Mr. Speaker ...

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 718, 18 July 1929, Page 1

Mr. Speaker ...

Session Queries and Asides

l I (THE SUN'S Parliamentary RmportmrJ WELLINGTON, Wednesday. And still the debate goes on. and will keep on. to all appearances, until the end of the week. Tho Government is still preparing its legislation. and members arc still talking of land settlement and unemployment and various things. This afternoon was filled up with questions and their answers, and a discussion on the Maui Pomare and her bananas and her shortcomings. Tho Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Marine, and Mr. W. E>. Lysnar spoke in tho evening and the House roso at 10.33 p.m. * + • Three Bills were read a first time — the Kent Restriction Continuance Bill (No. 2). the Lyttelton Harbour Board Reclamation Validation Bill, and the Miners’ Phthisis Bill. Seven days ’leave of absence was granted to Sir Maui Pomare (Western Maori) because of illness. Similar leave was granted Mr. Tau Henaro (Northern Maori) because of illness in the family.

Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) gave notice to ask the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, if, in view of the potato famine in Australia, he would endeavour to bring about a better understanding with the Australian authorities to have the embargo on New Zealand potatoes lifted. # * * Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) gave notice to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle. if art unions for earthquake or other relief funds could be legalised. * • • Answrering a question by Mr. W. J. Poison (Stratford), the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, said that he had given instructions that the amount of loans under the Intermediate Rural Credits system should be raised from £I.OOO to £2,000. He also had given instructions regarding the simplification of details on the completion of loans. Replying to a question by Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata), the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, said that the Government in duo course w r ould set up a tribunal to inquire into and report on the Harbour Bridge project. * • * Nurses in private hospitals or in any branch of their profession may be brought into the National Provident Fund by their employers irrespective of age or income, according to an answer by the Prime Minister to a question from Air. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North) on the subject of nurses’ superannuation. * * * Despite requests made by chambers of commerce and qther bodies for a. reduction in the stamp duty charged on cheques and commercial documents, the Prime Minister, answering a question today, said that while he sympathised with the request he could not give it favourable consideration.

Great-Grandfather That amazingly frank politician, Mr. D. AlcDougall (Alataura), is in high feather nowadays. He went away for the week-end and was granted one day’s leave of absence because of, according to the Senior Government Whip (Air. A. J. Murdoch), “public business.” He has returned to the House with pride in his heart. He is a great-grandfather, and is being warmly congratulated. Probably he is the only great-grand-father in the House of Representatives. Air. AlcDougall is a keen advocate of large families. * * * Fire Drill in Scholls Replying to a question in the House today, the Alinister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, informed Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau) that provision is made in the revised school syllabus for instruction in dealing with such dangers as fires, and that fire drill is regularly practised in many schools. The New Zealand “Education Gazette” recently stressed the need for fire drill, and had printed instructions last year so that teachers could hand the information on to their classes. • • • Giving Justice The Alinister of Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, has a k pledge of the -.-cknesses of J.P.’s on the legal side, arid he made the House roar this afternoon when ho told it that at a recent address to the J.P.’s Association he told the justices to give their judgments but not their reasons in cases. The judgment was probably right and the reasons were probably wrong. Intelligence Department The claim that the Government’s f “secret service” was superior to the j cable system of newspapers was made !by the Alinister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) asked him an urgent question about the cabled newspaper reports of a serious outbi£*ak of influenza in Sydney. What had lie Minister done in regard to preventing the disease from reaching New Zealand or what was he going to do? Air. Stallworthy said that he hg.d received cable advice and had brought the matter under the notice of the Director-General of Health, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine. Full precautions were being taken. The Government, he said, ! had no need of newspapers for information such as that. It has an intellij gence system of its own. ! A Sarcastic Alember: Hear, hear.