PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 241, 2 July 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTING. WELLINGTON, July 1. Trading with the Snemy. In the House the Hon. Herdman moved the second reading of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Bill, which he explained was primarily intended to extend for a further period the existing Act which expired at the end of his year. Mr. Wilford welcomed he Bill, but thought it should go further. A firm should be regarded a 3 German when a majority of the shareholders were German or. are resident in Germany and in all cases a declaration of origin should accompany goods. Mr. Veitch complained that Germnr pipes were being used by the Telegraph Department in connection with the telephone extension in Wanganui, where excellent steel pipes were being manufactured by New Zealand workmen. He asked the Minister to say whether there was anything in the rumour that duty was to be taken off these German pipes as the local industry could not be carried on if the duty was taken off. The Prime Minister said there was no intention to remove the duty. The Postmaster-General denied that the pipes were German. They were made by a British firm who were contractors to the British Navy. Mr. Wilford pointed out that the capital of the company was held in Germany. The Minister, in reply, said ample provision was being taken to trace the origin of goods coming through neutral countries. The Government was gradually winding up the Continental Tyre Company, and the moneys were being paid into the Public Trust Office with the view to paying them into the British Empire at the end of the war. The Bill was read a second time. Regulation of Trade Bill. The Premier moved the second reading of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Amendment Bill, which he explained proposed to extend the original Act to th Ist of August, 1916. He also proposed to extend the powers of the Government in the prohibition of German-made goods nnd in commandeering ships if necessary. Sir Joseph Ward supported the Bill, which was read a second time.

Statutes Compilation Amendment Bill. The Statutes Compilation Amendment Bill and the Enemy Contracts Bill were, on the motion of Mr. Herdman, read a second time without debate. The House rose at 5.5 until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

NATIONAL CABINET. The proposed formation of a National Cabinet is still the supreme political uestion of the hour. A conference on the subject was held in the Cabinetroom yesterday between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The conference la-sted for oyer an hour, but neither -of the,iwip leaders, when questioned subsequently, had any statement to make upon the matter. Lobby gossip is full of various speculations, but it is as yet too early to form an opinion as to result of the negotiations.