PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1928, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) THE HOUSE. WELLINGTON, August 17. The House of Representatives continued the debate on the Budget, the speakers being Messrs Armstrong, Girling. Forbes, McLeod, Mason (Eden), and Reid. The House rose at 11.50 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. WELLINGTON, August 15. Ministers furnished the following replies to-day to questions of which notice had been given in the House of Representatives:— That the proposal to establish a railway sick benefit society is merely an amalgamation <vf various railway sick benefit societies at present operating in the railway service, membership of which is approximately 8000. A conference between the General Manager of Railways, representatives of friendly societies, and secretaries of railway societies is being held on August 24th to fully discuss the proposal. It is hoped to avoid conflict with the friendly societies, as it is anticipated that mutual agreement will lie arrived at after representatives of friendly societies have had an opportunity of ascertaining personally the circumstances under which the proposal has been put forward. That the question of granting loans to agricultural and pastoral societies and associations has been brought up on previous occasions. In view of the demands made on the resources oh the Department for loans lor farming purposes. and the erection of homes, it is not possible to widen the scojre of the State Advances Act in the direction indicated.

That there is no reason to fear that available supplies of phosphate rock at Nauru and Ocean Islands will not he sufficient in quantity to meet the requirements ol Now Zealand for many years to come, as it lias been estimated that supplies ot rock existing on two islands will probably reach at least 100,000,000 tons. That it is tbe intention of tbe Government to assist the honey produceis in their advertising campaign in London and on tbe Continent, and- communications are proceeding with the chairman of the Honey Produceis Board at the present time. That several petitions dealing with the question of permitting -school teachers who are non-contributors to the teachers’ superannuation fund to pnv in arrears of contributions, thus enabling them to become members of the fund, and when the report ot the education Committee is. made the whole matter will he considered by Cabinet.