PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MORE BILLS PASSED. By Telegraph.— Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at *2.30 p.m. The Disabilities Removal Bill was read a second time pro forma, and was subsequently reported from the Statutes Revision Committee without amendment. The following Bills were put through their final stages and passed: Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill; Customs Amendment Bill; and Weights and Measures Amendment Bill. It was provided that the last-mentioned Bill should come into operation on January 1, 1923. The Council adjourned at 4.45 p.m. until Wednesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Sir G. Hunter (Waipawa), who pointed out that the past four years’ returns showed a decline of four million sheep in the Dominion, and asked if the Government would place a limit on the export of ewe lambs, the Minister of Agriculture said the returns this year indicated an increase in the number of breeding ewes. The Government was not desirous of interfering if it could avoid doing so, and it looked as if interference would not be necessary. The Government was doing all it could to assist in providing cheap fertilizers for farmers to increase the production of their holdings. Replying to Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North), the Minister of Public Works said the department would do all possible to assist in the maintenance of a doctor at Shannon in the interests of the men employed at the Mangahao hydro-electric works. EDUCATION MATTERS. PLEA FOR COUNTRY SCHOOLS. The education vote ( £2,569,354) was taken in committee of supply. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin £outh) asked for further information concerning the proposed junior high schools, about which there was a good deal of misconception. Mr. A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa) urged that better educational facilities should be given to country children. There was a general idea in the country that education was being over-done in the towns and the backblocks were being neglected. Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau) moved that the vote be reduced by £1 as an indication that the House did not favour the establishment of junior high schools at the present time. The motion was lost on the voices. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) asked for more teachers’ residences in country districts, where settlers could not board teachers because they hardly had houses for themselves. The Minister, in reply, said they were not building teachers’ residences because they had no money. He denied that education in country districts was being neglected. In many respects he had gone out of his way to increase the facilities there, proof of which was that the capitation expenditure in this connection had increased by 110 per cent. The vote was passed. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. The Department of Industries and Commerce ( £31,530) was next discussed. Mr. Sidey asked what the intentions of the Government were in connection with the Board of Trade, and what the wheat position was, and what the Government proposed to spend on the London Empire Exhibition Regarding wheat, the Hon. W, Nosworthy said the quality of the wheat this year was not so good as in some years past. It was true the Government had bought a million bushels and might have to buy more, according to the necessities of the country. The Hon. E. P. Lee. replying regarding the Board of Trade, said the board came in for a good deal of ridicule, but it was doing excellent work, much of which, of course, was not always visible. It was proposed to spend £60,000 on the Empire Exhibition. The vote was passed. The House rose at 11.55 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.