PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9181, 2 September 1908, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (By Telegraph—Abridged from Press Association Report). WELLINGTON, September 1. The House met at 2.30 o'clock. Consideration of the Estimates was resumed at the class Department of Agriculture, £149,033. Several members urged that something should be done to cope wiMi the small bird nuisance, which had increased the cost of produce by their ravages.

Mr T. M. Wilford said that agricultural pursuits must bi encouraged in every way possible, and he hoped that the Government would do something to encourage young New Zealanders to become veterinarians instead of going abroad for veterinarians.

Mr W. T. Jennings wished the Government to do something to exterminate the raobits in the King Country, and to import Angora goats to keep down noxious weeds. The Hon. R. McNab, replying to criticisms and suggestions, said that Legislation vva3 necessary to prevent uncertificated veterinarians practising on animals. An endeavour would be made to secure more Angora goats. Mr Donald ReiJ objected to the sum of £9OO salaries to manure sterilising inspectors at Sydney and Calcutta, and moved the reduction of the vote by £1 for the purpose of obtaining information. Mr McNab explained that the inspectors had to do a great deal of travelling. It would be a mistake to allow bones to come into the dominion without inspection. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 o'clock adjournment. On the House resuming Mr W. F. Massey said that he failed to understand how the poultry grading department cost £1,297 in salaries while a sum of £3,000 was down for preparing poultry for export. The total value o£ poultry exported was £1,230. Yet it cost £3,148 to pre pave it. Mr McNab said that a3i,to the sirv. set down for preparing poultry for export that was recouped to the department by exporter.-:, and cost the department nothing. ! The vote was passed unaltered, i On State Forests Account Vote, £30,201. Messrs Herries and Massey urged the necessity for a more vigorous reafforestation policy. Mr McNab said that the Governj ment had had bad luck at Dumgree, but had moved tl.e young trees there to ot 3r plantations. Ihe vote was pass* A unalttred. The Scenery Reservation Account Vot3 , £9,275, was passed unltered. On the State Coal Mines Account, Messr3 J. Allen, Gray, and others c ;mplain;d that the Seddonville mi:.e was an utter failure. No company would continue to run it. Mr Grey said that the Point Elizabeth mine should not bcf.made to pay fur Seddonu'lle, which was a hopeless failorr. and should/be closed up. The Hon. J. McGoWon said that the mines rvnt be considered as a whole. l'h<. / had reduced the price of coal to t .' general public.

Mr Herries drew attention to the heavv increase in the vote this year from'£l9o,ooo to £317,000. Several members applauded the action of the Department, which checked monopolies and reduced prises. £