PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THE ESTIMATES DISCUSSED. CONTROL OF SAMOA. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), who stated carpenters employed by the Government were paid at less than the award rates, which was not fair to -private employers, the Minister of Public Works said the Government wag not bound by an award of the Arbitration Court, but paid according to regulations, which were reviewed by Parliament. He would inquire into the matter complained of, however, and give a detailed reply later. The Minister of Finance informed the Hon. J, A. Hanan (Invercargill ) that applications were coming in steadily for conversions of free of income tax debentures. The House -went into committee of supply on the work for the External Affairs Department ( £18,756). Mr.»H. E. Holland (leader of the Labor Party) protested against taking it before the report on Samoan administration was presented to Parliament, and he urged that consideration be held over. The Hon. E. P. Lee explained that no report was available for presentation at present. New Zealand had to make a report to the League of Nations and had done so. He had expected to receive word from Geneva that the report could be presented to the House, but had not done so. However, if no word came soon he intended to take the matter into his own hands and lay the report on the table of the House. Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau) moved a reduction of £1 on the item £l6OO for an observatory at Apia, on the ground that Australia and Canada should contribute. He contended that in the present condition of the Dominion’s finances it was not fair that New Zealand should bear the whole cost of what was an internationl service. The Minister of External Affairs explained the arrangements made for carrying on the observatory, which was established during the German occupation. Britain contributed half the cost and the Carnegie Institute had offered assistance, though this was not accepted. The amendment was negatived on the voices. Mr. Wilford, referring to the discontent in Samoa, said apparently this was due to lack of representation in the New Zealand Parliament. He thought a scheme should be evolved and adopted by the League of Nations giving the mandated countries representation in the councils of the mandatory Power. Mr. Wilford also asked if the Minister had authorised the 50s hospital tax and the 4s school tax. The Samoan people objected strongly to these imposts.

The Hon. E. P. Lee said he had visited Samoa and inquired into matters. He had invited the people to submit their grievances and discuss them at a meeting. None replied to that, but just as he was sailing a bundle of complaints was handed to him, which he had to reply to by correspondence, and after’ he had gone meetings were held. He considered that if the grievances were not sufficiently urgent to be placed before the Minister personally they could not be very serious. There was some desire for a more democratic form of local authority, and steps were being taken to give effect to this, -but the principal difficulty was over the matter of franchise. The question of representation in the New Zealand Parliament was a more difficult one and would require special legislation. Referring to the hospital tax, the Minister said the local authorities were anxious for extended medical services and the tax was necessary to provide this. The health of the people generally was showing an improvement. The natives in Savaii were also becoming seized of the advantages of medical services. One of the great difficulties was fluctuation and the general low prices at present obtainable for cocoanut and copra. If improved; prices were l obtainable the Samoan troubles would be very small Mr. Wilford quoted editorial comment in the Fiji Times reflecting on New Zealand’s administration of the mandate and alleging the existence of a censorship over the Press in Samoa. The Minister, in reply, said the foundation of the complaint was the prohibition of the sale of liquor and the responsibility rested on the House, and not the Minister. Referring to the allegation of censorship of the Press, the Fiji Times had since withdrawn this statement. The Minister said no censorship existed in Samoa. The vote was passed unaltered.

PENSIONS DEPARTMENT. On the vote for the Pensions Department (£119,801), Mr. Wilford urged a readjustment of pensions, bringing all into'line. He pointed out that widows in different categories received varying amounts, yet the cost of living pressed equally upon all. The pension vote should be increased so that a higher rate of pension should be paid to all. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) moved a reduction of £1 on the item commissioner’s salary, as an indication that the Government should provide pensions for the blind. The chairman ruled it out of order for the member to give the reason quoted, as it was a matter of policy. Mr. Parry then moved, without comment, the reduction mentioned, but this was defeated by 34 votes to 14. The pensions vote was passed unchanged. ADVERTISING NEW ZEALAND. On the vote for the Internal Affairs Department ( £268,904) several members complained that. New Zealand was not sufficiently advertised. We had magnificent national assets in our scenery, which should be made more widely known to the world to encourage tourists to visit the Dominion. . The Hon. Sir William Herries, who is acting in the absence of the Hon. W. D. Stewart, replying to criticism, said a publicity department had recently been established and much more was being done in this connection than formerly, as a definite scheme of publicity was laid down in Britain, America and foreign countries. The effect of this would be more apparent next year than this, but he understood the Dominion was receiving a great deal of notice fiom Horae"and foreign papers. I Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) comnlained of the inadequate information

supplied by the statistical department, particularly in harbor statistics, in connection with which a change was recently made to the detriment of the smaller harbors. Wilford said the best way to advertise New Zealand was by means of films, but they must be good films, taken by the best artists. People of every nation could understand such pictures and there was no better inethod of advertising. Mr. Holland complained of the censorship of literature, which he said still existed. He had heard there was a proposal to ban some of the late Henry Lawson s books, because much of his poetry was of revolutionary character. This would make New Zealand the laughing-stock of the world, and he would be glad to know that it was proposed to considerably relax the censorship. Sir William Herries, replying, said theInternal Affairs Department had nothing to do with the censorship. He thought that lay between the Customs and Post Office Departments. He would ask the Minister of Customs whether he was prepared to make any recommendation to Cabinet on the subject of relaxing the censorship. Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) raised the question -of the vote for the High Commissioner’s office.

Mr. Massey, in reply, said there was nothing in the way of extravagance at the High Commissioner’s office, but things had greatly altered as a result of the war. The cost of salaries, upkeep and entertaining had increased very much since the war, more so than in New Zealand, but he had instructed the High Commissioner that the sama economy must be observed in his office as had . been introduced in the public service in New Zealand.

In a subsequent explanation, Mr. Massey stated that since the armistice eleven New Zealanders had gone Home to take up positions in the High Commissioner’s office. The vote was passed. AUDIT DEPARTMENT. Audit Department ( £24,793). Mr. Masters complained that the accounts of a Taranaki local body had not been audited fpr four years. He thought such delay was unjustified. Several members protested against the increased charges which were being made !by the Audit Department. It was contended accounts were kept better now than in former years and the work of the auditors was thereby lessened.

The Minister, in reply, said arrangements were being made for more frequent audits. The vote was passed. PUBLIC -SERVICE COMMISSIONER. Public service commissioner’s office ( £831'2). Mr. Wilford asked the Premier whether he did not think this office was now an expensive superfluity, which was costing the country £BOOO. There were -only seven thousand civil servants under its control —over £1 -per man per year. If the commissioner’s office was a good thing then they should control the whole 51,000 public servants in the Dominion.

Mr. Massey admitted the position of the public service was not satisfactory, but it was impossible to put it right in the dying hours of the session. He hoped, however, next session to put the service on a more satisfactory footing, but he would not tolerate anything in the nature of political control. The vote was passed. The printing and stationery department vote of £218,344 was passed. NAVY AND ARMY. Naval defence, £256,650. In reply to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said he would be pleased to discuss the question of the naval defence policy some afternoon, with which arrangement the Leader of the Opposition expressed himself satisfied, and the vote was passed. Defence, £317,616. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) complained that the Defence Department was given enough money to keep it alive, but not enough to function with. The training of men was unsatisfactory and the discipline worse than unsatisfactory. The Minister should tell the House plainly what his policy was, because so far as he could see there was no policy. We were backpedalling all the time. Mr. Wilford wanted the Minister to state to the House what the air policy of the Government was. He could not state what the military policy was, because he knew there was none. The Minister, in reply, said the military policy of the Government had not changed, but they had to cut down, because the House insisted on economy being practised. With regard to the Air Force, they were also limited in activity for want of funds. He was, however, making arrangements for the training of more pilots and keeping the men already trained in practice. No one rer gretted more than he did the necessity to retire officers, but in the circumstances it could not be avoided. The vote was passed. The House rose at 12.20 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.