PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

MAY END THISWEEK.

PROGRAMME OF WORK AHEAD.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Massey said it was proposed to pass the following Bills before the session came to an end: Animals Protection and Game Bill, Legitimation Amendment Bill, Housing Amendment Bill (to be committed), Discharged Soldiers Settlement Amendment Bill, Loan Companies Bill, the Government Railways Amendment Bill, Arms Amendment Bill, Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment < Bill, and Tramways Amendment Bill.

The Premier added that there were one oi’ two other Bills now before committees, notably the Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. There would be the Meat Pool Bill, which he believed would be quite short. The “Washing Up” Bill would have to be dealt with, and he would have a Finance Bill, which would be mainly machinery and not contentious. Then there was an Appropriation Bill and the Supplementary Estimates, in which he thought members would not find anything of a contentious nature. Mr. Massey did not think «he House could finish its work this week, but it might finish on the following Monday or Tuesday. He proposed to ask members to meet at 11 o’clock in the morning after to-morrow, with a view to pushing the work through. Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party), Mr. Massey emphatically denied that the Government have any intention of prolonging the life of the present Parliament beyond three years. Replying to Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central), the Hon. E. P. Lee said he would inquire into the efreumstences under which two young men were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for breaking into a whare in the Dannevirke district, but he would not promise to interfere with the sentence, as interference with the course , of justice was a serious matter. Replying to Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington Squth), Mr. Massey said he could not understand soldiers’ pensions being taxed as unearned income, and he would inquire into the facts. In reply to Mr. Holland, the Hon. G. J. Anderson said the question of procuring explosives for miners at a cheaper rate was now under the consideration of the Government.

In answef to Mr. E. Kellett (Dunedin North), the Hon. C. J. Parr saifi there were a number of anomalies tn the teachers’ superannuation fund, which he proposed to have dealt with in the Finance Bill.

On the motion of the -Hon. G. J. Anderson the House disagreed with the reasons given by the Legislative Council for its amendments in the Shops and Offices Bill, and Messrs. R. McCallum (Wairau), J. S. Dickson (Parnell), and the mover were appointed managers to confer with the managers irom we Council.

An amendment to the Insurance Companies Deposits Bill was introduced by Governor-General’s message, altering the date of the coming into operation of the Bill from January I, 1922, to a date when it “is signed by the Gov-ernor-General.” The amendment was agreed to by the House. The Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes asked the House to agree to the majority of amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Animals Protection and dame Bill, but to disagree with the amendments which prohibited live pigeon matches or the /making of regulations governing sanYe. Mr. Statham moved that this amendment be agreed to, which raised a debate on the cruelty inflicted by shooting pigeons from traps, as against the cruelty imposed by other forms of sport. The amendment was defeated by 28 votes to 18. The Minister’s motion was then agreed to and a committee was appointed to draw up reasons accordThe House then went into committee on the Legitimation Amendment Bill, which was reported unamended. The following Bills were introduced by Governor-General’s message: Companies Temporary Empowering Bill; Urewera Lands Bill (which was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Native Affairs Coihmittee), Native Lands Amendment and Native Land Adjustment Bill (which was treated similarly). The House rose at 12.57 a.m