PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LAST NIGHT’S SITTING. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SESSION NEARING THE END. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) asked if the Government would consider an extension of the Rent Restriction Act till next year. The Minister of Labor replied that he had received representations from a number of people, and the matter was being gone into. Possibly by the end of the year something would be done. Replying to Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South), the Minister of Lands said he had noticed an agitation by the Returned Soldiers’ Association in Otago concerning Mr. Carruthers’ appointment to the Soldiers’ Land Board, and ae the appointment had been made on the best advice no change would be made. He knew wires were being pulled, but he would not take any notice of the desire of interested parties. Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party), the Prime Minister said he hoped the session would end on Saturday next or Monday at the latest, and he would then be able to state the date of the election. At least five weeks, he hoped, would be available for the election campaign.

THE FINANCE BILL. IMPORTANT PROVISION'S. The Financial Bill was introduced by the Governor-General’s message. The Prime Minister explained that the Bill contained 39 clauses, mostly of a machinery character. Clause 5 was designed to enable Cabinet to refund to the Railway Department £1,000,000 borrowed from tbfc railway authorisation account to meet liabilities at the end of the financial year. Other clauses dealt with the conversion of 44 per cent, free of income tax bonds into five per cent, paying income tax; the audit of the Government stores account in the same manner ae other Government accounts; the validating local bodies’ contributions to the Pearson Memorial Fund; the lengthening of the term of local bodies’ advances for workers’ homes; the fixing of uniform water rates to be levied by local bodies; the setting up of a local railway district with powe* to take over the Taupo-Totara Tjjnber Company’s railway; and empowering the Valuer -General to alter a valuation in special cases. The Bill was read a first time.

“WASHING-UP” BILL. A VOLUMINOUS MEASURE. In moving the second reading of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (the “Wash-ing-Up” Bill), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said the measure included 69 clauses, and a supplementary number of almost equal size were to come. He hoped to introduce them next day. The Bill was read a second time. In committee considerable discussion arose, and progress was reported. RAILWAY SERVICE. QUESTION OF SALARY “CUTS.” The House went into committee on the Government Railways Amendment Bill. " Mr. W. A Veitch (Wanganui) questioned the Minister whether the schedule covered the first and second “cuts” as provided by the Public Service Adjustment Act, hut the Minister would go no further than to say that the Bill carried out the agreement arrived at between the men concerned and the general manager. On the third reading, Mr. Veitch commented on the lack of information given to the committee. The Minister, in reply, reiterated his statement that the Bill gave effect to the agreement arrived at, and he indicated that he was well aware of the motive which prompted Mr. Veitch’s criticism. The Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at midnight until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.