QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 797, 18 October 1929, Page 6

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

VARIETY OF SUBJECTS COVERED PAEROA-POKENO LINE Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Thursday. Numerous questions were answered by Ministers in the House today. A full investigation to determine whether a concrete road would be of more economic value than the proposed Paeroa-Pokeno railway, or the alternative Taupiri-Morrinsville line, was promised by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Hansom, in replying to Mr. F. Lye (Waikato). With a view to providing unemployment relief work, Mr. Lye also suggested that consideration should be given to the immediate preparation of the site for the new railway station and yards at Morrinsville, a work which would relieve the congestion at Frankton Junction. The Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, said railway -works for the relief of unemployment were being selected with due regard to early future requirements. The preparation of the site referred to would be considered -with such works. TUNG OIL Information as to the commercial possibilities of tung oil and the prospect of growing the trees in the northern part of Ne\v Zealand was sought by Mr. H. M. Rushworth (Bay of Islands).

“A number of plants of the tree producing tung oil have been supplied from the department’s Te Kauwhata station for distribution for planting purposes in the warmer parts of the Dominion,” replied the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. G. W. Forbes. “It will be a few years before these trees come into full beai'ing and an opinion can be formed of the commercial possibilities of producing tung oil under New’ Zealand conditions. From Chinese and American experience one would expect the trees to do well in the warmer parts of

the country, where there are no late spring frosts. There is a good demand for tung oil at remunerative prices.” “The specifications for the new railway station in Auckland did not provide for the use of any Australian timber, and he was assured that no such timber was being used.” said the Minister of Railways in reply to Mr. PI. G. R. Mason (Auckland Suburbs). TOBACCO INDUSTRY Replying to Mr. Rushworth. Mr. Forbes stated that information at present available regarding the overseas markets was not sufficient to enable an authoritative statement to be made as to the prospects of the tobacco industry in New Zealand. Experience during the past two or three years suggested that really good leaf could be grown in different parts of New* Zealand, but only a relatively small quantity had yet been marketed overseas. Whether such leaf was suitable to the British trade, and whether, if it were suitable, it would return a payable price to the producer, was not yet known, nor was it likely to be definitely known until after reasonably large quantities of leaf had been made available to that market. The Department of Agriculture would, as far as practicable, furnish expert advice and assistance in the raising and curing of the tobacco leaf to those settlers who desired to embark on that industry. GARRATT LOCOMOTIVE Replying to Mr. J. Fletcher (Grey Lynn), the Minister of Railways said priliminary trials of the Garratt locomotives had been completed and the engines had been placed in service. The trials indicated that the engines were mechanically capable of doing their work. Their economic value could only be tried out in service, and this would necessarily take time. Replying to a question, the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, said it was not intended at present to raise the compulsory school age to 15 years. In answer to a member’s question, the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, said it was not possible for New Zealand to obtain an international agreement to ensure the proper control or regulation of whaling in the Antarctic, but representations had already been made to the British Government urging that steps should bo taken to that end. It was understood that the matter was engaging the British Government’s attention.