Mr. Speaker.

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 807, 30 October 1929, Page 1

Mr. Speaker.

i Session Queries and j Asides J THE SI X'S l'arliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON*. Today. While the rays of summer sun are gaining in strength, those of the sessional sun of the New Zealand Parliament are fading, fading, although it may be that, just as in a sunset, the session may go out with a flame of argument and oratory. The longawaited Customs Amendment Bill, providing for the imposition of the primage duty, made its appearance the House of Representatives yestevday afternoon, and Reform gave the measure a serious challenge, but Labour declared its intention of standing by the Government and the Bill was put through all stages, the House rising at 2.15 a m. The Tubiic Works Statement and Estimates will be taken today. Prime Minister’s Absence As the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, is not making sufficiently good progress to enable him to return to the House this session. the acting-leader of the House, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, wishes to get through the business as fast as possible, and it is more than likely that the order paper now will be considerably pruned, with private Bills going by tlie’board. and even a few Government Bills. On Guard The Leader of the Opposition will not let the need of finishing early interfere with his party’s ideas of what constitutes good legislation, and he told Mr. Forbes this afternoon that he was prepared to stay in the House until Christmas if there were legislation introduced that might be inimical to the interests of the people of New Zealand. Transport Bill Not much has been heard of the Transport Laws Amendment Bill and its likely progress lately, although the Minister of Transport, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, has assured the House that the Bill will come down. Seeing that there probably will be some opposition to it and a lot of discussion on it in any event, it is thought that it may be introduced, but not allowed to proceed very far. Leave of Absence Because of illness, eight days’ leave of absence was granted to the Hon. Sir Maui Pomare (Western Maori'. Sir George Hnnter (Waipawa). and Mr. T. D. Burnett (Temuka) respectively. Cinematograph Films One Government Bill, the Cinematograph Films Amendment Bill, was withdrawn today, when it was supposed to be introduced by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle. * * * Shipping and Seamen Notice has been given by the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, to introduce the Shipping and Seamen’s Amendment Bill. Fire-escapes on Flats Mr. H. Holland (Christchurch North) has given notice to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon, P. A. de la Perrelle, if it were his intention to amend the law as it affected fire-escapes in private dwellings turned into flats. He understood the Minister had a model by-law prepared. Settlers’ Petitions Favourable consideration has been recommended by the M to Z Committee of the House for the petition of C. E. Mace and six others, of the Ohineinuri County, who prayed for consideration for flood damage to land on the east bank of the Waihou River, between Mangaiti and Tirohia. A largely-signed petition was presented to the House by Mr. J. N. Massey, member for Franklin, on behalf of farmers in the Pukekohe and Buckland districts. The petitioners seek relief from what they describe as the noxious penalty of having to pay double fees for tattoo designs or private brands are required by the Stock Act, 1908, and the amendment of 1927.