PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1921, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

SPECIAL TO GCAIt 1)1 AN. IN THE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON Dec 14. The legislative Council lias passed tlio Crimes Amendment Rill, wliioli is intended to prevent women witnesses in an abortion trial from shielding accused by the person refusing To give evidence on the ground that she may incriminate herself. The Council also passed the Death Duties Rill, after some Councillors had protested against retrospective legislation. This bill closes a loophole that the lawyers discovered in the legislation of last year, enabling payment of certain duties to be evaded by a division of the money. It operates as from the date of the old legislation. CEMENT REPORT. The report of the Cement Commission was mentioned again in the House today. The original delude had been interrupted and the Prime Minister ashed that it should lie completed in order that the report might he placed upon the table. Most members appeared to have lost their interest in cement, but Mr Atmore (Nelson) took the opportunity to assure Government that the Commission’s verdict of acquittal was not accepted by the public. During the original debate Mr Masters (Stratford) had suggested that the Minister in charge of the Board of Trade had defended the cement companies because four members of the Reform Party in too House hold shares in the Wilson Coy. Mr Williams (Bay of Plenty) one of the members mentioned, rose to state that be had 1; discussed cement with any member of the Ministry or informed any Minister that he held shares. Mr Campbell (Hawlces Ray) who had also been named by Mr Masters, denied that lie held any shares at all. Hon Leo made a few comments without breaking any new ground and then the report was formally placed on tho table. FREEZING CHARGES. “Something drastic ought to be done by Government regarding the increase of freezing companies chargee,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Wilford) in the House to-day. He mentioned a report that a certain company was raising its charges and said that the, producers could not afford to pay increased prices at the present time. The Prime Minister said that the matter was receiving attention. He could not go into details but he could say that something would be done in regard to the charges in the very near future. He would have an important statement to make before the session ended. RAILWAY competition. Mr Newman (Manawatu) asked in the House of Representatives if the Government intended to revise the railway tariff in order to secure business that at present was going to motors. He said that butter and wool were carried more cheaply by road than by rail. This was bad for the railways and

also bad for the local bodies charged with the cost of maintenance of the roads.

The Minister for Railways (Mr GuU rio replied that the matter was under consideration. The fact had Been brought brought before the Railway Department that motor lorries were competing with the railways in many districts throughout New Zealand. They were carrying wool and produce from stations to tbe ports and also competing between stations. Some people were of opinion that motor traffic on the roads was going to compete with the railways to a very large extent in the future. It was the duty of Government to seo what could he done to keep the railways going.