Parliamentary News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 August 1916, Page 3

Parliamentary News

JLtEPLri 1.0 iu £>I±IPPL\ o i-'AOlLdilJia. .Air Hudson to ask the Prime Minister, Whether ho can give information regarding the prospects -of (shipping facilities to isouth American ports during tlio early months of 1U17; also whether any information is available as to direct steamer freight to A'ew Orleans through the Panama. Canal The Jit. Hon. VV. I l '. Maasey replied,: it is impossible to give definite information as to shipping to American ports at present, but it is unlikely that steamers from New Zealand will call there during the war. As regards New Orleans, the shipping companies would doubtless give the matter favourable consideration if sufficient cargo were promised. ABOUT HOOTS. Mr Payne to ask the Prime Mmis--10- 3 whether the Taw is in active operation which provides that New Zealand boot manufacturers shall mark boots ami slices in such a matter a« to sliou whether they are of leather, or part leather and part cardboard;" or part leather and what is railed "cotnpo," *0 that people may know what they are buying? (Note.—The member for Grey Lynn's attention has been called to a pair of children's boots, bought in Wellington a few weeks, and the waist, of one of' the pair has broken down, showing that the waist of the boot was mainly eon- I | strncted oF cardboard, a sinaTl piece of steel being inserted to give that stiffness which should be imparted by sound leather). The Rt. Hon. Mr Massey replied: Yes, the law i 6 in active operation throughout Xew Zealand, but the Act does not require that boots the soles of which consist entirely of leather shall be branded, the brandling being ntxvssary only when substitutes for. leather are used in the soles. In regard to the instance quoted, it should be noted that the Act sp.-eiolly exempts the tilling of the shank or waists of footwear, and it is generally considered that a steel shank-piece attached to a piece of "cornpo" and used as a combined shank-piece and filler is not detrimental to a boot. The Department would, however, be glad to be informed as to whether the boots in question may be 6een, so that an examination of them may be made. RECRUITS.

Mr Young, to ask the .U in is tor of Defence, whether he hias had brought under his notice tho difficult and disappointing position many recruits arc 'ikely t-o be placed in by reason of the notice issued to recruiting officers that fill men whoso condition necessitated hr.epitnl treatment prior to being accepted should he deterred for six months alter hospital treatment? (Note. —An Auckland! doctor who lias

been operating on recruits for varicocele and allied complaints ever since the war brok" out is reported to have stated of a recruit rejected at Auckland on Saturday, the IGwi July, tlmt it would require an operation of only a few minutes to set him ri;ibt. an ! that there was no Teason why the nunii could not be fit for camp in a fortnight).

The Flon. Mr Alien replied : A "circnl.ir hais been sent to all districts re examination of recruits which read ;is follows: "In future nr'dical examiners of recruits should be very careful in recommending would-be recruits for

operations for varicose veins, varicoeei.

hernia, hallux valgus, etc., which are sufficiently severe to render them unfit For service without operation. Experience has proved that many of these cases do not do well after operation, and certainly none should be accepted for service till at least .six months liavt elapsed from the date they were operated upon." PEN«TO*N T a. Mr Wright, to ask the Minister of Defence, Whether he is aware that officers im the Xew Zealand Expeditionary Forces have been transferred to the Imperial Forceo, and that where those officers have fallen or have been reported missing, the New Zealand dependants have been refused the pension?

The Hon. Mr Allen replied: Officers have beeiU translerred to the Imperial l'oices, iuid when so transferred they become subject to Imperial pensions. PAjSSPOKIS. Mr W. li. i'ieid, to ask tlie Minister ol Internal Aifairs, Whether he nas arrived at any definite decision or policy as to the issue oi passports or permits to young men wiio are anxioui-. to enter tiie imperial service as mo-tor-drivers or otherwise, lor whom positions there are already waiting, who are either returned soldiers discharged ;us unfit for farther ordinary militaiy service, or have failed throng.i minor physical defects to pass the medical test for enlistment, and who, moved by ardent patriotism, are de-