PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1921, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

SI’KCIAI. TO GOAHDIAN. i’JIE TAB IKK PASSED. WELLINGTON, Doe 8. The Customs Bill reached its final stage in the House of Representatives to-day. lion W. F. -Massey moved the third reading of the. Bill early in the afternoon, and a rather dull debate followed, members taking advantage of the opportunity to record in Hansard , the opinion they expressed and the | suggestions they had offered during tho committee stage. Mr Wilford and sev 'eial others urged again that Government should establish a. Tariff Board. wii.li authority to vary the tariff (is occasion a'tise. and lo see that consumers were treated fairly hv the manufacturers in protected industries. The Minister for Customs spoke briefly during the afternoon. He said 1 that Gorina it: lent must have wide powers if it was to make the best, use of the tariff in the interests of local industries. He did not think that New Zealand need he in any hurry about es- . tablisliing a Tariff Board. We would rather wait- to see what results Awe- ! tralia secured from its Board. Me thanked the House for the assistance it had given him ill putting through the tariff. A NEW ZEALAND ARBITRATOR. The I eader of the Opposition made a. suggestion i *■ the House that Government should try to secure for New Zealand’s Chief Justice the task of arbitrator eonceruitig Ireland’s share of tho national debt and war expenditures. He quoted the suggestion made by Lord Birkenhead that the Arbitrator should Be a coin dal Judge, and asked if Government would see if it was possible for the Governor-General to m:iko _ representntions that. Sir Robert Stout should lie appointed. The Prime Minister replied that if anything of the sort was contemplated it was unite possible that he would he consulted. He had great confidence in Bir Robert Stout, but lie lieleived that the Imperial authorities would make’ their own selection and make It among the Judges ol the Dominion. AVELLTNGTON. December fk CUSTOMS It 1 T.T..

The Prime Minister replied briefly to criticism ol the Cistonis Bil. He said that the measure provided the Dominion with the sort of tariff that w.As needed at the present time. FTc suggested that, the time might * eonie when Government would have to nrl|iiire the * interests of tlm Colonial Sugar Coy., in Fiji, ill order to control the price of sugar, lint Clmt would he a very big undertaking, and he did not want to do it. FORESTS RTT-D. The Forests Bill was put through Committee and passed with an amendment providing that two members of Hie Forests Advisory Board may he nominated hv the Counties Association one memher from eaeli Island. The Minister for Lands explained that lie desired to give local bodies a voice in forestrv matters. O ATH OF Ar.I.EGTANCE The Committee stage of the Education Bill gave the leader of the Labour l’arty an opportunity to protest ag/iinst the provision 'that- teachers must take tlie oath of allegiance. Mr Holland did not think that teachers should he singled out for this test. The Aliuistei- for Education is" 1 that members of Parliament. Judges and Magistrates took tho same oath as teachers. The Bill was passed. OTHER BILLS PASSED.

The House also passed the Patents Hill. Maintenance Orders Bill, and native trustee Amendment Bill, before rising at 11 p.m. DECKS CLEARED.

The day’s work very nearly cleared the order paper of important Government Bills, but Government lias some more legislation ready. Members evidently are in a mood to finish before Xmas, if that can he done.