PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1921, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) VAH M EHS UNION. WELLINGTON, Oct 12. Representatives of the Farmers’ Union met members in order to make certain representation* regarding the financial position and the need for economy. The proceedings were not open to the press. NEW BILES. Four new Government Bills were introduced in the House. The most important of them are the Conciliation 1U „1 Arbitration Act Amendment Bill, and Cook Islands Amendment Bill, hut they have not yet been circulated. 'private members bill. Private members Bills occupied the bouse during part of the afternoon and

evening. The Banking Amendment Bill, which deals with banking hours, was passed. SAMOAN MIX. The House considered the Samoan Bill in committee. Labour members opposed the Bill and some Opposition menu hers had suggestions for amendment. The Ministers agreed to refer portions of the Bill to the Native Affairs Committee for consideration in order that the interests of Samoan natives

might ho guarded. Thu Bill is largely identical in terms with the Samoan Oider-iil-Countil. under which the administration is proceeding at the present time. DIVORCE LAWS. Mr Massey, remarked when the clause regarding to divorce was under discussion that New Zealand’s divorce laws required consideration. We went too far last year, he said, and we will have to reconsidei the divorce laws of this country. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS. WELLINGTON, Oct. 111. Mr Massey was expected to make his

promised statement regarding the work „f the Imperial Conference and other j mailers tlmt engaged his attention in * London, to-day, but he postponed his ; remarks in order that ho might have time to prepare certain papers. | The House therefore reached private j members Bills early in the afternoon, j and spent the rest of the day upon j them. I A NATIVE BILL. j The first was Mr Reed’s Native Land Amendment Bill which proposes that if native land is fenced and occupied and if native owners lieglect to pay rates, the local authority after twelve mouths may) distrain upon any stock depastured on the land. It also pro- j poses that the European purchaser or lessee of native land shall be liable to pay a share of the cost of any boundary fence or drain,, of which the native owner did not pay his share. Mr Reed argued that this Bill did no injustice to Maoris, and was a reasonable concession to local bodies and white set'tlers. It was referred to the Native Affairs Committee. PREMIER ANl} DEPUTATIONS. Asked to-day when he could bring down the Financial Statement, the Prime Minister replied as soon as pos. siblo. but added that hisf time had been so fully taken up with deputations and other matters, that lie had not yet

been able to bestow on the Statement . the attention it demanded. He would ( shortly make an announcement that he , would receive deputations only once a week. Members of local bodies and other organisations came to Wellington and all at mice the Prime Minister was informed that they wish to see him for a few minutes, which generally became something like three-quarters of nn hour, or an hour. His work was

conseqlienll v i illpeded. ADVANCE OF WOOL PRICE

A report that the price of wool hnd made a big advance in the London market, was mentioned in tlio House ; 1) v Mr E. Now man (Manawatu) who said it was important that wool grow- ' era should know exactly what occurred. _ The actual advance did not appear to ■ lie as large as the percentage that had been quoted. The Prime Minister replied that he had told members that morning that , the increase at London wool sales was reported to be 50 per cent. He had added that if? the increase had tbeen 25 per cent, he could have understood it. He had since had the cablegram cheeked and had found that the actual increase was 25 per cent. That was a substantial increase and ought to ho welcome to the people of this country. Mr Massey added that ho had seen some figures showing that the exports of manufactured goods from Rritain in July were as great as in May and June combined. This was a very satisfactory state of affairs. Iti showed that the manufacture was increasing and the demand was increasing. It was a hopeful indication for the sheepowners of New Zealand. PERFECTLY SOUND. The country is perfectly sound, said Mr Massey in the House to-day. Let there he no mistake about that. " I would say to members of Parliament

and the public of tlie. country, don’t ■ become unnecessarily alarmed, and for goodness sake don’t cry down the credit of the country. Nothing hurts mo more than to hear the credit of the country cried down as it has been several times during tlie last few weeks, not only in Wellington, but in' several parts of New Zealand. SHEEP RETURNS. When the sheep returns were presented to the House tlie Minister for Agriculture (Hon Nosworthy) stated that the decrease in tho monitor of sheep during the twelve months closed have been 034,939. The decreased during the last three years had exceeded 3,000,090. The decrease was accjnunted for by a bad witter and by tho abnormal killing that had taken place during two of the commandeer years. Farmers, moreover, were taking up dairying to a greater extentthan before. He hoped that this year’s ' lambing would give a better result r than last year.