PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

SATURDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HOURS FOR SHOPS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 19. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Statutes Repeal and Expiring Laws Continuance Bill was put through all stages. The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill was further amended, for the purpose of making it clear that only a shopkeeper employing no assistant other than a member of the family is entitled to apply tor exemption from the early closing law. The Magistrate’s Court was subsiituted for the Arbitration Court as the body to which application for exemption is to be made. The Bill, as amended, was put throuogli its final stages and passed. Sir Thomas Mackenzie was sworn in and took his seat. The Council rose at 2.45 pan. until 11 a.m. on Monday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REPLIES TO.* QUESTIONS. The House of Representatives met at 11 o clock. The Speaker announced that the Governor-General had received the Address passed by the House in reply to ms speech. Replying to Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington iNortii), the Premier said the question of appointing a harbor engineer I for the Dominion had not been over • looked. He thought he knew Where a very suiiable man could be found. Replying to Mr. T. Seddon (Westland;, the Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes said lie contemplated sending au exhibition of war trophies round the Dominion. Replying to Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said the question of -freights on flax was being looked into by the Premier, and the .question of encouraging the growth of flax was under consideration by the department. Replying to Mr. H. Poland (Ohinemuri), the Premier said he was confident all the phosphates New Zealand would require would be obtained from Nauru and Ocean Island without any difficulty. There was no chance of a monopoly arising in connection with the distribution in New Zealand. Replying to Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said the Government had no intention of modifying the attitude taken up towards Armour and Co. In amplification of the above reply, the Premier said it had come to the knowledge of the Government that a freezing company which controlled a certain amount of shipping had not been playing the game, inasmuch as dm mg the past two days it had been loading this season’s mutton and lamb instead of last year’s beef. Consequently the Government had decided to reinstate the war regulations, which placed the loading of meat under the Minister of Customs. Replying to Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North), the Hon. C. J. Parr said a text book was now under consideration with a view of encouraging a patriotic spirit ainongst children in State schools. • Replying to Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo), the Hon. E. P. Lee said a supplementary list of Justices of the Peace was now in course of preparation. Replying to Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki), the Premier maintained that there had been a considerable decline in the cost of living. If wages in the Public Service were increased to meet the cost of living they must be decreased when a fall takes place. Any arrangement must cut both ways. Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party), the Premier said the censorship of literature was under the control of the AttorneyGeneral. He would be pleased to consider With the Attorney-General whether the existing system should continue, but he was not going to allow disloyal, seditious, or Bolshevik literature to come into the country. EXPIRING LAWS. The House then went into committee on the Statutes Repeal and Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, which was reported unamended, read a third time, and passed. NOXIOUS WEEDS BILL. The Noxious Weeds Bill was introduced and read a first time on the motion of the Hon. W. Nosworthy. Mr. Nosworthy later moved the second reading of the Noxious Weeds Bill. He explained that the Bill was directed agamst fire blight. For that purpose hawthorn was declared to be a noxious weed, and for the future must not be planted. This step might nor eradicate the disease, but it would help to control it. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) complained that the Minister had not given sufficient information to warrant the passing of the Bilk Mr J. A. Young (Waikato), doubted whet’ier fire blight existed in New Zealand. and the department must be very careful in enforcement of the Act, otherwise great hardship might be inflicted. The Hon. W. Nosworthy said he was quite satisfied fire blight existed in the Dominion. The Hon. C. J. Parr said in the interests of the fruit industry the Bill must be passed. After several other members had spoken, the Minister, in reply, admitted that he did not expect the measure to signalise end of fire blight, but it would aid nF attaining that end. He believed it was possible to keep fire I blight out of the {South Island, and the would do its utmost in that direction. The Bill was put through its remaining stages and passed. HOURS FOR SHOPS. Amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Shops and Offices Bill were agreed to on the motion of the Minister.

It not being convenient for the Preto move the second reading of the Finance Bill, the House adjourned at 4 ijp.m. till 11 a.m. on Monday*