SESSION INCIDENTS Queries and Asides

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 439, 22 August 1928, Page 16

SESSION INCIDENTS Queries and Asides

(THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. (gURFEITED with the weariness of the Budget debate, but content to note that the end was already in sight, the House yesterday afternoon settled down to discuss the Forestry Report. Not a great deal of interest was shown. In fact, had it not been for Mr. J. A. Lee, who set the ball rolling, the report might have gone without comment. In the subsequent discussion a certain number of members seemed unable to see the wood for trees. The Prime Minister spoke in the evening, devoting his speech largely to public works policy and railway finance. The Minister of Finance will wind up the debate to-day. In the Legislative Council the New Zealand Citizens Bill, 1928, was read a first time. The Thames Borough Rate Adjustment Bill and the Surveyors Institute Amendment Bill were read a first time. The Statutory Land Charges Registration Bill, the Noxious Weeds Bill and the Church of England Empowering Bill were read a second time and referred to committees. * m * Schoolboy Audience The large audience during the afternoon was mostly schoolboys, 70 or 80 of them. The youngsters fsoon began to get restive. Not for them the sacred atmospheer of Parliament. Plenty of M’oney “There’s plenty of money for the farmers if they’ve got good security,” said Mr. Downie Stewart. Mr. Lysnar: There’s not. I’m tilled, of that talk. High Timber C’osts •“The high stumpage values placed on indigenous timber by the officials of the State Forest Department largely account for the high cost of timber and the lean time being experienced by sawmillers,” said Mr. F. F. Hockly this afternoon. Racing Taxation Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon last evening appealed for a reduction of racing taxation which, in its present form, was simply a relic of the war-time stringency. Small clubs now had to come cap in hand for remissions unless they had the good luck to strike fine days for their meetings. They could not be accused of mismanagement. * * For Ever Praying “And we, as in duty bound, will forever pray.” With this formal assurance of piety all petitions presented to the House are rounded off. There was a good batch of them to-day, Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill) presenting two massive pleas praying, on behalf of some 500 Aucklanders, for relief from motor taxation. * % * New Industries Encouraging reports of th» prospect of establishing the wood-pulp paper manufacturing and artificial silk industries in New Zealand are held out as a result of the interim report submitted by Mr. Entrican, of the State Forest Service, said Mr. F. F. Hockly

(Rotorua) to-day. Presentation of the full report on the subject was now being expectantly awaited. * * * Back a Century “We will have three million acres planted by 1835,” said Mr. F. F. Hockly. He, too, was behind the times, though the slip was, of course, quite accidental. Could the Forestry Department renew the forests of 1835, it would earn the applause of all. * « Opossum Menace “This country would be wonderful if we had not introduced so many pests,” said Mr. F. F. Hockly, in warning the House against allowing opossums to get a hold. The House should not allow considerations of revenue to blind it to the danger. If it did so, then ultimately the opossum pest would be as serious as the rabbit pest. SK Director’s Appointment Plow members can sometimes overlook the obvious was shown when Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) asked when the new Director of Forestry would be appointed. The director was, as was quickly pointed out by the Hon. O. J. Hawken, appointed just about two months ago, and details of the man (Mr. E. Phillips Turner) and his appointment, were published throughout the Dominion. * The Poor South “You don’t like the South do you,” said Mr. E. P. Lee, when Mr. Lysnar was busy upholding the Northern railways as against the South. Mr. Lysnar: Well, when the South Island hops in and tries to stop our railways, I think it’s time to talk. We are keeping the southern railways going; that is the poii%. Mr. T. D. Burnett: Yes, and we’re keeping you in cash. * * * More About Pensions More about pensions, that everrecurring subject, was heard this afternoon, this time from Mr. Allen Bell (Bay of Islands), who wanted to know if the Government would make provision, where the death of a widow followed so closely on that of her husband that she was unable to apply for the widow’s pension, that the pension was made available for the children. He also asked if the provisions of the Family Allowances Act could be extended to benefit women who had divorced their husbands. At present only the husband could apply, and in cases of divorce the husband frequently left the country. Woolly The figures used by Mr. H. E. Holland in calculating sheep farmers’ profits were analysed by Mr. W. D. Lysnar last evening. Mr. Lysnar recalled that Mr. Holland, in opening the Budget debate, had offered, when questioned, to show him (Mr. Lysnar) the system on which he based his calculations. “Well.” said Mr. Lysnar, “I took advantage of his offer and went round to his room this morning. I found he had no information to give* me. His allowance of 101 b. of wool for each sheep is exceedingly liberal. Profits of recent years no more than balance the losses of former years. There was no justification whatever