PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1921, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

---(By our special reporter). THE FIXAXCIAL POSIT!OX. WELLINGTON, March 15. The Prime Minister assured the House attain to-day that the financial position of the Dominion was perfectly sound. Me did not think there was any floating debt. New Zealand owed some money to the Imperial Government hut this could stand for the time being. Caro and economy were necessary hut there was no reason for alarm regarding public finance. THE WOOL FEND. Answering (piestions regarding the wool realisation fund Mr Massey said the Imperial Government was holding X.Z. wool for which C 22,000,()()() had been paid, ft was also holding a credit of £8,00(1,000 being profits on the rates of wool that had taken place during the last eighteen months. The Imperial authorities took up the position that the loss on the remaining New Zealand wool would equal this eight million and that therefore there would be nothing coming to the producers in the country. He was not satisfied with what was taking place, and was exchanging cablegrams with the imperial authorities, hut was not willing at [iresent to lay tin' correspondence before members. He was anxious that the Jiritish Government should hold the £22,000.000 worth of wool as long as possible to permit of the sale of free wool and also to allow time for the market to improve. If the market improved labor, Xew Zealand producers wood he entitled to some share of the eight millions. VOTES OX ESTIMATES. The Minister for Public Works told the House that, votes that have been on estimates for several years and have not been lifted, are being struck off, in order to clear the estimates. These grants could he applied for again if they arc required, or they would he left upon the estimates if the local bodies made application, i MORTGAGES FXTKXSIOX. ■ A Mill amending the Mortgages Kxtension Act was introduced in the Legislative Council to-day. It extends from June doth next to December Jlst ' next, the general protection accorded to mortgages under the existing moratorium law. It makes December .‘list 1022 the latest date to which a judge of the Supreme Court may extend the term of any mortgage in connection with which application is made to the

Court. THE JAPANESE ALLIANCE. In the Leoislativo Council to-day 1 1<\Y. 11. suoepstod Hint the continuance of tin' Alliance with Japan was not desirable. .The Attorney-General (Sir Francis Pi'll) dissented from this view. He said it was hotter to deal with a friend than to reject friendship. .Vow /calami had owed a preal deal to Japan durino the war and he thought public men should lie very careful about suyecst iim- that the Alliance with .Japan was not in the interests of the F.m-

ADDRESS DEBATE. The debate on the address-in-reply was continued in the afternoon and ('\enine_ Air Massey indicated in reply to a question l»y tlie Speaker tliat be accepted Air AVilford’s amendment as a. want of confidence motion. Mr Sidev (Dunedin South), who is Mr AY il ford's first lieutenant in the leadership of the official opposition spent an hour pointing out the sins of tin* Government. It. is Air Sidev’s misfortune to possess a thin small voice that, is only occasionally audible in the galleries. (lovernment members were sitting tight and Mr Eorbes (Liberal Whip) followed Air Sidev. He blamed the Government for inflating land values by the reekless purehase of estates for soldiers and contended that tin* public ought to have more information about these purchases, lie also accused Government of I ailing to keep faith with the wheat growers who considered they were not getting the Australian parity for this year’s crop. ’l’liis brought the Minister for Agriculture to his feet in a brief defence of his policy. Other members continued the debate. I’I.ENTY Ob’ CANDIDATES. WELLINGTON, March 15. The Government candidate for Baton seat has not yet been selected. The." are no fewer than five Reform candidates tentatively announced, and two other's are mentioned, including Afr Pearce, who held the seat before the last general election. PUBLIC WORKS, ft has been reported that the Public Works Department is stopping the expenditure on roads and bridges. The

.Minister for Public Works (Hon. .) (;. Contes) replying lo a question oil tin's subject to-day. told your correspondent l bat lie was not i uteri tiring at all with local bodies Mites. This money could lie lilted and spent by local authorities in the usual way. It was true. h e added, that the Public Works' Department was slackening oft general public works expenditure 111 view of the financial stringency, but there was no general stoppage and the Department would be ready to increase opera lions again if there was unemployment later in the year. It was absolutely necessary to conserve the availald,. funds.