PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1919, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30. A NEW BILL. \ Sir Wm, Fraser gave notice of his in« tention to introduce tlie Stone Quarried Amendment Bill. Implying to Sir Joseph Ward, thq Premier said the House would meet oq Mondays after tho Budget had been presented by the Minister of Finance. RAILWAY PERMITS TO SB abolished. 4 1 Replying to Mr. Nash, the Premier said he was aware that the system of granting permits to travel on the railways was irksome, and he had given instructions that, if at all possible, it b» discontinued next week. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS, Replying to Hon. G. W. Russell, the Premier said he was in negotiation With leaders of the eoal miners with a view to promoting another conference. ■ Ha did not wish to force the position or to do anything which might tend to put up the price of coal to the consumer, hut he was of opinion that if another conference could be arranged it would re* suit in good. He was anxious to haw the whole matter discussed. Replying to Mr. Fraser, the Premie? said the Government had come to a de< cision on the question of the gratuities, and in all probability that decision would be laid before the House to-morrow, or Friday at the latest. The Land Settlement and Fintatei Amendment Bill was, on the motion of Mr. Young (Waikato) introduced read a first time.

The remainder of the afternoon Bitting was occupied with disetuaion on answers given by Ministers to question!. During the discussion, Hon. Herries aafeji that while he was Minister of Railway* the question of 'building or purchasing three steamers to act as colliers for the railways was earnestly considered. V (-3self, of the Kauri typo were con* sidered most suitable, and it was proposed they should trade between Newcastle and ports in the North and South Islands. The present cost of the vessels, however, was the difficulty, and nothing could be done, but he hoped that future Ministers of Railways would not lose sight of the prospect. The question of purchasing a coal mine for the railways was even a more difficult matter, and was bound to raise complicated questions as to whether the railways Alone should l)e supplied in times of shortage, and, if not, what public services should be supplied. Dealing with questions asking for increases in superannuation and pensions, the Minister said these proposals would cost a v, vv considerable amount of money. No doubt the whole system of pensions required revising, but he thought that the subject could be best dealt with by a government with a mandate from the people after the next election. In answers to questions supplied by Ministers to-day they state that later m the session the.v will announce their intentions regarding the office of High Commissioner; that a very much larger provision than usual wiU be submitted to Parliament to permit various educa- ■ tional reforms being carried out; that a Dill dealing with the housing question will lie submitted to Parliament shortly, when an opportunity will he given for discussion of any practicable suggestion; that it is doubtful if the question of granting increased superannuation to civil servants in view of the increased cost of living can be dealt with this session; that a general soheme or remodelling or re-erecting the older school buildings is under consideration. Proposals for education grants to be submitted later in the session will be such as to enable the provision of necessary funds; that the shortage of butter is mainly due to the unusually dry weather experienced in the late autumn, which caused a heavy shrinkage in the winter production; that the Government cannot see its way to introduce at an early date a motion urging the Imperial Government to grant self-determination to Ireland; that it is not proposed to introduce legislation to permit of the wives of soldiers claiming enrolment without having first resided twelve months in Xew Zealand as required by the Legislature Act. 1908; that it is proposed to pin ro £3OOO on the estimates this year 1 for snl,sidy to public libraries; that the .subject of a State medical service in New Zealand is under consideration, and varin», schemes such as that propounded bv tnr> Friendly Societies' Conference at Melbourne, will lie examined; that a confevenee of all parties interested is being en lied to consider the new scheme for the manufacture and sale of standardised boots; that the question of the release of Herman prisoners of war stationed at Featherston will be decided when tlie peace treaty is finally ratified; that the High Commissioner' was instructed by cablegram on .Tunc 2(1 last to give Malcolm TJoss one month's notice® o the Ini rn.tint ion of his engagement, ' m neenrdance with the conditions of his appointment: tliat. the official report shows that the newspaper statement that ,T Delnney was recently flogged at the Terrace gaol and collapsed phvsi- ' ! n 'lashes had been administered. was incorrect: that the Government; wiU take into favorable eonsiderntion the giving of sufficient eneonrngement to farmers for the M2J wheat, crop: that, ell care will lie taken to en«nrc that, ample winter supplies of Wl " kept in the Dominion in future years.