SESSION INCIDENTS Queries and Asides

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 477, 5 October 1928, Page 16

SESSION INCIDENTS Queries and Asides

(THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, To-day. Good work was done by the House of Representatives again yesterday. Several reports, including that of the Rural Intermediate Credit Board, were dealt with in the afternoon. In the evening the Land Laws Amendment Bill, providing for a State-assisted scheme for the closer settlement of privately-owned lands in New Zealand, was passed unamended. The House rose at 12.50 a.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day. * * » In the Council The Legislative Council met in the afternoon and again in the evening, when a number of Bills were disposed of. The Swamp Drainage Amendment Bill, the Dangerous Drugs Amendment Bill, the Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Bill, the Education Reserves Bill, the Music Teachers’ Registration Bill, and the Public Reserves Bill, with several minor amendments, were passed. The amendments made by the Government in the Cinematograph Films Act were agreed to. m * Winegrower#’ Needs Mr. H. G. R. Mason’s Licensing Bill introduced earlier in the session with the object of giving greater freedom to winegrowers, has been withdrawn, Mr. Mason being content, in the meantime, with haying directed attention to the questions involved. * * * Pension for Grandmother Susanna Cosgrove, x Devonport, praying that she be granted a widow’s pension, has been recommended for favourable consideration by the committee of the House of Representatives. Commenting on Mrs. Cosgrove’s petition, Mr. A. Harris outlined the peculiarly tragic circumstances. Herbert Buckler, the father of four children, died of influenza at Hamilton in June, 1926. The same malady carried off his widow. The children were now being cared for by Mrs. Cosgrove, their grandmother, and it was considered right that she be given at least that amount of assistance which would have been accorded had the children’s mother lived long enough to apply for the widow’s pension. Mr. Harris said that favourable consideration had been recommended when the same petition had been presented last year, but nothing had been done. He hoped this year’s recommendation would not be overlooked. * * * Auckland Petitions Petitions of Auckland interest reported back from the committee yesterday included the following: S. F. G. Williams, of Runciman, praying for compensation for loss on a soldier’s farm.—No recommendation. # Hugh Bradley, Ohakune, compensation for injury suffered while employed by the Railway Department.— Recommended for consideration. C. Nisbet, Auckland, compensation for land taken for railway purposes. —Recommended for consideration. The Good Old Days" “Was it done in the good old days?” asked the Minister of Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, when Sir Joseph Ward was to-day advocating that departmental and other rep#rts should be available to members before being presented to the House for discussion. Sir Joseph: I have done it myself on occasion, and I think from experience

that it should always be done. After al. who were the reports for? Mr. Coates: You can answer that question better than anyone else here. Sir Joseph: And I could answer a great many other questions better than anyone else here. Still, I thank the Prime Minister for his bouquet. ifc * Dollar Supreme Discussing Rural. Credits to-day, Sir Joseph Ward said the paramount question of the day was the “almighty dollar.” The Prime Minister* What about the Licensing Bill? That would be a good second. Sir Joseph Ward* That is only of passing interest. It comes, it sticks for a while, goes away, and then is ready to come again. (Laughter.) * * ifc Sale of ’Smokes” Shops other than tobacconists may be able to sell tobacco and cigarettes if the the Labour Committee’s recommendations are accepted. The committee recommended the law should be so amended as to permit the sale of cigarettes and tobacco by the shopkeepers, subject to the stock being kept in locked receptacles during hours when tobacconists are closed. The penalties for breaches of the law in making sales during prohibited hours should be increased. * * & One of Twelve Apostles Following the statement of the Prime Minister that Mr. Lee Martin (Raglan'' was only swallowing the statements of the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr. W. J. Poison), boots, spurs, and all, the House digressed for a while this afternoon to consider the position of Mr. Poison. Mr. Coates observed that Mr. Poison had been sent away two or three years a;o as a member of the commission appointed to investigate rural credit schemes abroad. Mr. H. E. Holland: It was on the eve of the election, and he had to be got out of the way. Mr. Coates: Oh, no. We don’t mind that gentleman. Mr. Samuel: He will be got out of the way this election. Mr. Coates: Yes, he is in the United Party, or Lhe re-United Party, or whatever it is. Voices: No, he doesn’t know where he is.

Mr. Coates: Oh, yes. He was at the United conference. He was one of the twelve apostles, or whatever they were. (Laughter.) The Prime Minister added that he would givo Mr. Lee Martin the tip not to decry the Rural Credits scheme too much, or be would find himself in the wrong box. Mr. Samuel: He is in the wrong box now.