PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DEFINITION OF ANZAC DAY, NEW MAIL CONTRACTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames), the Hon. G. J. Anderson said the Labor Department was at present considering the advisability of appealing against the decision of the Wellington Magistrate, who ruled that as Anzac Day was not a public holiday, but a Sunday, employers were not obliged to pay wages for that day. If it was found the decision was correct then legislation would bt introduced to put the matter right. In reply to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), the Hon. J. G. Coates said the new Vancouver and San Francisco mail contracts were not yet completed. There was a hitch with regard to the length of the extension, but as soon as arrangements were concluded he would be pleased to lay the conditions on the table of the House. In the meantime he could say the price was a considerable reduction on the previous contract. The House went into committee on the Surveyors’ Institute and tlie Board of Examiners Amendment Bill, which was passed without amendment. LOCAL BODIES’ LOANS. THE BILL PASSED. The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill was next taken in committee. . Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) asked the Minister if he would insert a clause permitting small local bodies to raise loans to provide work for the unemployed without reference to the ratepayers. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) said that unless local bodies were empowered to pay the cost of raising loans necessary to clear off their antecedent liability they could not possibly assist in meeting the problem of unemployment, because the flotation charges made such a drain upon their finance that there was nothing left to spend upon public works.

Sir John Luke (Wellington North) declared that the refusal to permit local bodies to accept deposits was detrimental to local finance, and bodies often had to pay the banks seven per cent, for what the public was willing to give them for 4 and 5 per cent. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart said the point raised by Dr. Newman was being dealt with by an amendment he was bringing down. If power to raise such Ipans be limited to one year they have to be raised by special order and the Minister of Finance must give his consent. That, he thought, would amply secure the interests of ratepayers. He also proposed to permit local bodies to add the cost of flotation to antecedent liability loans when a loan is raised outside New Zealand. These new clauses were agreed to on the voices and the Bill as amended was reported from committee, read A third time and passed. The House rose at 9.15 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.