PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1920, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

[jUSJI PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIOIIT.]

THE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, Juno I'D. The Legislative Council met at 2130 p.m.

A motion of condolence with the widow ol' tlie late George Randall Johnstone was passed. Hon Triggs gave notice of his intention to move the Addresa-in-Roply. The Council rose at 2.43 p.in. until 8 p.m.

The Council resumed at 8 p.m. passed tlie Imprest Supply Rill, and adjourned at 8.5 p.m.

THE HOUSE. The House met at 2.30 p.m. An Imprest Supply Rill for ,03,0(13,500 including £'ooo,ooo for Nauru Island and £500,000 for Soldiers’ Settlement, was passed through all stages. An Amendment hy Mr Holland expressing disapproval of Government’s lailure vo provide proportional representation and measures to mitigate the high cost of living, and carry out public works was defeated hy 30 to 10. The House rose at 5.15 till 2.30 to-mor row.

NEW COUNCILLORS. WELLINGTON, This Day. The new members of the Legislative Council are to be: Hon E. VI. .M itehellson of Auckland.

Colonel If. .1. Smith, late Commandant of Sling Camp. .Mr .Mark Cohen, formerly editor of the Dunedin “Star.” .Mr E. Clark, a former member of the House .for Chalmers. .Mr R. Scott, former member for Otago Central.

Mr P. J. Nerheny. member of Auckland City Council. Tt is understood Messrs Smith and Nerheny were Liberal recommendations, during the life of the National Government.

LEGISLATIVE, COUNCIL.

THE new; appointments. (i’er Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day

It has already been announced that Government intends to appoint some half dozen members to the Legislative Council. It may now be suggested with some 'degree of certainty who these new members are to hi'. In the first- place two members who retired on June 27tli by iffluxion of time are to be appointed, namely: Hon C. A. C. Hardy and W. Earnshaw. The new members, it is understood will be Hon. E. Mitehelson, (.Auckland), a former member of the House and of tb© Ministry ; Col. G. -1. Smith, member of the Council until 1914 and sonic-thud Commandant at Sling Camp during the war. Mr -Mark Cohen, Editor of the Dunedin “Star.” Mi- E. Clark who represented Chalmers from 19DS to 1914 in the House of Representatives. Mr If. Scott,, who sat for many years in tlie House for Otago Central and was defeated at tlie last eleSjtion for Wakatipu, his own seat having disappeared, owing to an alteration of boundaries and .Mr P. J. Nerheny, a retired builder and contractor of Auckland and member of the City Council and other local bodies. It is understood that two of these appointments were agreed upon in the days of the National Government, and that both of them were made at the instance of Sir Joseph Ward’s side of the Government, and that the two lie recommended were Colonel Smith and Nerhenv.

NEW S CON FIR MED. WELLINGTON, This Day. The suggested appointments to the Legislation Council are now confirmed. Tlie appointments will be announced in the Council this afternoon. The new members take their seats on Tuesday.

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) THE HOUSE MEETS. WELLINGTON, June 29. When the House met this afternoon the Minister for Internal Affairs gave notice to introduce—The New Zealand Standard Time Bill, The Revocation of Naturalisation Amendment Bill and The Registration of Aliens Amendment Bill. STANDARD TIME. The first named Bill proposes to fix New Zealand time at twelve hours ahead of Greenwich, instead of eleven and a half hours, as at present. If it is carried, all clocks will be put forward half an hour. IMPREST SURREY BILL. An Imprest Supply Bill was then introduced. It provides, in addition to the ordinary state services, a vote oi £SOO,OtH) for soldiers’ settlement, and £OOO,OOO for the completion of the Nauru and Ocean Island purchase. WANT OF CONFIDENCE. Mr Holland, (Leader of the Labour Party), seized the opportunity to move a want of conlidence in the following form.—“ That this House expresses its disapproval of the failure of the Government to make adequate provision for the fuller representation of the people by means of the system of proportional repersentation; the failure of the Government to efficiently combat the high and increasing cost of living • the failure of the Government to provde homes for the people; the failure of the Government to ensure adequate coal and other fuel supplies; the failure of the Government to proceed with the necessary public works. Mr Holland proceeded to quote tig ores to show that the Reform Party had won a majority of seats with a minority of the votes cast at the general election. He insisted that the Labour Party was entitled on its voting at the election, to 19 seats, whereas it actually held only eight.

Mr Holland also accused Government of failing to solve the coal problem. He spoke for fifteen minutes, and then allowed the motion to go to a division, without further debate.

This obviously was disconcerting to some of the Liberals and Independents, who did not wish either to vote with the Government, or to follow Labour. The Liberal Leader (Mr Macdonald) was among the members who left the Chamber. THE AMENDMENT LOST.

Mr Holland’s amendment was de- j feat by 39 votes to 16. The members who voted with the eight official Labour members were Atmoro, ' Masters, Poland, Seddon, Sidey, S. G. Smith, Thacker apd Eeitch.

WANT OF CONIDENOE. j THE DIVISION LIST. The division list on Mr Holland's want of confidence motion was as follows : For the Amendment (1(1). Atmore Ha i t,ram Fraser Holland Howard McCombs 5 Master* Parry Poland Savage Seddon S. G. Smith Sidoy Sullivan Thacker Veilcli Agtiinst the Amendment (39). A ndorson R i tch one r Bollard Burnett Coates Craigie J. McC. Dickson. Field Glenn Guthrie J, R. Hamilton Harris Hurries Hockley Hudson Hunter Jones Lee Luke Lysnar McCallum McLeod Malcolm Marnier .Massey Mitchell Nash Dr Newman E. Newman Nosworthy I’arr Potter Reid T. W. Rhodes Sialham Sykes Uni Wright Young QUESTIONS. Many questions were put to Ministers before the Imprest .Rill-was passed. ILon W. F. Massey stated that the payment of £5(10,(X)0 had to be made immediately, lor New Zealand’s share of Nauru Islands and Ocean Island. The ■shipment of phosphates to the Dominion might be commenced within a few weeks. Ministers were pressed to say. if the vote of £SOO,OU(J would enable soldiers' settlement to proceed at the old rate. -Messrs Massey and Gulinie, replied rather indefinitely. They said that the vote, with tlie money now in hand would enable the Repatriation Department to carry on, until Parliament hail considered the whole question. Parliament would have to decide what money could be made available in the future. NO’ CUSTOMS ALTERATIONS. Several members suggested amendments in the customs tariff. Hoii W. if. Merries stated that a Customs Rill would be introduced next session. He did not propose trf touch the tariff in the meantime. The Imprest Rill passed through all its stages in two hours, and the House then adjourned until to-morrow, after passing formal resolutions relating to deceased members. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. OTJRA TUNNEL.

June 29. Mr Seddon asked in the House today if Government had yet ordered the electrical plant for the working oi the Otira tunnel. He said it was highly desirable that there should be no delay when the tunnel was completed. The Minister for Public Works (Hon J. G. Coates) replied that tenders lor the plant had been called, tfhe time had been extended, but tenders would close within a few days, and he had no doubt that the plant would be ready by the time the tunnel was completed. Ilis Department was making its arrangements with this object. REEFTON-INAN GAHUA TRAINS. Mr Holland urged the Minister for Railways to arrange lor the regular daily running of trains between Reeiton and Inangahua Junction. He stated that the line was available and the people were greatly inconvenienced by the present inadequate train service. Hon. W. F. Massey said lie would inquire regarding the matter.