PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1921, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. ECONOMY DEMAND. WELLINGTON, ()e t . II A spirited demand for economy in the public service was mud - 10-day by ■Mr .1. R. Hamilton, tbe farn ei who defeated Sir Joseph Ward in Awn-.ua at the general election. "Kvi'w Ilian will -land behind the Gnvernmctii in reducing expenditure of every Department of tile Slate," la* said, and "We linder- .* taml that ten per rent icdiietiou ill salaries and wages of chit servants through flic Dominion would meali a •mving of C 1 .f)9(t,(tOO n veer. W-- !:*■ v

pctfeetly well that this is not a popular ruggesiinii, but the Government and Parliament have to do the right thing. Emin workers had voluntarily made a reduction of fifty per cent in wages and farmers at present ale d: iwingo*i their assets in order lo live. We cannot go on paying flic tremendous wages that we arc paying tile civil service. There are heads of Departments receiving up to (.*3,(100 a year. A tremendous reduction can be made. Niue nut of ten of the civil servants expect a reduction, and will not take any exception to it. There arc men who will take nil that they can get and look fiemore, and they are found in every section of the community, lmt the Government need have no tear of public opinion if they will do tbe right tiling We farmers arc living on our savings to-day. Wo arc living on money we have jiut aside for a rainv day. hut ii is estimated bv a very good aulliority I bat Wellington |x*oplo are spending (.*30.0(11) a week on amusement. Can any man say, taking these figure- into consideration, that the working i" n of this country have not ample, and to spare. A member—What about your motor Mr Hamilton Mv limlni cur u» net running about the country. Ii -si standing in a slu'd. and I cm quite | willing to walk. j LAND AGENTS Bl LI

The Mouse leaelied tin* Land Agents Bill early this afternoon, and spent some hours discussing tin* business method-, of agents and kindred matters. Tin* Mimstci for- luteiutil Affairs told the House tli,nl land agents 'ad urged him lo give them the right to i-alleet commission mi sales, if they could prove services rendered, even w!ien there was no aii'hoiu*. in *..■•!- i Ilf;. Ile dill nut thiol. ' Vi- change v a ; ded'uble Inn he had piotnised tliaj the agents would have a chance to give evidence before the Committee. The debate that then followed, showed that a good finally members 0 I the House icgarding land agent with suspicion. A speaker said there were too many land agents. with the result. lliet land speculation was fostered and prices |'nreed up unnecessarily. The hill, which stlengthens the law regarding registration of land agents, was do- | scribed as protecting agents, but not tile public. Eventually tile measure j was read a second time and referred to a Committee. I

STANDARD TIME. WELLINGTON. Oct. II The Minister for Internal Affairs has given notice to introduce a Standard Time Bill. The measure was before the House during Hull I session, hut was still occupying a humble place on the order paper when the session came ta an end. It propose- that New Zealand standard time shall he fixed at 12 hours ill advance of Greenwich time, itistead of 111 hours a- at pit-sent. The practical effect of the change would lie to put forward the clock l-all an hour. MOTORS BILL. The Motor Vehicles Bill which proposes n scab- of license fees and makes provision fm control ol motor cuis and drivers, was discussed at length tonight. The Minister in charge explained that the Bill would ptovid;sniiii- of the revenue required lor the operating of the Highways Bill, to lie int induced later in the session. Tindiscussion related largely to arterial loads, and disclosed the existence of a considerable body ol opposition ill the House- against lint li Bills. Mr Wilford and some other members predicted that the Highways Bill would not pass. The Minister said that ii “ tailed. Guvcin--11 it -n t would requite the reveiiu - proposed to he raised by motor taxes and in that ease, the changes now projiosed would he revised. The Bill was read a second time.