PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. COAL FOR RAILWAYS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. V ellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to a question by the Hon. G. M. Thomson in regard to the use of pulverised coal on railways, Sir William Fraser said the Department had been experimenting and was keeping closely in touch with other railways where experiments had been made. It was not considered desirable at present to incur the large expense which would be involved in connecting locomotives, erecting the necessary storage and providing the necessary crushing machinery.

The Hon. W. Earnshaw continued the Address-in-Reply debate. To overcome the devastation of the war, he said all classes would have to work together for the common good. Honest unionism should be encouraged, but it was incumbent upon the Government to take steps against the one big union idea.

The Hon. W. H. Mclntyre urged the Government not to abolish preference to unionists. He regretted there had been no indication of licensing legislation. Tf prohibition were not carried at the next poll no further referendum should be taken for at least six years. He pleaded for better educational facilities in the backhlocks and urged the amendment of the Coal Miners Act to enable the mines to work full time by storing the surplus output for times of shortage. The debate was adjourned and the Council rose at 4.21 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. ' T 'he House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), Mr. Massey said he had been considering the position of the residents at the Chatham Islands, and he thought they should have some form of representation in the House. He was not quite sure as to which electorate they should be attached to. He thought Lyttelton, but he was consulting the chief of the electoral department, about the position.

Replying to Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua), the Hon. W. Nosworthy said he had no official report that Rotorua had been adversely affected by the recent earth tremors in the centre of the North Island, and he would have pleasure in issuing an official statement to that effect. In reply to Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East). Mr. Massey said he did not think there would be any amendment of the Moratorium Act this session, but he would carefully watch the position. He though 1 next session would be time enough to amend the Act. Tn reply to Mr. Witty, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said he was favorable to the proposal to let to adjoining tenant? the vacant lands alongside railway lines and so minimise the risk of fire endangering neighboring plantations. He would inquire whether there was any departmental objection to the proposal. Replying to Mr. J. W. Craigie (Timaru), the Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes said the fund established to pay contributions from the school children of the Dominion for shooting prizes for the battleship New Zealand would be devoted to a similar purpose in connection with the cruiser Chatham and would be made good use of. The trophies given to the New Zealand were now stored in England and a cß'bb' had been received from Lord Lee (First Lord of the Admiralty) stating that New Zealand could have any of them they desired, to have. New Zealand would also benefit by anything that might come out of the scrapping of the battleship. Personally he thought these trophies might very well be exhibited in the vestibule of the House of Representatives. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was continued till 11.15 p.m.. when the House rose till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.