JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1920, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. Ministers replies to a fortnight Vs oc- ; uni illations of questions were circulated to-day. They contain various items if interest. Mr Massey has been considering the investment of sinking funds in the purchase of war bonds so that holders mla[y Ire protected from having to sell at big discounts, and definite proposals will be included in the Finance Bill. Government has urged the Imperial authorities to lend all possible nssistance to continental woollen mills to increase their output, in order to absorb the accumulated stocks of wool. The Government is prepared to erect headstones of the standard pattern on graves of soldiers who died in New Zealand, as a. result of war service. Legislation will be introduced to meet cases of local bodies which cannot raise the money required for works at the authorised rate of interest. Legislation increasing payments under the workers compensation is under consideration, and will be introduced this session. The Government will not subsidise any war memorial outside the national war memorial. WAlt REGULATIONS. When the Legislative Council received the War Regulation Continuance Bill from tile House, the Attorney-Gen-eral (Sir F. D. Bell) stated lie intended to move to include in the Bill the Vegulations excluding aliens from wharves. These regulations were revoked some time 'ago, but the police have reported that the presence of aliens on wharves is harmful, and Government wishes to return to the conditions prevailing during the war, when .aliens were not permitted to work or loiter on the wharves. COAL PRODUCTION. The House spent some time discussing coal production this afternoon, opportunity being provided by the representation of the report on the State coal mines. Members urged that with the enormous quantities of coal easily accessible, New Zealand ought not to be troubled Ijy a continuous coal shortage. They suggested t)iat' speculators were being allowed to get possession of rich, "easily worked areas. Mr TVfassev ill the course of a brief

.LYJ.r JVLrtHpcy 111 WIC..V-VIUUV/ “ reply, said the shortage of coal was worid-widp, apd fhp cpuse was not always easy to discover. No country m thp world was bptter of! in the matte,b of coal-fields than New Zealand. He agreed that 3 coalfield extended right across the North Island fPeni Huntly to Mokau. Speculators had not got these and so far as he was concerned they would not get it. The number of miners in the Dominion’s coal-mines had fallen from 4599 to 3944 in the last 10 years,' hut .lie was informed that some men were now returning to the mines whp had left the mines because the go-slpw policy was being forced on themSCHOOL OF FORESTRY. Mr Seddon (Westland) asked the Minister ip charge of the Forestry Department'w|i,ether in view of the enormous tracts pf cpuijtry set aside m Westland, Otago, Southland, Mai - borough and Nelson ns State forests, and recognising that for years to come . « i.L irvr +.nn I/O*

when timber in other parts ot tnc uu,minion wall be ,cut out, and the isaw•milliim industry in these provinces will : |,e thrivipg, lie will consider the advisa hility of attaching fhe Sphpp) pf Forestry to one .of the South Island University Colleges. Hou Guthrie replied that the question of the location of the School of Forestry is 4 till under the consideration I of the Government. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. WELLINGTON, Sept. 3. Mr Masgev nnoved the second reading nf 'tlmCiviV List Bill this gyenipg and for once found himself m accosd w ith all sections of the House. This Bill .proposes that members of the House shall be paid £450 instead of £3OO, and members of Council £3OO instead of Mr Massey reminded members that the House recommended the increase last year and that the matter was before the electors at the general election. He rl that in addition, provision.

believed xu»w tvvxv%A should be made for superannuation payment,s to ex-members with long service. Ministers }>a.J proposed to increase their owh salaries. They felt this to be a matter for. the House. Mr Massey indicated that if members wished to increase Minister’s salaries there would be no opposition from thg Government. The discussion that followed indicated that the House wag unanimous m supporting the increase, though some members' believed that Government bad not gope far enough am* %y were disposed to regard £SOO as a nice round sum. A special payment to the Leader of the Opposition a«d extension of the duration of Parliament were among other suggestions made. Mr Massey stated before the Bin vas read a second time that he intend'd to propose to set up a joint conimitee representing both houses to consider *h e Bill and make suggestions for its mprovements. military service.

1 All!i- ’ rThe Military Service Amendment Bill introduced to-day is designed primarily to transform offences against the Army Act ass detailed in Military Service Act of 1916, into offences against the Military Service Act. By the original measure these breaches of the “Offences against the Army Act and punishable lccordingly,” which would require them ro he tried and punished by military courts. That clause is struck out andj liero is substantial for it the .words 'shall be deemed to be offence aginst bis act,” Offionces thus treated are lesertion by a man who remained in lew Zealand after his unit had proceedd abroad, and by a man who left New ienlnnd with the object of avoiding miliary service, a man who made false declaration in his attestation papers is also lade an offender under the Amendment x t where previously he was guilty of breach of the regulations made under he principal Act.