PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 June 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTING. FINANCES OF DOMINION. PREMIER PROMISES FACTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. J. W. Munro, the newly-elected Labor member for Dunedin South, was sworn in. his sponsors being Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) and Mr. J. McCombs (Labor member for Lyttelton). Amongst petitions presented were a further batch praying for an amendment of the Gaming Act in the direction of licensing bookmakers. Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) gave notice to ask the Premier if, before the next “cut” in Civil Service salaries is made, he will give the House an opportunity of discussing the whole question. Mr. D. Jones (Kaiapoi) gave notice that he would at next sitting-day move that a respectful Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General in reply to his Speech to the members of both Houses. Replying to Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), Massey said he would consider the question of setting up a special committee to consider the petitions praying for amendment of the Gaming Act, to which there were some eighty thousand signatures. Replying to Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South), the Hon. W. D. Stewart said the reciprocal customs agreement with the Commonwealth would be laid before the I House at the first convenient moment. He had considered the question, and had come to the conclusion it would not be advantageous to New Zealand to enter into a reciprocal old age pensions scheme with Australia. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), Mr. Massey said he had complied with the law and procured from the President of the Arbitration Court a report on the cost of living, but it was not quite in a form to be laid on the table of the House. He proposed to tell the House quite frankly what the financial position of the country was, and ; then it would be for each member of the House to decide what course he would take in connection with a further reduction of Public Service salaries. In reply to Mr. C. Mackenzie (Auckland East), Mr. Massey said he could not promise to raise a loan to be placed at the disposal of local bodies fur the purposes of relieving them of their antecedent liability. Replying to Sir John Luke (Wellington North), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said the ’ Government had not turned down loans to ■ assist soldiers to build houses, but had dis- i continued loans for the purchase of houses by soldiers. Replying to Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central), the Hon. G. J. Anderson said the Government was inquiring concerning the most up-to-date life-saving apparatus in case of shipwreck. When it was decided what system would be adopted, probably three sets of'apparatus would be procured, one to be kept at Auckland, one at Wellington, and one probably at Bluff. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time: Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill (Mr. Howard) ; Unemployed Workers Bill (Mr. Fraser); Hotel and Restaurant and Private Hotel and Boarding-house Employees’ Six-days-a-week Bill (Mr. Fraser); Stone Quarries Amendment Bill (Mr. Parry). Mr. Massey moved the customary mo tions of” condolence with the relatives of deceased members, those mourned being the late E. Kellett (Dunedin Northßob- ' ert Thompson (Marsden), Thomas Pea cocke (Auckland City), the Hon. W. K. H. Baillie (a member of the Legislative Council). The Premier’s motion was seconded by Mr. Wilford, and was sympathetically supported by several members. The motions were agreed to. The House rose, as a mark of respect, at 4.5 p.m., until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.