PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1921, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

FROM THH PRESS GALLERY. (By our special reporter). WKLEINETON, March 11 labor amendment. When the House, met to-day the Leader of the Labor Party (Mr Holland) gave notice of a lengthy amendment to the Address-in-Reply. This

amendment will coino before the House after the Liberal Loader's amendment has been disposed of. .Mr Holland covers a yreat deal of ground. He suggests that in the ahsency of detailed reasons for the holding of the Imperial Conference and the provision for election of the New Zealand delegate by all the people, the Dominion ought to be represented by the High Commissioner who should have no power to commit the Dominion to any line of policy or to accept the responsibility for Imperial acts, the declaration of war etc..

until ;ill such matters have received tlu* sanction of both the people and Parliament in New Zealand. The- amendment proceeds to demand that the New Zealand delegate shall support the reduction of armaments and vote against all secret diplomacy, and advocate the granting of self determination to Ireland. India and Egypt. Finally it pretests against the proposal to appoint as Acting Prime. Minister an lion, gentleman who is not a member of the House of Representatives. , • i? ATE OP INTEREST. Mr Nash (Palmerston) suggested to Mr M assay that local bodies should be

:i 1 lowed to pay an increased rut,, of in- fl terest for loiin money. He mentioned six ])er cent. Mr Massey replied that lie did not think increasing the rate of inter«»st even to eight per cent, would solve the existing financial difficulties. The de- . maml for money would still exceed tip. supply and lie believed it was in the interest of the whole Dominion to keep Iln> rate of interest down. IX DE PENDENT LIBER A LS. Air AleCallum, (AVairatt) who is one nf the Independent Liberals had something to say about the official reporting of tln> Liberal caucus held yesterday. The report had said that all members of the Liberal Party were present or , accounted for. He had not attended or been asked to attend. He did not recognise .Mr Wilford as Leader of the , Liberal Party. .Mr AVilford was mere- j ly leader of a coterie of Liberals, and j the repwrt had been presumptions and

improper. .Ml? GILFORD EXPLAINS. Mr Wilford explained hriefly that the report had referred merely to members of the Liberal Party following his leadership. THE OBITI'ARY LIST. The House then spent air hour and a half in passing resolutions relating to mom hors and ex-members of the Legislatuie who had died since last suasion. An adjournment was made till Monday afternoon. The Legislative Council did not meet to-day hut will take its annual tangi on Monday. SHORTAGE OF TONNAGE. The Prime Minister lias received another cablegram from the High Commssioner with reference to the shortage of tonnage for refrigerated cargo. It state's that every effort .lias been made and is being made to increase the amount of tonnage available for loading in New Zealand. The Ministry f»r food in order to increase the space tor private cheese, has agreed to reduce tlic space allocated to March butter. ; Owing to the scarcity of N.Z. cargo | from England some steamers have had i to go to Australia, hut tire intended

to load homeward from Now Zealand. [ The .Ministry of Food and Shipping; Committee state that the delays have j been caused by Labour trouble in New ; Zealand where steamers hav,» frequently ■ taken two months and over on the | Coast. Shipowners naturally look for j quick trips round. » WKST'LAXI) PROJECTS. j WIvLbINCToN. March 12. j A report that an American syndicate has acquired a large mining and timber concession in South Westland was mentioned in the House by Air Atmore today. „ Mr Massey replied that an American ! syndicate had tried to obtain ten thou- 1 sand acres of timber land, but the pro- ! posal had not been approved, and the ’ land in question had been handed overj to the Forestry Department. It was i true that an American syndicate was i putting a largo dredge on Rimtl Flat, I hut if this venture was successful it , would be of benefit to the district and j there was plenty of room for other dredges The Rimu Flat land was worthless for agriculture. j