PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1921, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) THE DEBATE. WELLINGTON, Slept. 26 The Address-in-Rcply debate was continued in Hie House this afternoon. Mr Sidev (Dunedin South) who sits on the left land of the Leader oi the Opposition, was the liist speaker, lie accused Government of vaiious olfemes and devoted special attention to finance, lie suggested that Government ought to have retained the accumulated surpluses for meeting such financial difficulties as had now arisen, as tlicv were urged to hv Sir Joseph Ward.’ CEMENT TRUST. Mr Masters (ST rat ford) spoke liter in the afternoon ami made some Irani; statements regarding what he called the cement trust, lie quoted the terms of the agreement between the Golden Bay Cement toy., Wilson’s Portland ('-.■incut Co. and Milhurn Lime and Cement Coy., under which the Golden Bav Coy. agreed to close it-, works ill May last, the other two companies to pay it Is per ton on the cement sold hv them, up to a combined total of nil,(DO tons, with 2s per ton above that quantity. The preface to the agreement stated frankly that the parties were of opinion ilia: the demand fur cement in New /calami was likely for sonic months to lie considerably le‘s than the supplies at present, being manufactured hv the three companies. which desired to enter into an arrangement whereby they might derive the most satislac.ory results possible. Mr Masters described this as a scandalous restraint id trade and exploitation of the public and suggested that Government must have been aware of what was being done at t'-c lime, when the high cost 'of building material was penalising the people ol New Zealand, lie asked lor the :lp-ii-jinliiient of a commission to mvetiuate the whole mailer. 'Hi* transaction had taken place aln-r the Golden Bay Cement Works were acquired hy a syndicate ot speculators. Ihe eu.n puni -s with the consent in the Roan, of Trade. had raised the price ol cc-n-ti! until cement h.-gon in i omc to Ili,. Dominion liom all nails ut the world, and then they had made this agreement in order to maintain high

pm -s. PENSION*. WELLINGTON.. Sept. 30. \ uenenil discussion regarding pensions occupied the House- for part of this afternoon, tlie subject arising from tin- presentation of the report ol the Pensions Department, which Ueows that the total cost of pensions, including war pensions, for the last financial year, was £2,337.006. Many monikers asked for an im-HRSc e.f the existing pensions, and Lw the provision of pensions- fm- the blind, and incapacitated persons. They stressed the point that neither the old ago .pension nor the widow pension Is large enough to provide a decent living un ,1,.,. present conditions, and pointed out that the law penalised pensioners for earning money themselves. Dr Tlmckor h.-vl a suggestion Hintthe amusement tax should be used to pay pensions. Pie thought that; this arrangement would induce wowsers to attend the race meetings in order to Benefit the pensions fund. II they Preferred it- the wowsers could l'<"'c sports meetings of their own where thov could play— ‘‘Here we g» gathering unis in May” and drink raspberry 1 When members suggested that Government. ought to take the responsibilitv for finding the extra money. . members showed them that file m-od i f nr tho expenditure existed, tins j mpnt obviously did. not impress Minis-

Hon Anderson replied Jiriody: I pl.-s,-1 guiltv to having, in »'•«' taUon pari ill this Minu.nl debate, ho said It is olio of the most oMo-tivo veto catchers I know. Ho assured the House that tho Government, would .ie i>lad to increase pensions it it wore a e to It was considering invalidity pensions and pensions for the blind, hut ho could not make any promise until the position was investigated. II AXSAIID. AVhen the report of the Government Printing Ofiiee was presented to tie House 'this afternoon, a familiar discussion arose regarding Hansard. Several members suggested that tliol high cist of the oflleial verbatim report- of members’ speeches was not i "stilled, but the feeling of the House obviously was that Hansard should continue. Mr MeNicol (Pahiatua't suggested that a substantial economy « 011 Id. be effected by publishing condensed. reports of the speeches in Hansard. He thought, a spaas' limit, would he reasonable, members to make their own condensations. Speeches of importance were fully reported in the newspapers. Other members objected to this suggestion. The header of the Opposition (Mr AVilford) assured the Ibviscj that the newspapers were party machines, and Dr Tlmeker (Christchurch Kastl came to the support ni his pnrtv leader with a statement Hal when Mr AVilford made a vigorous speech in moving the wants of c nlidciice motion, he received much less space ill the Reform press than the Minister who Jollowod. The member omitted to mention that Hie Minister on the occasion made an important statement concerning public fmn.nco. ! The Minister for Internal Affairs | < Hon Anderson) closed Hie dels.to j with the statement that Government was not proposing to out Hansard, al- ! though Ids own idea, was that .it could I be condensed with advantage. AX ENQrnrv PROMISED. • Charges made hv Mr Masters! (Strat- \ ford) against cement companies, were mentioned in the House to-day. The Loader of the Opposition asked what' i t he Government, intended to do in the. matter. Hon Lee replied that lie proposed to | psk Cabinet to up a tribunal to

make an inquiry hut lie desired to confer with Mr Massey before, deciding oil the scope of the enquiry. He could make a statement cm the subject- next week. THE SHEARERS AWARD. Mr (iic.nii (Rnngitikei) asked il it wav a fact that the shearers’ award was being openly flouted hy the Shearers’ Union. If this was so, would Government see tl.ilt ti.e award was respected: or else cancel the ii will'd find allow freedom of contract. The Minister for Labour replied that )ip would have the matter inquired into, and if either party was flouting; theaward, the law would be earned out. He had mo. power to amendl the award, and did not wish for such power. The Court would have, to he obeyed so long as it remained. ADDRESS DEBATE. WELLINGTON. Oct. 1 The debate on ihc A(ldiess-in-Repl,v was resumed ill the House in the evening. but it did Hot proceed lat. Mr Junes (Kaipni) who speaks Item the farmers’ point oi view, cliai-ged the Opposition with carelessly defaming the Dominion in their anxiety to inj11 i-o the Government, lit' believes Ilia! there would he a scarcity of labour in the Dominion two months hence, and that the country wax going to surmount its difficulties success!idly. The people who talked of failure and disaster were simply creating trouble. 1), Thacker (Christchurch) who may he regarded as the humorist of the House, followed. He has a remarkable facility for coining new words and investing old words with new meanings. He assailed Government very earnestly, accusing it of wasting money, giving advantages to its friends, and maligning the Opposition. Ho was omphalic in his assertion that civil servants who are supporters of tin* Government have enjoyed quick promotion in recent vonrs. The debate was adjourned until Tuesday and as Mr Mns-ey will then lie in the House, it tuny easily go most, of next week.