PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THE TARIFF BILL. By Telegraph.— Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The second reading of the Tariff Ratification Bill was, on the motion of Sir William Fraser, postponed for one week. The fate of the Bill in Australia had not yet been decided, he said, and consequently there was no reason for undue haste. It would be well to wait and see what Australia did with the Treaty. The Local Bodies’ Loans Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Council adjourned at 2.35.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ® THE WOOL COMMANDEER. IMPERIAL AUTHORITIES’- ACTION. The House of Representatives met at 2.30. The ! Hon. Nosworthy informed Mr. J. Horn (Wakatipu) that the reduced price quoted by him a few days ago for Nauru phosphates was to be the same at all principal ports, sb that farmers in every part of the Dominion would be in the same position with regard to the reduction. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition), Mr. Massey said the question of introducing legislation to grant relief to those mortgagors whose mortgages are falling due under the Mortgages Deposits Extension Act was under consideration, and he expected to be able to make a statement shortly when the matter had been fully considered. In reply to Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said there was no truth in the alleged standing shortage of funds since November last. His Department had erected 219 houses for returned soldiers at a cost of £201,171. The Hon. J. G. Anderson, in reply to Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei), said he was considering the question of the exemption of local bodies froni the operations of the Arbitration Act. Replying to the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill), Mr. Massey said in the financial statement scheme he outlined, under which the Government could levy back non-income tax-paying Government stock, already some 2-i millions’ worth of this stock had been purchased by the Government, but he could not disclQse the price at the moment. Mr. Massey, in accordance with a promise to Mr. Wilfofrd, laid on the table the correspondence with the Imperial authorities on the subject of the wool commandeer. He stated that New Zealand wool in London was steadily disappearing, and the end was in sight. This induced him to believe that in the near future the New Zealand sheepfarmer would be receiving a better price for his wool with regard to the distribution of profits. He did his best to shake the British authorities in their attitude not to pay out further profits, but. so far, unsuccessfully.

Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) thought New Zealand farmers had a grievance against the Imperial authorities on account of the manner in which wool was , handled in London. “Our wool received unfair treatment against Australian wpol,” he said, “because ours went into soldiers’ clothing, while Australian wool was sold in fl open market, and we ought to have received greater consideration.” For this difference he estimated that New Zealand farmers sacrificed £16,175,163 in wool and meat by accepting the Imperial price for their produce as against thtf ruling price. At the same time farmers were not compelled to hand their wool over, but, having done so, they had no one to blame but themselves. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), and Mr. O. J. Hawken (Egmont) paid a tribute to the manner in which the Government had carried out the huge operations in connection with the wool commandeer. The latter thought New Zealand farmers had obtained for their wool as much as they could reasonably expect, although’ they made a commercial error in not selling out their stocks of wool. The Imperial authorities undoubtedly were within their rights in holding for a i higher price, which unfortunately never came. The debate was carried on by Mr. E, Newman (Manawatu) and Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau). Air. Massey, in the course of his reply, said the arrangement with the Imperial authorities was: (1) That all wool sold and required* by the Imperial Government for any purpose was to be sold at a fixed price; and (2) that all surplus wool should be sold to the best advantage, New Zealand to receive her share of the profits. Had the slump not intervened there would, he said, have been a great deal more money coming to the Dominion. He was - not aware how accounts stood at the moment, ty.it, on the whole, the arrangement had been a good one for the Dominion. The Premier laid on the table the report of the Electoral Boundary Commissioners, a feature of the discussion which followed being a suggestion that the South Island' should not lose any further seats on account of the drift oi» population to the North t but that the North should receive automatic increases as population increased. Amendments made in committee in the Land Drainage Amendment Bill were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. CONTROL OF ROTORUA. The Rotorua Borough Bill was taken in committee. On clause 6, which provides that the Government may pay to the Borough Council the sum of £l3OO per annum out of the bath fees, members generally took ’ advantage of the opportunity to criticise i the management of the Rotorua Sana- | tori um, some members even suggesting I that the Government should sell the whole I k of the and groyad* and give pri- 1

vate enterprise a chance to make a success of them. The Bill, with machinery amendments moved by the Minister, was then passed through committee. OTHER BILLS. The Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading of the Sea Carriage of Goods Bill, the Mercantile Law Amendment Bill, and the Settled Land Amendment Bill, pro forma, all three Bills being referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Naval Defence Amendment Bill (Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes) was read a third time and passed. Tire House rose at 12.35 auu. till 2.30