PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1917, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES By Telegraph.—Press Asjociatlon, ™ „ Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 7.30. KEPLIES TO QUESTION'S. Eeplying to Mr. Jsitt, Mr. Massey saM he hoped to be in a position to ttakt a statement in a few days rcgardinj the steps to be taken by the Government in connection with unloading oversea! vessels for which no labor wna offering Replying to Mr. MeComba, Hon. W. G Kiififiell snid the Government's Social Hy. giene Bill would not be rushed throuet the House., but he thought sufficient tim« iind elapsed to enable objections to b( formulated. In view, however, of th« large number of expressions of approval received, he hoped that as the Bill had passed the second reading there would be no undue delay, at this late period of the session, in placing tHe Bill on' tin Statute Book.

In answer to Mr. Webb, the Hon. W. 1-/ V . . ( ' onft 'd snid there was som< difheulty in connection with the pav< ment of the men employed in the Brun. ner mine, but as soon as coal could b< got away ■ that difficulty would b* ov£r< eome.

Answering Mr. Poole, Hon. W. Q, *us< fell Raid it was the earnest defire oi the Government that there should he an cany settlement of the strike in.conjiec* tion with the small coMtal steamers, but when a settlement did take place It must be of such ft nature as not to vio< late the dignity of the law. Replying to Mr. Webb, Bon. W. D. S Macdonald said the Mines Department was considering some amendments to the Coal Mines Act, and, if possible] they would be passed this session. HON. J. D. ORMOND'B DEATH!. The 'Premier then moV*d the following resolution: "That this House records its high sense of the falthfnl servicel rendered to New Zealand by the lat« John Davis Ormonc}, a former member of the House of Representatives, and a member of the Legislating Council, and tenders to his family the assurance of its sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement." In doing, so, Mr. Massey traced Mr. Ormond's career as a public man, giving the greater part of h i life to the service of his country. He spoke of him as a man of great intellect, ol immense initiative, &nd as a pioneer whose memory we were bound to respect, whose sons and grandsons were now fighting for the country and the Empire. The late Mr. Ormond was a' link With the past,' and his death would prove a great loss to the public life of the Dominion. ,

Sir Joseph Ward seconded the motion, and extolled the many excellent quali* ties of the late member, who had been through the whole of the vicissitudes at* tendant upon the development of a coim« try such as this. He mentioned that M# Ormond, prior to his death,. Wat one olj the four surviving Cabinet Mftiatets. who held office prior to 1878, the other three being Sir Robert Stout, Sir C. C. Bowen and Mr. Donald Reid.

Further tributes were offered by Sir J. Findlay, Dr. Newman and Mr. Jen> nings. • '

At 8.20 the House adjourned until tfl« morrow, as a mark of respect to the de 4 ceased. ' ,