POLITICAL

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1932, Page 2

POLITICAL

ADJOURNMENT SUGGESTED

WELLINGTON, November 30

In view of the probability of further legislative action being required before the end of the financial year, Mr C. H. Clinkard (C., Rotorua) asked ciie Prime Minister jn the House today whether the Government had considered the feasibdity bf adjourning Parliament during December to a suitable date in the New Year. “This would obviate the loss of time in opening another session and another Address-in-Reply debate would not b© necessary,’ 1 said Mr Clinkard. “Further, ag the Committees would still be intact, business could bo resumed without delay thereby effecting a great saving in national and individual expenditure.”

“Do you want to live here?” asked Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier), while the comments of other Labour members suggested that the question was inspired. However, the answer of the Prime Minister disposed of that belief. “The Government has not considered the matter,” he said.

AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE. It was announced recently that the administration of the Island of Niue was to be transferred from the Minister for the Cook Islands (the Hon Sir Apirana Ngata) to the Minister for External Affairs (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes). Legislative effect to the change will be given by the ' Cook Islands Amendment Bill, consisting of only two clauses, which was introduced and read a first time in the House to-day. HIRE-PURCHASE AGREEMENTS The introduction of legislation this session for the protection of' purchasers under hire-purchase agreements was sought by Mr W. Nash (Lab., Hutt) in a question he asked the Minister for Justice (the Hon J. G. Cobbe) in the House this afternoon. Mr Nash also asked the Minister whether he would provide that no furniture or other chattels subject t 0 a hire-purchase agreement should be seized except on an order obtained from a Magistrate after all the parties "had had an opportunity of being heard. “In two cases,” he said, “vendors have- seized furniture upon which the larger proportion of the purchase price has been .paid, and in one of the cases the bedroom furniture was seized and a mother with her young child were left to lie on the floor. In another case nearly £l4O hod been paid towards the purchase of furniture, to the value of £250, when the furniture was taken back, with a result that the purchaser had paid £l4O for 18 months’ use of the furniture, the total value of which at hire-purchase was less than £250.”

Mr Cobbe said that in view of the fact that he had only received the question 15 mihutes before the Hohse met, when he had been engaged with a deputation,, it had been impossible for him to give a considered reply, Ho would, however, have inquiries made, PRIME MINISTER WITHDRAWS. The recent differences among Hospital Boards, the Unemployment Board, and the Department of Health over the provision of relief for B2 men' were recalled by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) during the Committee stages of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions. Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this evening. “I am surprised that when, we are proposing to take power tp call on Hospital Boards to maintain St. Helens Home for workers we should be opposed by those who call themselves' representatives of the workers,” declared Mr Forbes- “The clause is intended to give the Government power to call on Hospital Boards to make provision for maternity casps. Sometimes members of Hospital Boards may not be so broadminded as members of Parliament, and may not realise their duty" in this respect. In the past the Boards have not seen eye to eye with the Minister with regard to the services they are called upon to provide. They have been arguments as to how far they should go and how far the Unemployment Board and others should go.” Mr Forbes repeated that he was surprised to see the Labour Party opposing the clause. “I don’t know whether the Deputy-Leader is responsible for this,” he said, “but I think it is high time the Leader of the Opposition came hack from Motueka.” At this there was uproar from the Labour benches, and at the request of the Chairman of Committees (Mr S. G. Smith) the Prime Minister withdrew the remark.