PARLIAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 5 December 1927, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO-OAY’B SITTING. LOANS FROM STATE ADVANCES OFFICE. (Per Press association). Parlament Buildings, December «. The House of Representatives met at 11 o'clock. Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) gave notice of his intention to introduce the Legislative Council Abolition Bill. Replying to Mr R. W. Smith (Watmerino), the Minister of Finance said that loans from the State Advances Office were considered by the Board as speedily as possible, having regard to the money in sight, but it was obvious that menry must be available before an applicant can bo notified that his loan baa been granted. Replying to Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt), the Minister of Finance said the_ country was now paying about £250.000 a month under the State Advances Act. and that, he thought, was quite reasonable. If it were argued that everyone should get all the money they required, he desired to sav that that was not feasible, eepeclallv if the Government was to be constantly charged with over-bor-rowing GIRLS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE. On presentation of the Public Service Commissioner’s report. Mr P. Eraser (Wellington Central) said it had been represented to him that grave discrimination was being exercised against girls entering the nublic sbrvice. He thought that if girls were permitted to enter the service they should have a fair chance of rising in the service. The Prime Minister stated that the Fmeral policy in connection with the üblic Service was a fair chance for all. There were, however, certain positions which men could fill better than women beyond that he knew of no discri anmation. The House then went into Committee of Supply, when the balance of the Supplementary Estimates were passed without discussion. On the item unauthorised expenditure (£37,2861, Mr. Fraser asked what had been done to meet the extraordinary expenditure caused by the efforts of hospital boards to meet the demands made upon their funds by unemployment relief. The Minister of Health said a validating clause had been passed in the Finance Act which would enable local bodies to arrange their finance for this purpose. So far as he was •ware the machinery provided was working satisfactorily in various cities, inasmuch that he had no complaints in this connection. The Government, of course, was finding half the money. THE FINAL STAGE. The final stage of the session was then entered upon by the introduction, by Governor-General’s message, of the Appropriation Bill, authorising the expenditure of moneys voted on general public works and supplementary estimates. In moving the second reading, the Minister of Finance said the Bill was unusually short ai.d merely carried out the decisions of the House. ELECTION PETITIONS. Mr. Fraser raised the question of expenditure on the Legislative Council which, in view of the Council’s treatment of recent' legislation, he thought excessive lie further contended, in the cas» of election petitions, if they were not frivilous, the country should pay the expenses. The petitions in connection with the Lyttelton and Westland seats were such that it was clearly the duty of the State to meet the' expenses. Messrs. Forbes, Smith and Willard supported this view. Mr McCombs, said that the magistrate who conducted the recount m Lyttelton would hare given costs against the Crown if he could have done so. but the law did not allow him to do so. The law should be altered, otherwise everyone who stood for Parliament might find himseld mulcted in expenditure of from £3OO to £4OO through no fault of

his own. Mr Seddon regretted that no provision had been made for payment of these election petition expenses, because the candidates concerned were forced into the position by their respective political parties, and, win or lose, they were bound to be involved in heavy expense. ELEMENT OF JUSTICE.

The Hon. A. D. McLeod said there was an element of justice in the arguments used, and invoked an L amendment of the general Act that " was a big matter, and he was collecting information regarding it. That information was not complete, but he doubted if the State should make itself liable for all errors of Sdgment on the pan of its officers. owever. the matter had to be settled on general, not particular, lines, and he would give a promise that the matter would be considered at the next session. Discussion on the subject then dropped. UPPER HOUSE REAPPOINTMENTS. On item one in the first schedule, Mr McCombs brought up tne question of the reappointment of certain members of the Legislative Council, but bis method of dealing with the matter was ruled out of order, and the subject was not continued. The bill was reported from committee without amendment, read the third time and passed. The House then adjumed till 3.30.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILThe Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m. to-day. The Managers appointed to confer with representatives of the House in regard to the Licensing Amendment Hill reported a further disagreement The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was received from the House and put through all stages and passed. Replying to a question, the Hon. Sir Francis Bell said it did not prevent the Court from remedying defects which parties affected might wiah. to have attended to.