PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

&! Telegraph.—Press Association

Wellington, Nov. 4. The House of Representatives met at noon.

Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller), the Prime Minister said that he could not state at present what was the nature of the legislation forecasted by him on the previous evening. Mr. Holland asked if it in any way related to the Arbitration Court's grant of an additional cost of living bonus. Mr. Massey: "I cannot tell you." He added that he would say this, he would not bring down legislation that would nullify the Court's award.

Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) asked if the Government would empower the arbitration Court to make grants of the increased cost of living bonus applicable at onee over the whole Dominion simultaneously.

Mr. Massey replied that he was not satisfied with the figures touching this question, and intended to have them closely scrutinised. Ha thought, however, that we now were over the top of the high prices, and instanced the low prices of potatoes in Canterbury. The price of tea already was lower, and he believed that after Christmas it would be found there was quite a marked fall in the cost of living. The Minister of Agriculture informed Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) that he hoped to be able to arrange for a supply of wheat, so that small millers who now were faced with a shortage would not have to shut down.

The Minister of Public Works, replying to Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon (Westland), said that the dispute at Otiva over wages had been Mettled. There had been a brief , stoppage of certain work owing to the shortage of cement, but arrangements had been niado to meet this difficulty.

Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), who asked if the Government was doing anything regarding the appointment of a. commissioner or other representative of the Government in the United States, the Premier said he sympathised with the suggestion, but one difficulty was that of salary. It also iiad been apparent lately that a great political change was coming in America, and it was advisable not to do anything definite until they saw what was the outcome of that change, which might have a considerable effect on New Zealand trade.

The Minister of Education said he belioved that his department would be able to obtain at once a portion of tlie Lyttelton gaol site for the benefit of the Lyttelton school.

GREYMOUTH HARBOR. By Governor-General's message the Greymouth Harbor Bill was introduced. Mr. Alassey said the Bill proposed to lend financial assistance to the Greymouth Harbor Board, the finances of which had been in straightened circumstances for some time. THE "WASHING UP" BILL. " The "Washing Up" Bill was put th'rough committee, but the Minister announced that a number of further clauses were to be added, and progress was reported. HOURS FOR SHOPS. ■ The Hon. Sir William Herrieg moved that the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill be committed, the principal provision being that the number of hours to be worked per week should be 4S. During his explanation of the Bill, the Minister said that next session he proposed to bring down a measure consolidating the Labor legislation of the Dominion.

The Bill was put through committee with an amendment moved by the Ministcr* increasing the hours that might be worked overtime at stocktaking by 120 in a year The Bill was then read a third time and passed.

The House rose at 12.14 a.m. till 11 a.m. to-day.