PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1930, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

(By Telegraph—Press Association). THE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, Octoer 22. In the Legislative Council, Waimakariri River improvement Amendment Bill was received from the House and referred to the Local Bills Committee. Disabled Soldiers Civil Re-establish-ment Bill was also received and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. Local Legislation Bill was reported from the Local Bills Committee with minor Amendments. Native Trustee Bill was reported from Native Affairs Committee without amendment and passed. The Council rose at 4.10 p.m. THE HOUSE. Report of Royal Commission on operiting railways and of Select Committee on railway lines under construction were discussed in the House of Representatives. A Select Committee presented a report to the House stating it had not had sufficient time to deal completely with the order of reference submitted to it. The Minister of Railways wlio moved both reports should be referred to Government for consideration, intimated that Government intended to put into operation to some extent, the Commission’s recommendation that freight rates and fares should be increased. Mr Howard moved an amendment recommending Government to proceed immediately with the preparation of Legislation covering the central and co-or-dimition of existing transport services, and tq consult Parliament before ftltfeping the freight rates and fares gr staff conditions,

Mr Coates moved- a further amendment proposing to omit the hitter portion of Mr Howard’s amendment, and to substitute a recommendation to Government that in view of the incontrovertable expert evidence tendered to tjie Select Committee as to the serious financial losses involved in operating Gisborne, Waikokopu, Wliaranui Parnass us and Kowatiri-lnangahua lines when completed, that all construction work on these lines should he immediately stopped, pending further inquiry. The discussion was interrupted by the rising of the House at mid-night. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. WELLINGTON, October 20. Provision for an additional expenditure of £170,000 on hydro-electric undertakings is contained in the Suppleemntary Estimates now before Parliament. It is proposed to appropriate £120,000 for the Horoliora Arapuni scheme, on account of Arapuni and £50,000 for the Lake Coleridge scheme, • The Supplementary Estimates provide for total additional -expenditure of £123,336. Among the general items are; , Cost of Hardship Clause Comission, £1179.

Refunds of revenue, unemployment benefit race meetings:—For bury Park Trotting Club £3512, Auckland Trotting Club £5413. Native Department, compensation to natives, Taranaki lands, on account £SOOO.

Mines Department additional grants golds prospecting £2000; bounty Onakaka Iron and Steel Co. £4OOO. The Internal Affairs votes include a compassionate allowance to the Hon. G. W. Russell of £l5O, expenses in connection with the Imperial Confer'ence £4750, funeral expenses of the late Sir Joseph Ward £650, grant to the widow of the late Sir Mau Pomare £SOO.

There is a grant of £503 to the Taranaki Oilfields Company on oil boring plants imported. The Labour Department requires £Bl7, expenses of committees investigating legislation and £1767 expenses of the New Zealand delegation to the Geneva International Labour Confer- \ ence. ■

The Society for the Prevention of Women and Children receives £IOO each to the Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington branches and the Royal Humane Society £l5O. The War Funds Council receives for South African veterans £250 and the St John Ambulance Association £2OO. There are additional subsidies to the Karitane hospitals £1250 and salaries of Plunket nurses £5050.

The Customs Department has votes enabling duty of £4527 to be refunded to the Coal Oil Company. The sum of £77,500 is provided 'for the balance of tho purehn.se money of the High Commissioner’s office, London.

For reconstruction of the Ward and Blue bathouses at Rotorua an additional sum of £IO,OOO is set aside. As an additional amount required for irrigation for the current year £20,000 is proposed to be voted. The sum of £1220 is provided for by election expenses. Additional grants of respectively £4500 and £IOOO are provided as guarantee on the export of fruit ancl eggsSalaries and house allowances for secondary sohools and colleges account for an additional £4400. An additional £SOO is allowed for the expenses of the Recess Select Committee on Education. For the purchase of Native or other lands under the Native Land Act- an additional £27,932 is provided, and an additional £IO,OOO is set aside for payment of Native rate*'.. An additional £13,290 is estimated as the sum required to render fit foi settlement specified lands in development schemes.

Included in the unauthorised expenditni’G. ncount for the year appear the following :—£Boo as compassionate allowance to the widow of the late clerk of Parliaments ; £725 to Mr H. E, Hayes, late secertary to the Treasury in lieu of accumulated leave; £SOO to Sir Thomas Wilford to cover expenses while proceeding to England; £IOOO for the purchase of a motor-car for the High Commissioner ■ £SOO to Si r Jame s Parr to cover the expenses of his return to New Zealand ; £476 to cover the remuneration and travelling expenses of the Commission which enquired into cinsea elf hardship arising from the imposition of the special land tax.