Session Incidents

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 460, 15 September 1928, Page 13

Session Incidents

Queries and Asides

(TUB SUN'S Parliamentary ReporterJ WELLINGTON, To-day. In another of its periodical bursts of industry. Parliament went straight on to estimates yesterday, all earlier Items on the order paper, such as questions and presentation of petitions, being suspended for the day. The tor Indu "‘*'ies and Commerce, the Treasury, and Land and Income J 'X clc put through within a minute, . .. . sta J np duties, Customs and Kdut at ion lurnished material for discussion which lasted out the afternoon. Estimates for Education, J-abour, Nlational Provident. External Affairs, native Land Settlement, Native Trust, iublic Trust. Discharged Soldiers’ . ettlement, anil Lands for Settlements departments were put through in quick tinio during the evening sitting. The total expenditure authorised during the day was X 3,646,485. Members seemed relieved when the House rose at 10.15, this being the earliest adjournment for many weeks. * * * In the Council In the Legislative Council the loliowing Rills were passed unamended:■—Whangaret Harbour Board Vesting, AVhangarei Abattoir site Extension. Whakatane Harbour Amendment, Onerahi Water Reserve Enabling and AVhangarei Borough Empowering Bills. Absentees The United Party conference which opened in Wellington yesterday explained tho absence from the Chamber of. some .prominent .members, -the Nationalist benches bertng rather thinly populated. Those not participating in the conference presumably included Sir J. Ward, Mr. T. M. Wilford, Mr. J. Horn© and the Hon. D. Buddo, all of whom were in the Chamber throughout the afternoon. * * *

Stamp-vending Restriction of stamp-selling licences, so that small storekeepers can no longer handle this popular commodity, was complained of in the afternoon by Messrs. J. A. Lee, Howard, Kyle and Buddo, all of whom pointed out that the public was being greatly inconvenienced. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. AV. Downie Stewart, said the position was being reviewed, but it was true that no further licences to sell on commission were being issued, as the system had been found to be unprofitable.

*: -fc * Sayings of the Week Sir Joseph Ward: I car no more for doctors than the man in the moon—except when I want them. The Prime Minister: J will sit here and listen to bouquets being thrown, at me. * Mr. T. M. Wilford: As sure as I stand here in my seat ... I have heard with my own lips. Mr. IX. L. Tapley: I wouldn’t mind betting £SO to a gooseberry. Sir Maui Pomare (on daylight saving) : Mr. Sidey brought along his Bill, and I said to him: ‘T see daylight.” 7K 55? si" Lost Banana Cargo Information concerning the recent loss of fruit on the Government steamer Maui Pomare was sought by Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West). Tho Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, said tli© cause was not yet clear, but two experts, as well as other engineers, had gone with the steamer on the present trip. It was not expected there would be a recurrence of the trouble. m * * In Acute Want The confession that he was unaware of unemployment on a large scale in Auckland was made by the Hon. R. A. Wright in the discussion on Labour estimates. Mr. M. J. Savage pointed out that the out-of-work problem in Auckland had now existed for years. There were 800 men there whose families were in acute want, and who were only subsisting on charity. Could the Government not do something for these men.

Mr. Wright admited that it was tho first time he had heard there were 800 out of work in Auckland. Were they willing to go outside Auckland to get employment? Mr. Savage: Hundreds of them. Mr. Wright: I will certainly get in touch with the Public Works Department and see if arrangements cannot be made to absorb some of them on outside work. * * Shillings and Patriotism Comment by Mr. J. A. Lee during the discussion of the Education Department’s estimates on the fact that only £1 of tho £lO voted for providing New Zealand Ensigns in schools had been expended, prompted the Minister. the Hon. R. A. Wright, to draw attention to the wonderful change in the attitude of the Labour-Socialist Party. “I am sure it is most refreshing to hear Mr. Lee speaking on the New Zealand Ensign,” he said. “What a change. AVhat a wonderful change. 1 am suro members on this side of the House rejoice over this sinner who has repented. There was a time when he would have made the Welkin ring abouc .CIO being placed on the estimates for the New Zealand Ensign.” Mr. Holland: Was that when he was fighting on Gallipoli? The Minister: No, when he was in the House. . Mr Lee: Only 20s was spent, twenty shillings’ worth of patriotism Tho Minister: I might tell you that tho twenty shillings was spent on postLee: Oh: so nothing was spent on patriotism. . „ , , The Minister said the department bought a number of flags some time ago, but most of the schools already had the Hew Zealand Ensign. Nobodv had asked for a free flag. The people are only too ready to pay for them.