Mr. Speaker. . .

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1049, 13 August 1930, Page 13

Mr. Speaker. . .

Session Queries and Asides THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Members of the House of Representatives today wore quite a festive look when they assumed their seats in the Chamber.* for in the buttonhole of each was gaily flaunted a sprig of daphne, which perhaps reminded them of gentler things in life than the tariff proposal* or the inulti-coioured Budget. The House was quite chirpy tndav. and seemed to be looking forward with zest to the strenuous days ahead, although yesterday, in the debate on Imperial Affairs. which ended at 11.45 u.m., there was nothing to suggest that any of the members were anxious to push ahead with _the business of the country and give New Zealand and opportunity of being represented at the Imperial Conference This afternoon the House solemnly discussed the first item on the Estimates. which gave every member a chance to air his opinions on his own particular fads and fancies or on those that affected his constituents. The range of debate was large, and the bell interrupted many a member in his full rhetorical stride. In the evening the Customs Bill was under discussion. Notice was given by the Minister of Defence, the lion. J. G. Cobbe. to introduce the Defence Amendment Bill, which lias been previously outlined in The Sun. It is questioned in some quarters whether such a Bill is necessary this session. for already under the Act the Government has power to prescribe any amount of training it desires, and if it pleases those in control no training at all may bo done. The disparity in the wholesale and retail prices of tea was the subject of a question by Mr. J. S. Fletcher < Independent—Grey Lynn), who aaked the Minister of Industries and Commerce. the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, to inquire into this question. Recently the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, informed the House that orders for the supply of wagon springs to the Railway Department had been given to three North Island firms, as the workshops, through pressure of other busines>. were unable to manufacture the full supply of springs. Mr. F. Langstone (Labour —Waimurino) asked the Minister if it were a fact that a tender for 1,000 laminated springs had been accepted by the Pioneer Spring Works, Sydney. New South Wales, delivery of the springs to be at the rate of 100 a week, and also that instructions had been issued to modify the order with the railway workshops? Would the Minister state to the House what was the cost of a spring landed in Auckland under the new tariff and also the cost of making the springs in the raiiway workshops? Mr. Langstone was informed that he would have to amend his question to the form of a request for a return. Notice was given by Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labour—Manukau) to introduce the Painters and Decorators Health Protection Bill. The restoration of grants was a favourite subject with a good many speakers this afternoon, and among the grants that they wished to see restored were those for the Plunket Society and the Karitane Hospitals, the grants to the Royal Humane Society and the Royal Life-Saving Society and to the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association.