PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 November 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COJf.CiCLOSE OP THE SESSION. By Telegraph.—'Press Association. Wellington, Nov, 1. The Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m. and passed the Appropriation Bill. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wellington, Oct. 31. The following was received after we went to press yesterday. ' Replying to Dr. Newman, Sir Joseph Ward stated that clause 32 meant that &U twelve Cabinet ministers would be paid full salaries when an additional minister was appointed. Payment was antedated one year The BUI was then reported from committee without amendment. j On the motion for the third reading, | Mr. Payne was about to speak When the Premier suggested that the Hansard reporters be relieved as they had been on duty since '9.30 that morning. This suggestion was taken by the Labor party as an attempt to fjag them, and they enered an emphatic protest against such an attempt. Mr. Massey denied t'hat he had any idea of the kind, and if there was no intention on the part of members to debate the Bill at great length, he would not ask the Speaker to have the reporters relieved. Mr. McCombs said tSe debate would have been over in five minutes if the Premier had not interfered. Mr. Massey said: "Very well, let the debate proceed." Messrs Payne, Webb, McCombs and Veitch then spoke briefly. The Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 12.30 till 10.80 a.in, SUGAR FOR TROOPS. The House of Representatives met at 10.30. After the dispatch of formal business, Sir Joseph Ward stated that the Government was in cable communication with the British Government on the subject of permitting parcels of sugar to pass through the post to our troops. The grounds on which tlie application was made were that sugar was si com-' modity about which wo were in no difficulty, having an ample supply and at a moderate price. In the event of the British Government not agreeing to the request the High Commissioner bad been asked to press for the delivery of the parcels en route. SIR JOSEPH WARD AND THE MEAT TRUST. Sir Joseph Ward said he desired to clear up the inference raised as the result of the proceedings before the Meat Trust Committee when certain members were evidently endeavoring to connect him with the American Meat Trust,' through his association with the Ocean Beach Freezing Company. He read a telegram from the solicitors of the company to show that these freezing works were transferred to the Federal Shipping Company on February 4, 1013, and were still owned by that company. He Tead further documents to show that the American Meat Trust had nothing to do with the works and reaffirmed his assurance that he was not and never had been in any way associated with the trust. This the committee could have discovered for themselves had they taken the trouble to do so. Mr. Xosworthy said that when the member for Patea raised the question ho based his inquiries entirely on advertisements appearing in the newspapers. Sir Joseph Ward said the advertisements were IS years old. Dr. Newman and Mr. Field (Otaki) assured Sir Jos«ph Ward that the committee was fully satisfied that be was in no way connected with the trU9t. At 11 o'clock a message was received from the Legislative Council that they had passed the Appropriation Bill and the Speaker at once proceeded to Government House to obtain the GovernorGeneral's signature. The Speaker returned at 11.40 and reported that the Governor-General had been pleased to sign the Appropriation Bill. THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED. The schedule of business done during the session shows that of 43 public and private Bills 36 were dropped, and one private Bill was passed. The House sat on eighty days, a total of 511 hours, an average of Ohr 24min. per day. THE LIQUOR QUESTION, Mr. Massey said that when six o'clock closing was before the House he and the Minister of Finance had stated that something must be done to put the liquor question on a more satisfactory basis and this had given rise to misunderstandings in certain quarters. He desired to say that the Cabinet had not been able to give this matter consideraion, but during the recess it would be the duly of the Cabinet to consider measures for submission to the House next session on the lines suggested by the Efficiency Board. That was either continuance or prohibition with compensation, this issue to be decided on a bare majority, but that would not apply to local option, which was now decided by the people. Sir Joseph Ward explained that any action he had taken on the liquor question this session had been dictated by his position as Minister of Finance, in which position he could not afford to sacrifice any revenue. THE CLOSING SCENE. Members then indulged in the usual valedictory speeches, after which a division was called on the question that the House adjourn. The House rose at 12.30 and the third session of the nineteenth Paifliampnt enmc to an end by members singing the National Anthem.