PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Teleeraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. It was agreed that the counsel of parties should be heard by the Statutes Revision Committee during consideration of the Marriage Amendment Bill. The Legislative Council Amendment Bill was introduced and read a first time. It amends the rules for the fixing of the boundaries of electoral divisions, and provides that members of the Executive Council may be appointed to the Legislative Council. The Hawke's Bay Rivers Amendment Bill was read a first time.

The Interpretation Amendment Bill, rendered necessary by the fact that Sir William Eraser is acting for the Hon. G. J. Anderson while the latter is ill, was put through all its stages and passed. "An amendment to the Magistrate's Court Amendment Bill to allow for, the appointment of a magistrate for the Chatham Islands* was brought down by the Administrator and adopted. The Council rose at 2.45 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE HOUSING PROBLEM. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. Mitchell, who asked whether a Minister of Housing would be appointed this session, Mr. Massey said he thought there were now as many Ministers as the law allowed, and unless the law was altered, and that was for the House to do, no more Ministers could be appointed. At the same time he did not think the housing scheme lost anything by the present arrangement, which was under the charge of the Labor Department's experts. It was not a matter of administration, but was, and had been all the time, a question of labor and material. A great deal of house building was going on in various parts of the Dominion at present and more would be done if the labor was, available.

Replying to Mr. Holland, Mr. Massey said too much housing legislation was not advisable as it frightened people. The speculative builder had been completely driven out of Wellington. As a matter of fact he might have to go back on some of the present housing legislation. NEW RAILWAY TARIFF.

Replying to Mr. Forbes, Mr. Massey said he expected the new railway tariff would come into operation on Monday week. Replying to Mr. Malcolm, Mr. Massey paid no injustice would be done to any section of the community when the railway tariff was being framed. STATE COAL STRIKE. Replying to Mr. Holland, Mr. Massey said he had given instructions to have all differences between the Mines and the Railway Departments and the State coal miners settled. What had been agreed to would cost the State no less a sum than £4OOO per annum. LOCAL BODY FINANCE. A PLEA FOR PATIENCE. Replying to a question by Mr. Veitch, Mr. Massey said the policy of the Government in connection with local body financewas not to permit them to borrow money at a higher rate than 5J per cent. He did not approve of the present competition going on amongst local bodies. There was plenty of money for all, but he asked local bodies to exercise patience. Otherwise, if all bodies rush their work on at once they must be done at a very much higher cost than should be the case.

RIGHTS OF MASSEURS. QUESTION OF QUALIFICATIONS. —— ! The House went into committee on the Masseurs Registration Bill. In Clause 4, Mr. Statham moved to excise the provision that before a masseur can be registered he must be able to show the registration board that he is "competent to perform the duties of a masseur." This provision, he contended, would be a hardship, to many excellent masseurs.

The Minister objected to the amendment, as it opened the door too wide. Dr. Newman said the Public Health Committee had fully considered all the arguments in favor of the amendment, and had decided against it. He hoped the Minister would stick to his Bill.

Messrs. McCalluni, Isitt, Wright and Sidey contended that all who were now in practice should be admitted without question. After that, restrictions might be made as severe as possible. The precedent set in the cases of other professions ought to t>e observed in the case of masseurs.

1 The Minister replied that this "would make the Bill a mere scrap of paper. The Minister said that even if a masseur could not get on the register that did not prevent him practising. He still had the right to carry on his business. All he could not do was to call himself a "registered" masseur.

The Minister suggested that any person who had been practising massage for three years during the past five •years should have the right to be registered. Mr. Statham accepted this in lieu of his amendment, and moved it. The amendment was agreed to on the I voices.^ After further discussion the Bill passed the committee stage. The Short Title of Statutes Repeal and J Expiring Laws Amendment Bill was passed by committee, and the House rose ! at 10.28.