PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph.—Press Association ■ Wellington, L#sfc -Night. ;; ! The Legislative Council resumed j^il» afternoon. ' I Hon. 0. Samuel reported, Stat- I atm Revision fpomtftjtttfe JiadJnfy anient 1 uients to make with regard to the Regisi I tration of Aliens Bjjl, and a ifte 1 put .through' all stages anjj.'jsa'ssad."'"*' | The Sale of Liquor BUJ;#Jib f road, a second tinie prq forai£' an<f %• .8 ferred to the Statutes Revision djjjfc- 1 hiittne. The.second rending,) of tho PulL I lia Trust Office ATOendn»#4"^ T 4,' If tho Service Act' Ameitdjlfleßt"' | Bjll ; ; were set down for .tomorrow.'At {;■ 2.45,' and the Counpil adjourned. ".',„■' f : : •' —"■ i- J ; ; r | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | The House met at -*,.. i REPLIES TO -QUESTIONS! - '- Replying to Messrs Hornsby anff '; witty, the Premier aaid he had done/Ms ■ 1 best to contradict the wild rumors circulating in Australia regarding the alleged '> revolution which had taken place in New Zealand. He had also* endeavored to correct the exaggerated report* sent to .England concerning the earthqi&ks which took place here some weeka ago He would see what could be done to prevent such absurd reports being cabled from New Zealand, Replying to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said the Home authorities had expressly laid it down that no foodstuffs should be f.old without their consent, and it was inadvisable to export anything in the food line except to England. ■ Mr. Sykes said there was a rumoi that tho Government intended to call up discharged soldiers for further examination. Sir James Allen said, that discharged soldiers could not bo called up for examination, and he could not understand how that and other similar silly rumors arose. . : Replying to Mr, Witty, Hon, % D. S. Mac Donald. said he considered there was no cause for anxiety regarding the sup« ply of wheat and flour for the Dominion. If there should prove to be <i shortage, and he found the farmers holding etoekß, steps- would be taken by the Government ' to secure such supplies. REDUCING HOUSE HENTS.

Mr. Hindmarsh introduced the Wai Legislation Amendment Act, 1916, Amendment Bill. He explained that the measure at reducing house rents in Wellington to pre-war rates. Ha urged that the position was critical, and appealed to the* Premier to do something to relieve the pressure on tenants. Mr. Wilford, Dr. Newman, Mr. Veitoh', Dr. Thaeker, and Messrs 'Payne and Wtight dismissed the Bill from the <poin\ of view of tlio tenant, suggesting vari< ous expedients by which the necessitiei of the workers might be met, Mr. Massey said this question was not nearly so easily dealt with as many might suppose. The. danger wa 3 that U legislation went too far it would hava the opposite effect by stopping building operations. That was the effect in New South Wales, and though our law did not go so far as that in New South Wales, if it were made more drastic th< effect would probably be the same. li the Government attempted to remedy the shortage of houses by balding others, they would at once be faced with the cost, of building material,' which, .necessarily, meant increased rent, as th« State could not build the houses at a loss. Ho was utterly opposed to th« system of flats, which he hoped would never be introduced iu this country. The right policy was the one we were adopting here of permitting one family tq occupy one house, and enabling th? head of the family, if possible, ,to make th< house his own. Of course he know 'too would be answered by someone saying that land values would prevent this, hut he was distinctly of opinion that we were not far away from a serious drop in, land values in this country. Ha had in view some amendment to the eslßttajj iaw, which he would probably brin£ down in a day or two. / The Bill was read a first time, ■ TECHNICAL EDUCATION, The Minister of Education laid on tn« table the report on teehnio&l education, the discussion lasting till 5.30, when th« | House rose. At 7.30 the House goes into; Eecr»t session.