PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1917, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES * By .Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Nigifc The House met at 2.30. WATER POWER EIGHTS. Mr. Newman (Rangitiljei)', Hon. W. Frn;er said tiie Government would JiQt. grant to a private company tights,to iWater-poWor for the purpose of the manufacture of nitrates from air, / as such power must be reserved by the. Crown. PORT KEM'BLA'S MAILS.

Sir Joseph Ward stated that most ot the mails lost when the Port Kembla, gent from Australia. There * r ? <^ f ? w bags from Calcutta and Atten,'but there were no English mails on board. The mail consisted of 270 bags, and was the largest iXew Zealand mall lost in the history of the post office. r •PUBLIC TROST OFFICE.

Sir Joseph .Ward laid on the table th,a annua! report of the Pubjie Trust Office, . Mr. Hornsby proceeded to dis'CUßS'the administration of the Public Trust Office at Masterton during 1914, when a Native named Sangi Kerehoma expended *12,000 in twelve months v,bile he was ward of the local agent of the Pubfio TrustOffice. He complained at the delay occurring in connection with the investigation of this case. The commission of inquiry asked for by the Publio Trustee should be set up with all speed, and the fullest investigation take place, !be« cause, the honor of the office was ia< volved.

Mr. Herdman, who was Mintit«r in charge of the Public Trust Office at ,th<! time of the transactions complained of explained that the agent concerned was acting in a private capacity, not.in q public capacity, in the bjosuiess com< plained of. He detailed the steps taken to get rid of him, and stated how a society was taking steps to investigate the conduct of a solicitor concerted with the agent of the Public Trust Office. Mr. Parata stated that the Na'tiv< youth concerned had , gone throurt £30,000 in ten years. .;„,,. . , , Sir Joseph Ward eaid the Public Trust Office was not in any way concerned, in the transactions. He desired to mate that clear, and* the fullest investigation would take place in order to clear the; office from any suspicion, and that with, out delay,