PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegr&P|.— .pregg Association, ■ Weilington,Laet Night f The Council met this ''afternoon: ■ | On reading fltifcathai Fublp Trust Office Menfne#|Bil Hon. I. Samuel said he desired to poi|| out tlilt 'the the Commission%3'#onl#no¥ be moil satisfactory in the future than it I'M :been in tlispftst. . :'lt s, ' | During the debate that ■followed, S§ Hall-Jones said that W. favored 'of that wjiich had been adopted... ~ | j lion. Sir Walter Buchanan querieft •whether the new appointee as iPublfe ~Trustee had had sufficient legal expert* ;ence to qualify him for the positifan. $ "As I read the bill," said the Hon. J. ; McGregor, "this is a compromise "rived at by the National 'He condemned the appontment of firee public trustees instead of one. He ■agroed that there wae no guarantee <>f to whether the gentleman wliom it wai proposed to appoint to the position of Public Trustee, although he had dona excellent work as a. public service cojH* misaioner, had Tenough legal esperienw for tho position. Hon. Sir Francis Bell stated that u far as ne knew, Mr. Triggs wits not 8 competitor for the position of Pu|il« Trustee, nor was his name recommended by any of his brother commisaionvsi The reason why Mr. Trlgga had b:eti appointed to the position wa* because lie had had a large experience in Australia. i Hon. J. T. Paul: Why three trust«e>l The bill was second time. In committee, consideration of claup* IS of the bill, dealing with the question that the Publio' Trustee and assistant trustees constitute a public trust oifico board was, on the motion of Sir Francis Bell, adjourned. The bill will be further considered in committee to-morrow. The .Military Service Amendment Bill, dealing with the selection by ballot of men called up for service, to be dispensed with if all men available for "eTvico in any division or class of the reserve aw requred, wa3 put through all stages with* out amendment. The council then ad" journed till the following day, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tho House met at 2.30 p.m, DEFENCE OFFICE EMPLOYEES. Notice was given by Mr.„H. Okey to move for a return showing the number of officers and men employed in the local Defence offices of the Dominion. TERRITORIAL PARADES. Mr. Anderson gave notice to ask what is being done in connection with Territorial parades. The reason he naked that he had received a complaint from Southland that officers did not attend parades. Meanwhile farms were standing idle., , INCREASED FREIGHTS. Mr. Pearce complained of the reseijt increase in freights to New Zealand, from about £o to £lO a ton. Wiuld the Prime Minister cable Home and pro-, test. Mr. Massev said the rate of freight was now in the hands of the Imperial authorities. The Government had al* ready asked for an explanation. As tu our produce, he again pointed out the difficulty of getting it on ths Brit'nh market, owing to the scarcity of shipping, but he felt sure that the British shipping controller would carry cut the promise made to Sir -Joseph Ward and himself, to get our produce away el speedily as possible. The remainder of the sitting wea oc« cupied by discussion on reports of select committees.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS, ' Replying to questions, Ministers sa'flf That it is not intended to gazette any further particulars regarding trie purchase of wheat during the ensuing seasbn until the Board of Trade has visited the South Island and conferred with al! Interested parties. That married civil servants who joined the Expeditionary Force, and were now in camp will, on the basis of last year's payment, receive a, moiety of bonus up to the date their civil pay ceased. Married civil servants receive the pay of their rank when in camp, with food, cldthing, medical and* dental attendance, etc. Separation allowances to wife n!id children rire paid on neount of married men when in camp. Thut it is not considered desirable to send any other New Zealand women than army nurses abroad. That it is the firm intention of the Government, as soon as conditions become normal, to Utilise to the fullest extent the water power of this Dominion for the purpose of .generating electric energy, and the clairat for consideration from Southland and Western Otago will not be overlooked. That the question of introducing legislation to provide for regulating the speed of motors has been under consideration for somo time, but, in view f the fact that boroughs already have that powor, under the Municipal"Corporations there is no necessity for legislation for ; such local bodies to enable them to fix the speed of motors using their streets, < and other local bodies can make by-laws under the main Acts prescribing the speed in any particular place, :

had teen pronounced fit for service, Hi» said that the point had been raised ati the secret session on the previous evening, and he had promised life wonH rake a statement. "The request, to my mind, is reasonable," said Mr. Massev, "but there is a difficulty in giving % defmito undertaking on the point. It is quite impossible to have a whole reinforcement examined in one day or one wee I *. Thara are always stragglers, and there is ihe difficulty arising from the scarcity ol medical men. The Minister of Defence has stated that he will do his best to arrange a period of' three months '"between'the medical examination and the date of calling tip. I endorse this statement, speaking as Prime Minister, and I think this should be aceopted."