PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3328, 5 November 1919, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

A WELLINGTON, This Day. The Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m_ The Law -Practitioners Amendment Bill was received from the Houes of Representatives, was "read a first time and the Council rose pending the re.— ceipt of further business frOm the House. - -v----"—""""-"x HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

After the telegraph office closed, Sir James Allen, replying to Sir J. G. Ward's question re increase in the Estimates, twitted Sir J. Ward with asking for increases to the post and telegraph service -and soldiers’ gratuiies. He also twitted Sir Joseph with shirking his responsibilities, and asked if he left the National Grovernnient' because -he saw this coming. He went on to say that although it appeared from the Estinla‘tes there would be a deficit at the end of March. next, he had faith in the country. If people did their best to in~ crease the production’ of the. country he believed there would be a. surplus instead of a deficit next March. The rcsolultion-s of *the- ,committee were agreed to; the House agreed to the-a.mend'm-ents made by the Legislative Council in the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill. The House also put through all its stages the Law Pra.c‘titioner’s Amendment Bill, enabling young solicitors to count war service as part of thefive years’ required to qualify as barristers.

The House rose at 2.29 till 11 a.m

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

VVELLINGrTOI\T, this. day

The House met at 11 ofclock

Replying‘ to Mr Poole, the Prellliv}‘ said the Cabinet _had not agreed to grant any compensation to Leyland and o’Brien in connection with (iamage done to the scow Moa captured by Count vo-n Luckner after the escape of the German prisoners from Motuihi. .

Replying to Mr MeCo.mbs,'the Pro niier said it was impossible to pass a ‘satisfactoryvamendment to the Shop»: and.Offices..Act.tlli’s:- session.‘ If he. was: in power a eonsolidating‘measure would be brought; down early next sesAn amendmen ‘was made by the _Legisla:tive_; ; Council 4,_ the Washing Up Bill. " ‘ ” ‘ ' In reply to Mr Holland Mr Massey said there was a shortage of"sugar in the Dominion, which'was accentuated by" the fact that a cargobf 4500' tons had; to be sent away .from.Auekland ‘because. the watersiders, refused -to unload the steamer. . The Board of Trade was inviting representatives of the Colonial Sugar Company to discuss the position’ He did not want to see rationing to individuals, but -he wanted to see a fair distribution amongst the towns. Replying to Mr Ell, the Premier admitted he was not familiar with all the details of dispute betwee’h the miners and coal owners, but it was only a matter of tools and explosives, and he thought the dispute would be quickly settled. As soon as he was able to get time he ‘proposed to go into the whole matter.

T-he vAppl'opria.tion Bill.Was introrluc6'd and read a fiifst time. Mr Massey laid on the table the report of the Royal Commission to the railway cut. The Commission repo.-ts. there was no other reason for the curtailment of the train services‘ th:,:l‘. the shortage of coal. ‘Mr Massey made a. statement regarding the railwaymen’g wages He said it was proposed to set up a ]3oe.ml to inquire into wages and working conditions. Cabinet proposed to’ ask the Board to report on what i]l(3l‘o€l§O was necessary to meet the incl‘easé'd cost of living sinc March last, when ‘the men made an agreement with the Government as to the seale of pair. _Boal'<l will be asked to report within three months, but on the question of this increase they would be asked to make aniinterim I'eport_