PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE LAWS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. A petition was presented from the Bishop of Waiapu, the Archdeacon of Hawke’s Bay and Mr. E. Turner Williams, praying that section 7 of the Marriage Amendment Act, 1920, and section 4 of the Divorce and Matrimonial Clauses Amendment Act, 1920, be repealed. The Council rose at 2.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES QUESTION OF ROYAL SHOW. THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. The House of Representatives met at 2J30 p.m. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) gave notice of his intention to introduce the Abolition of Capital Punishment Bill. Dr. Pomare gave notice of his intention to introduce the Cook Islands Amendment Bill. Replying to the Hon. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said he would be pleaded to claim a hearing before Cabinet of the question of holding a “Royal” Agricultural Show alternately in the North and South Islands. Replying to Mr. J. Craigie (Timaru), Mr. Massey said he would consider the suggestion to set up a committee of the House to go into the question of the Bank of New Zealand. At the same time he thought there was not the same necessity for this investigation now as formerly. By <the banking legislation of last session, the position of the country had greatly improved, and we now own a third of the bank instead of a seventh previously, and in revenue we derived from the bank some £5.00,000 per year in taxation and dividends. ILi would not object to publicity in connection with the bank, and he would consider the suggestion that a committee should be set up, though he hardly thought it necessary. DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), Mr. Massey said he would be pleased to place before the House every detail in connecton with the expenditure of the £5,000,000 loan recently raised in London. He would also look into the question of furnishing details of the expenditure of £70,000,000 in the war expenses iun<t. The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) drew the attention of the Minister of Finance to the rapidity with which Post Office Savings Bank withdrawals were exceeding deposits. He pointed out that in the past the funds available in the Post Office Savings Banks had materially aided the Treasury in providing for loans and other financial needs of the Government. Now the bank was paying a lower rate of interest to depositors than was obtainable elsewhere in New Zealand or in England, with the result that money was being so freely withdrawn that the withdrawals were exceeding the deposits. This position, he thought, was serious. Mr. Massey, in the course of his reply, indicated that he was aware of w’hat was going on, and he believed the reason given by Mr. Hanan was correct, and he was keeping a careful watch ■upon it. MATERNITY MORTALITY. Discussing the maternity mortality commission’s report, Dr. H. T. Thacker (Christchurch East) contended that a great many deaths at child-bearing were due to the practice of criminal abortion. The Minister, in reply, admitted the truth of this. He said he intended to consult his colleagues with a view to introducing legislation which would tend to minimise what is an undoubted social evil.

The House rose at 10.55 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.