PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1916, Page 12

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL', - By Telegraph.—Press Associatlrt, Wellington, Yesterday , The Council met at 2.30 p.m., UL$ . after the transaction of formal butißeMti adjourned, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES* The House met at 2.80 p.m. CENSORSHIP OF FILMS, Mr. G. W, Russell gave notice of> his intention to introduce a Bill pw viding for the censorship of graph films. ORCHARD TAX BILI* Mr. W. D. S. McDonald gave riotlef of his intention to introduce an OrcJuu* Tax Bill. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AMEND- ' WENT. The Legislative Council Amendment: ' Bill was received from the Council ami; read a first time. „' REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Mr.'Massey, replying to Mr. H. Okey rf said the Government had not any communication regarding the Dm-*' dandles Commission. 1 Replying to Mr. G. V. Pearce, the Pre*' inier said the arrival of- a steamer id: Wellington with a German name had| not been overlooked. Tlio closest ett«. quiry was being made, and the Govern/ racnt would see that the British people': were not prejudiced thereby, He hope?' to be able to make a statement on. the. l subject in a few days. Replying to Dr. "Thocker, Mr. Allenll said there was no chance (so farms Iti; was humanly possible to say), of, any': recurrence of the epidemics at camps) this winter. ;■ ;l Replying to Mr. G. R. Sykos, the' Pre-; mier stated (],»t the Government' did. not inlend to ask the public to observea holiday on August 4th, but the mere. asking of local bodies to call meetings on that day to pass resolutions eimilaq: to those passed last year. ■PRICES FOR COMMANDEERED . MEAT. '■" 1 Mr. Massey laid on the table a state* ment showing the prices paid for New, Zealand meat purchased by the Board' of Trade and sold in London. He ad« mitted the position was not altogether! satisfactory, bu v hoped to have the op. portihiity of looking into it personally, at no distant date. Mr. G. Witty , said the Government ■ should take care to see that the local,. consumer was not handicapped by prices being unduly raised in this country, owing to operations of the Board of Trade. Mr. C. V. Pcarcc said if any profit was made it should go into the pockete of the Government and not into the; i.ockeis of speculators, as he felt it was doing. i Mr. J. Payne did not admit that war!;' pro/its should bo made, but everyone knew they were being made, and that, being so they should certainly see. that the producers got them and not speculators. Mr. Edward Newman said there WW a}, good deal of dissatisfaction amongst the;; farmers regarding the constitution orV the committee tbat controls the colonial; meat in London. Members should not ■ • forget that had it not been for thei: Board it would not have been possible,-! to act shins to carry the meat Home. ' : Mr. Mnssey.' in reply, defended the!. constitution of the committee in' London, and said that as a result of in* quiry he was quite satisfied they werei, not using tho position in their ownj interests. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. An amendment to the Native LanS and Maovi Councils Act wns introduced' by Governor's Message. Mr. Herries said he proposed to refer tho Bill to the Native Affairs Committee. An amendment of the Military Service Bill was introduced by Governor's message. Mr. Allen explained that the present Act did not give power to inoculate or vaccinate members of tho forces, and it iwns necessary this power should be given The amendment was agreed to. WAR LEGISLATION AMENDMENTS. The Premier moved the second readin;; of the War Legislation Amendment Bill. He explained that the principal feature wns that referring to the restriiclion of the increase of rent. The legislation proposed was based on the ' English Act. He said the Government did not wish to unduly interfere with the rights of landlords, but it was dciirr.l to prevent the excessive increases of vents. The Bill had been rendered necessary, by the overcvowdini' of WelIV.gion which, of course, was due to the concentration of troops in camps near (lie city. The Act wns to remain in force during the present war and for six months thereafter. The Hill also provided for certain concessions iu regard to implications for leave by. members of Expeditionary Forces: for tho appointment of .temporary teachers during the war; for preserving the rights of soldiers in connection with the superannuation funds; for the appointments of temporary members of tho police force, and for dealing with several other matters which, in the interests of soldiers, required attention, Messrs. Witty, Harris and Buddo approved the proposals. Mr. Wiiford adversely criticised the disconnected nature of the Bill, which he said might be desci died as an "All Outs Bill" He thought the rent question should have been piovided for in a. small special Bill, and that applications for redress should he adjudicated upon by a Stipendiary Magistrate. "<M". Russell said 'that piovision for tho postponement of elections of members of , local authorities wn-. designed on the lines of the English Act. It was most undesirable that am (lung approaching local political camps should be organised during the war, but rather that all energies should be'devoted to presenting a united front to the enemy. There were, llli borough.-, U2 town districts-, 25 harbor boards, aUn hospital boards and d'ainaire boards. He was assured that the postponement of these local election* would result in « saving of from £IO,OOO to £50,000. Tiie county elections could . ■*.< he provided for, if ncccosary, next year, i* ■'. The debate was continued by Other ."■ members, and at 11.50 the second read- :! ing was carried. The Bill was taken- in Committee and the short title passed, % and .the rose at ILM, -----