THE SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1921, Page 3

THE SESSION.

TARIFF BEFORE THE HOUSE THIS WEEK. THE REDUCTION IN SALARIES. The House of Representatives is to begin the consideration of the new tariff this week. The Prime Minister stated before the House rose on Friday night that he would ask members to make a start with the tariff on Wednesday. Just how much time this task will occupy remains to be seen. The tariff has to be considered by the House class by class, and members have the right to discuss every item in it. Suggestions and appeals have been pouring in upon them from manufacturers, producers, traders and importers ever since the schedules were first issued, and it appears that every member will have some local interest to represent. The tariff, moreover, will provide plenty of opportunity for party skirmishing.

CUTTING THE SALARIES. The Prime Minister’s announcement that he intended to propose a reduction of probably 10 per cent., in Civil Service salaries, down to £2OO, or perhaps £3OO, a year, did not surprise the House of Representatives. Members had been prepared for something of the sort by hints from the Ministerial benches in the course of earlier debates. It appeared, however, that some members had expected the reduction to be graduated, and the Prime Minister’s reply to an interjection suggested that the point was still open foj consideration. If the percentage reduction should affect salaries of less than £3OO a year, requests are likely to reach the Government from both sides of the House for a graduated reduction, ou the ground that a flat rate hits the smallsalaried man more severely than, the highsalaried man.

BOYS’ AGRICULTURAL CLUBS. A petition of W. Stuart Wilson, of Wellington, urging that the Minister of Agriculture should “as soon as possible give effect to the decision of the Government and the House with regard to the promotion of agricultural clubs for boys,” was on Friday sent back to the House by the Select Committee to which it had been referred. The committee expressed the opinion that the movement for the establishment of the clubs was making excellent progress. It had no recommendation to make. FORESTRY BILL The Native Affairs Committee, after considering that part of the Forestry Bill which deals with Maori forests, reported to the House on Friday that it had no amendments to suggest. The Bill may come forward for its second reading to-morrow. RETRENCHMENT. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) has given notice to ask the Prime Minister “whether relief cannot be granted in the form of reemployment at the earliest possible date to recently retrenched public servants, who were efficiently performing useful and necessary work, who have children or other relatives dependent upon them, and who and whose dependents are at present in circumstances approaching destitution.”

SOLDIERS’ GRAVES. Mr. J. A.-Nash (Palmerston) is asking the Minister of Defence if he can state definitely when the permanent headstones for returned soldiers’ graves who have died in New Zealand will be available. Notwithstanding the decision of the Government to take over the responsibility of soldiers’ graves, the Palmerston North returned soldiers have carried out all the necessary work of concrete, etc., of twelve soldiers’ graves, and now only await the supply of headstones. THE BUTTER OUTPUT. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) is asking the Minister in charge of the Imperial Government Supplies Department: “(1) Whether his attention has been drawn to public statements, made by those advocating the dairy farmers’ interests, that the whole of last season’s output of New Zealand butter could have been sold in the English market independent of any action of the New Zealand Government in connection with the subsidy granted? (2) Whether he will enlighten the publis as to the causes that, resulted in no less than 251,029 boxes of butter being in stores in New Zealand on March 31, 1921, awaiting shipment at a time when there was no lack of shipping.”