Mr. Speaker . . .

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 701, 28 June 1929, Page 1

Mr. Speaker . . .

Session Queries and Asides

(THE Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENTARY BLDGS, Thurs. The most important features of the opening of Parliament this afternoon were questions relating to earthquakes and unemployment, and national remedies in connection therewith. From the point of view of the ordinary man, the most important feature of the opening was the sight of the tartan waistcoat adopted by Mr. D. McDougall, Mataura. It was a real waistcoat, simple but effective. After the Speech from the Throne there was an avalanche of questions, chiefly from the Opposition benches. Earthquakes, unemployment, and pensions were a few of the subjects traversed. * * * The first ceremony was the swearing in of Mr. H. M. Rushworth. He was attended by a strange mixture of representatives of parties. Messrs. W. Lee Martin (Labour) and W. J. Poison (Independent) were his sponsors. To Mr. Speaker, when question time came, Mr. W. E. Barnard, Napier, asked the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, how many men had been put off. and how many would be re-employed by the Government. * * * Mr. D. G. Sullivan, Avon, asked for a subsidy to local bodies on all relief works, instead of on subscriptions only. * * * Mr. J. A. Nash, Palmerston, asked if there were under consideration auy legislation affecting the Civil Service cut. * * * Mr. A. Harris, Waitemata, asked that a tribunal be set up as early as possible to consider the question of the Waitemata Bridge. * * * Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, Riccarton, asked of the Minister of Agriculture whether the sliding scale of wheEit duties would be continued, despite the turbing utterances of Ministers. Mr. P. Fraser asked the Government to consider methods of relieving unemployment, and adopting unemployed insurance. Mr. D. Jones, Mid-Canterbury, asked whether the Government were prepared to carry out the recommendations of the Industrial Conference; or, if not, how the Government was prepared to unravel the industrial tangle. ... Mr. A. M. Samuel, Thames, asked the Government when It would go on with the construction of the PaeroaPokeno railway. * * * Mr. R. Semple, Wellington East, asked for a specific statement regarding the Palmerston North deviation, particularly with regard to whose recommendation it was started on, what was the contribution of landowners, why it was abandoned, and what was the total cost of the line up to its abandonment ? Several questions on railways and railway construction work were put forward by Mr. T. W. McDonald. Wairarapa. Mr. M. J. Savage, Auckland West, wanted to know who was the designer of the steamer Maui Pomare, what was the contract price, what amount was i spent on extras, and what was the ! additional cost of the extras since the j Government had taken over the l steamer?

A touch of comedy was added to the proceedings when Mr. Lee Martin, Raglan, solemnly asked amid derisive chuckles whether. In view of the differences of opinion on the South Island Main Trunk, members could not view the site of the railway for themselves one week-end? Sir Joseph Ward, smiling, said the request would be given the utmost consideration, and Mr. Lee Martin sat down amid smiles. Mr. W. J. Jordan, Manukau, was sworn in, as he was absent from the previous ceremony. He was led to Mr. Speaker by Mr. E. J. Howard, Christchurch South, and Mr. M. J. Savage, Auckland West. The Expiring Laws Continuance Bill was read pro forma for the first time before Mr. Speaker reported having received the Speech from the Throne. The House adjourned at 4.6 p.m.