PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Sy Telegraph,—Press Asaoclatlor Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Lyttelton Harbor Board Loan Bill »as put through its final stages and passed. The Council rose at 2.42 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE POTATO EMBARGO. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. D. Jones {Kaiapoi), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said he' had received a cable stating that the expert who was being sent by the Australian Commonwealth to inspect Mew Zealand potatoes would be leaving Australia for that purpose on Friday next. SUGAR BEET. > Replying to Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said his department was inquiring into the question of growing sugar beet, in order to relieve the shortage of sugar. The shortage of labor was a factor which had to be considered in any scheme of that kind. GAS AND PRICES. Replying to Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central), the Hon. E. P. Leo said the composition of gas supplied by gas companies to the public, was not a matter for the Board of Trade, but. he would bring the matter before the Government with a view to considering whether legislation should be "introduced to deal with tiie question. Mr. Parry expressed himself as dissatisfied with this reply, and asked the Premier if he proposed to do anything j to protect the public against excessive J gas bills. The Premier replied that Cabinet had not yet completed consideration of legislation on the subject. When it was ■-••milleted he would submit it to the House. NO AEROPLANE GIFT. Replying to Mr. 0. Witty (Riccarton), the Hon. ,Sir R. Heaton Rhodes said it was not true that any aeroplanes had been given or lent to a syndicate at Timaru. MAORIS AND LIQUOR. Replying to the Hon. A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori), Mr. Massey said ho would consider how Maoris could be given an opportunity of expressing their opinion on the question of the sale of liquor in their districts. He did not want to introduce the subject into the Licensing Bill now before the House. MILITARY EQUIPMENT. Replying to Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South), the Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes said the military equipment now being brought into the country was not exactly a gift from the Mother Country, but was given to New Zealand in exchange for divisional equipment which our forces had in France, much of which was worn and out of repair. HUNTLY COAL STRIKE. Replying to Mr. Parry and Mr. 11. Holland (Buller), Mr. Massey denied that either the Government or the Railway Department was responsible for the strike at the Huntly coal mines.