PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. CALL TO THE PREMIER, ’ By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. Sir Francis Bell gave notice of his intention to introduce the Mortgages Extension Amendment Bill. The Hon- O. Samuel was re-elected chairman of committees. The customary resolutions were passed in reference to the late Hons. George Jones and Sir James Prendergast, a member and ex-member respectively of the council, the Hon. J. A. Tole, and Mr. A. W. Hogg, ex-Ministers of the Crown, who died during the recess. Sir William Hall Jones moved the Ad-dress-in-Reply, saying the importance, attached by Mr. Lloyd George to Mr. Massey’s presence at the Imperial Con* ference would be echoed by the majority of the people in New Zealand. Mr. Massey could be safely left to use common sense in what he did at the conference, and could be trusted not to bind the country to anything to which Parliament would not give consent. He ridiculed the idea that the High Commissioner, in reality a civil servant, could adequately represent New Zealand at the conference. The Hon. C. H. Izard, in seconding, regjetted the circumstances which rendered it necessary for the Prime Minister to go to England, but as things were it was essential. He trusted one of the first things the Prime Minister would ■do would be to correct the false impression caused by a peripatetic ex-Minis-ter of the Crown in signed articles in regard to New Zealand’s attitude towards ocher races. The Hon. Sir J. R. Sinclair said, the invitation to the Prime Minister was so pressing that he must go. A matter which called for the\ fullest discussion at the conference to be held was the status of the Dominions. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Hon. H. L. Michel, and the Council rose at 4.25 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MEMBER’S SERIOUS CHARGE. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) drew the attention of the Speaker to informalities in connection with petitions presented against the present and Offices Act. Neither of the petitions, he said, was addressed to the House, and the larger One presented by Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill), purporting to be signed by small shop-keepers, did not contain the signature of a single shopkeeper, and name after name was signed in the same handwriting. The petition was an absolute fraud. Mr. Potter said that if, in presenting the petition he inadvertently made a mistake he would be willing to tpke the petition back and present it in accordance with the forms of the House. Mr. McCombs: You can’t; it is a forgery. Mr. Potter said there was no forgery about it. Every signature was signed by the person whose signature it purported to be. The Speaker said the petitions would be looked into, and if found informal they would be referred back to the members presenting them for rectification.

WATERSIDE TERMS. Replying to Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson), Mr. Massey said he had no objection to making public the terms on which the recent waterside trouble was settled, but the matter did not rest with him. He presided at the conference, but the publication of the terms of the settlement rested with the parties to the dispute. BUILDING PERMITS. Replying to Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West), the Hon. E. P. Lee said it was true the Auckland Building Committee had resigned. The telegram in the papers was not quite in accordance with the facts, but he was looking into the position. Replying to Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) Mr. Lee said the restrictions on building permits were easing down considerably, and he hoped soon to be able to say they were removed altogether. THE SIX MILLION LOAN. Replying to Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) the Hou. W. Downie Stewart said there was little hope of passing an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act this session. Replying to Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), Mr. Massey said that of the last £6,009,000 loan £4,500,000 had come in without compulsion. That result, he thought, was highly satisfactory and with the new income tax returns becoming due, matters had not been pressed further. No part of the loan had been underwritten, and the balance of it would probably be asked for later con. In answer to Mr. J.. V. Brown (Napier), Mr. Massey said the Government would take care not to do any injustice to income tax payers. EX-PUBLIC SERVANTS’ BONUS. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), Mr. Massey said he was not able to say whether anything would be done this session in the matter of renewing the bonus to super, annuated public servants. He would look into the matter before he left for England, and would make a recommendation to Cabinet on the subject. FINANCES SOUND. Replying to the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invfercargill), Mr. Massey said the finances of the Dominion were perfectly satisfactory. There might be a slight financial depression, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with the finances of the country. HOME SERVICE MEN.

Replying to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said the Government had not yet determined what position should be taken up with regard to home service men, nor did he think there would be any pro.ftogala this session.

WAR EXPENSES. Replying to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said he was not yet able to give details of the War Expenses Account, as there were still a great many matters outstanding between New Zealand and the Imperial authorities. NEED FOR ECONOMY. Replying to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said the £2,500,000 taken from- last year’s surplus had not yet been repaid. The whole of the money had been used for Government purposes, but he did not think it could be repaid until another loan was raised. This was hardly possible at present, and he plainly hinted that the time was coming when rigid economy would have to be observed by both public departments and private individuals. He hoped members would not force the Government into any unnecessary expenditure. NEW BILLS. * On the motion that the Hon. G. J. Anderson have leave to introduce the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) asked that a Labor Bills Committee be set up to consider this important measure. The matter was too grave to have the existing law upset on the request of only four hundred people. He also understood the Government did not intend to prosecute those who broke the law, and so were encouraging lawlessness in the country. The Hon. G. J. Anderson said requests had been made from all parts of the country for this amendment, and the Premier had given a promise that Parliament would have an opportunity of reconsidering it. This was now being done. Am to the statement that the Government did not intend to prosecute offenders, he desired to say that applied only until such time as Parliament disposed of this Bill. The Bill was introduced and read a first time. The Mortgages Extension Amendment Bill (Mr. R. McCallum) was also introduced and read a first time. Oicjthe motion of ’the Premier, it wj>s agreed that Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays be taken for Government business. EVENING SESSION. The evening session was occupied by the debate on the Address-in-Reply, which is reported elsewhere. The House rose at 10.0 p.m. till 2.30 to-marrow-