph Department £4210. Public Buildinrrs £445, maintenance of roads £21.446. main, tenance of irrigation works £10,400. Native Department £550, Department of External Affairs £4488. Cook Islands £4246 Department of Industries and Commerce £156. Department of Justice £lOOB. Prisons Do partment £9076 Crown Law Office £5l, Police Department £4318. Pensions Department £1648. Mines Department £992. Department of Internal Affairs £26,843, Audit Depart, ment £lOl, Public Service Commissioner’s Office, Printing and Stationery Department £3316, Mental Hospitals Department £5025. Department of Health £11,054, Naval Defence £1595, Defence Department £7399.. Customs Department £1778. Marine Department £5499, Department of Labour £231, Department of lan Is and ‘Survey £17,385. Scenery Preservation £lBO4. Valuation Department £2353, Electoral Department £P<, Department of Agriculture 1.26,769. Department of Tourist and Health Resorts £775. Department of Education £33,446, Department of Scientific nnd Industrial Research £825. Votes totalling £206,547 were passed by 11.30 p.m. Progress was reported wnim s.'»eral separate accounts had to i>o passed. The Prime Minister’s statement regarding the Licensing Rill (reported in another colnmni followed after which the House rose at ().4G a.m till 2.30 p in. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

BILLS PASSED. The Legislative Council met. at 2.3(1 p. m.to-day. The Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill, Public Works Amendment Bill and Napier Barbour Board Empowering Luao mid Con. stitution Amendment Bill were received from the House and read the first time, the two latlei measures being referred to the local Bills Committee. The Education Reseives Amendment Bill was passed without amendment, after an attempt bv Ihe Hon. D T. Fleming to delete the clause providing that t.ue leasing powers of the trustees of high schools shall be subject to the approval of the Minister had been defeated hv 18 to 11. It was decided to insist on the amendments made by the Council in the Rent Restriction Continuance Bill, and managers were appointed to meet representatives of the House on the matter. The Government Railway Amendment Hill. Native Land Amendment and Native Land Cmnns Adjustment Bill, Reserve and Other Lands Dis posal Bill, and Public Works Amendment Bill were put through their final stages and passed without amendment. The Insurance Companies Deposit, Amendment Bill was read the second time. The Council adjourned at < 40 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.