NEW SPEAKER STRICT.

Shannon News, 9 February 1923, Page 4

NEW SPEAKER STRICT.

REVALUATION OF SOLDIERS’

land asked for

WELLINGTON, Last Night. What is referred to as the official opening- of Parliament, was performed this afternoon by the Governor-Genei. al (Viscount JfilUcoe). The ceremony was on the usual lines and was brie . The- Speech delivered by D IS Lxcel. lency was short and indicated that the Government intended to promote practically -no legislation this session. The proceedings in the Representative Chamber' did not* last long. rheie were notices of questions by a number of members, but none was ot outstanding- importance. The Speaker s attitude towards some ot the ffttesionrs indicated that he is going to be a little more strict than his predecessor, who allowed a lot of latitude, which frequently prolonged the sittings. . One of the incidents ot the atter. noon was that Mr Wilford got in very early in view of the pending no-‘con. fidence debate. ’ Before Mr prilling had given notice of his intention to move the Address-in-Reply, Mr Wilford had notified the Speaker of Ins intention to move an amendment to that address. ‘ One of the more interesting ot the questions asked came from Mr Holland, and is interesting partly on account of the language in which it was coached. Mr Holland gave notice that he would ask whetheT in view of the fact that, they have acceded to the Labour party’s request that the I third “cut” in the public servants’ wages should not come into effect, they will bring down legislation to provide against any further wage reduction outside the public, service. , Mr Massey was on his feet at once. “We have received no request from the Labour party,” he said. Mr Parry: “You received a good protest.” Mr Massey: -”Your action is consistent with the promise I made at least a score of times during the general election, that if the finances of tlie country permitted, no further- cut would be made.” Mr Holland: “I have been misrep-

esented. I wired to the Prime Minis, ter early in' the year, asking- that the third cut should not ’be put into operation and he replied that the mat-' ter would receive consideration. It has received consideration and he has acceded to the request.”

A question -of interest to returned soldiers and those interested in their affairs is to be asked by Mr Ransom, who desires to know when it is in. tended to revalue the soldier settle, ment lands' of the Dominion. Mr Ransom claims that any delay means increased difficulties for thosje who are, at present, holding on in anticipation of revaluation. • - ; '

Mr Lang-Stone (Waimarino) pro poses to ;i.sk the Minister of Lands whether’the transferring of Crown forest lands to, the Forestry Department will annul the 50 per cent timber royalties that the local bodies are entitled to under the Land Act, 1908. This, he says, is a very important matter as' construction and once depend very largely on the money received from these royalties. The debate on the Address.in.Reply will be commenced in the Legislative Council to-day, but it is not expected to produce any excitement.