PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A FIVE-MILLION LOAN. MONEY FOR PUBLIC WORKS. BORROWING IN INSTALMENTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. T. E. Seddon (Westland), the Hon. Sir R. H. RJxodes said that in November of last year the number of officers on the New Zealand staff corps was 206, and to-day the number was 150. In keeping with certain recommendations made by the Economies Committee it was Ms intention to make further drastic reductions in defence expenditure. The allowances made to retired officers would vefy probably vary from one to three months’ pay. ‘ . The Premier, on behalf of the Minister of- Internal Affairs, gava -notice of his intention to introduce the Public Holidays Bill, the Counties Amendment Bill, and the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill. By Gov er nor-General’s Message the following. Bills were introduced and read a first time: —Inspection of Machinery Amendment Bill ( which the Premier explained was intended *tu- increase the fees paid by owners of certain machinery), and the Public Works Loan Bill. Mr. Massey said it- was proposed to borrow £5,000.000 to aid public works. It was not intended to borrow the whole amount at once.. It would not be wise to do so, but the money would be required long before the House met again, and they were taking authority now. The money would be used for various purposes, .including hydro-elec-tric power works, roads, railways, etc. Another Bill introduced was the Main Highways Bill. The Hon. J. G. Coates said the Bill was the «ame as submitted to the Counties’ Conference, with the exception that a portion of the Bill specifying certain roads as main highways, had been eliminated, and a board set up to define what roads' vrereto be recorded as main roads and allocate expenditure.