Mr. Speaker

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 809, 1 November 1929, Page 1

Mr. Speaker

Session Queries and Asides

TUB SON’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Today. A very quiet day was spent by the House of Representatives yesterday in discussion o£ various Government Bills on the Order Paper. These did not offer much scope tor bright passages. The Government is busying itself with making a nasty hole in the Order Paper, but yesterday it did not ask urgency for the transaction of the business before it. Today, however, will be a heavy day, with probable extension of hours. Saturday Sitting On Saturday morning the House will sit, but according to Mr. Forbes, its hours should be front about 10 a.m. to one. with the afternoon and evening left free. Presumably the House will sit in the afternoon on Monday next. Extra Primage Duty The Customs Amendment Bill, providing for the increasing of the primage duty to 2 per cent., was put through all stages by the Legislative Council today. The Leader of the Council, the Hon. T. K. Sidey, said it was considered that the increase in the primage duty would be least feb. As far as could be ascertained the tax had not been passed on to the average householder.

A Valuable Gift According to advice from the High Commissioner for New Zealand. Sir James Parr, the House of Representatives is to be enriched soon by a collection of contemporary mezzotint portraits of British Prime Ministers from Walpole to the present day, presented by Mr. Ernest Makower, chairman of Makower. Mcßeath and Co., Ltd.. New Zealand. The collection is similar to those given by Mr. Makower to the London Museum and the Australian Federal House at Canberra, and those slowly accumulating for Ottawa and Capetown. A cablegram has been sent by the Government thanking Mr. Makower heartily for his gift

Leave of Absence Four days’ leave of absence was granted Air. Tau Henare (Northern Maori) because of urgent public business. Land Settlement The chief amendment to the Laud Laws Amendment Bill, according to the Minister, Mr. Forbes, was £Ol- - appointment of a man with practical farming experience as a member of the Development Board. Regarding a question from the Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) as to whether there was any provision for assistance to those taking up group settlement, Mr. Forbes said that this was beyond the scope of the Act. although there was provision for this in existing legislation.

Police Superannuation In the House today the Minister in charge of the Police Department, the Hon. T. M.-Wilford. said he hoped to be able to state definitely on Monday whether legislation would be introduced this session in connection wit it police superannuation. * * * Suspense There was some amusement in the House when Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Rotorua). chairman of the Select Committee which took evidence on the Transport Laws Amendment Bill, rose to present the report of the committee on the Bill. Government members looked perturbed as he announced that the committee had taken evidence and recommended that the Bill be allowed to proceed with amendments. The Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates): What are the amendments? Mr. Clinkard looked rather flustered and so did the Act-ing-Leader of the House. First Mr. Clinkard rose and then Mr. Forbes interjected and they bobbed up and down alternately. Mr. Coates repeated his question. Mr. Clinkard uncertainly admitted that there was practically none. Then Mr. Forbes got his chance. As Mr. Clinkard was thinking of the next sentence the Act-ing-Leader informed Mr. Speaker that the report was not among those he had mentioned for consideration. “In that case,” said Mr. Speaker, “I rule that the honourable member be allowed not to present his report till tomorrow.”

Lawyers’ Fidelity The Law Practitioners Amendment (Solicitors’ Fidelity Guarantee Fund( Bill was put through by the House of Representatives, yesterday. In moving the second reading the Minister or Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford. explained that the Bill was promoted by the legal profession. The proposal was to reimburse those people who had lost money through the dishonesty of solicitors. That would be done out of a fund which it was proposed to establish.