PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1929, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSE.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION LOST.'

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

. . WELLINGTON, August 22. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. x The Prime Minister spoke for two hours and ten minutes on the amendment moved jby the Leader of the Opposition. •. • ' Mr Holland (Duller) then outlined Labour's position, stating the Party was against an increase of the primage tax. It was not against the land taxation proposals and it was against returning Reform to the Treasury benches. It would vote against the amendment, which was lost by twenty-four votes to forty•eight. The House rose at 9.32 p.m. THE: DIVISION LIST. The voting was as follows: For the amendment (24) : Ansell, Bitchener, Campbell, Coates, Dickie; Field, Hall, Harris, Henare, H. Holland, Hunter, Jones, Kyle, Linldater, Lysnar, MacMillan, Massey, Nash. Samuel, Stewart, Sykes, Waite, Williams, Young. Against the amendment (48) : Armstrong, .Atmore, Barnard, Black, Bodkin, Broadfoot, Carr, Chapman, Clinkard, Col?be, De La Perelle, Donald, Fletcher, Forbes, Hawke, Healey, Hogan, H. E. Holland, Howard,- Jenkins Jordan, Lnngstone, Lye. McCombs, McDonald, McDougal, McKeen, MacPherson,, Makitanara, Martin, Mason. Munns, Munro, Murdoch, Parry, Poison, Ransom, Ruslnvorth, Savage, Smith, Skallworthy, Sullivan. Taverner, Veitch, Ward, Wilford, Wilkinson.-

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. WELLINGTON, August 21. Replying to Mr R. Semple (Labour, Wellington East), in the House of Representatives to-day, the Prime Minister said' the question of the provision of facilities for boys and girls fd obtain instruction in practical farm Work on modern lines was receiving a great deal of attention at the pres•ent .time. The Board of Agriculture ,hqd set up a sub-committee to ,gr fully into it; and the Farmers.’ Union fhad algo, taken it up. In giving consideration to the matter the Govern-, ment would carefully review it fiom all aspects, including that afforded .by the system in operation at Flock House.

' Mr .J. O’Brien (Lab., Westland) asked the Prime Minister whether he would appoint a /Commission similar to the one appointed his. Government in 1912, to enquire into (1) the cost of living.-and activities of the organisation^nnugurated for the purpose of -ijnaiintaining .‘high prices or our principal commodities; (2) adid tdration. of foodstuffs and how food is affected by preservatives; (3) weigh: of articles sold to the piiblio; (4) whether financial institutions organise.for, the purpose of keeping up the interest' rate/ on: moneyv .loaned,': and (5) the carriage of general merchandise by' shipping companies.

Sir Joseph Ward replied that the Gjovemnient did not propose to set-up a Commission for similar purposes- to that set up in .1912, for the following reasons—-(1) That data with respect to living costs is now regularly collected by the Government Statistician; (2) that the Department of Industries and Commerce has been established with statutory powers to deal with' trusts and combines, arid to check unreasonable prices be'ing charged for commodities; (3) that the Health Department has power to deal with adulteration of foods and the use of preservatives. In regard to items (4) and (5) there does not appear to be sufficient justification, in the Government’s opinion, to set up a Commission. All the evidence available points to the fact that there •is competition, both Governmental and private, to keep interest charges down to a reasonable level. Similar competition also exists in the freight charges made by. various shipping companies operating between New Zealand ports and for overseas trade.

The Prime Minister, replying to Mr Semple, said the Government would, during the recess, take steps to enquire into the advisability of setting up a Development Commission, to determine the most effective methods of developing and utilising the natural resources of the Dominion, and by doing so find employment for those able and nulling to work. The Government would endeavour to obtain full information on the working of such Commissions in other countries.

Replying to Mr H. E. Holland (Lab., Buller), the Hon. Mr Taverner said two . Garratt engines were now in traffic, and a third would commence in traffic during the current week.

The Hon. Mr Cobbe informed Mr F. Langstone (Lab. Waimarino) that when co-relative legislation was being introduced, favourable consideration would he given to. the suggestion if’ confine the use of the word “co-opera-tive” to organisations where the cash, surplus from manufacturing, trading, or other operations is distributed among the producers or purchasers of the commodities. Mr Langstone said legislation on these lines existed in Great Britain.

Mr Cobbe, in reply to Mr G. C. Black' (United, Motueka), said lie pronosed to discuss with the manufacturers concerned, the suggestion to have the labels of those smoking mixtures retailed as local grown display the percentage of Now Zealand leaf in the blend of tobacco. Mi-