N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18140, 3 October 1930, Page 6

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

DAIRY CONTROL BOARI).

ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION.

PETITION BEFORE HOUSE

AMENDMENT DEFEATED

(By Telegrapn.—Press Assn.l WELLINGTON, Thursday. A long discussion on the constitution of the Dairy Produce Control Board took place in the House of Representatives to-day. It followed the presentation of the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of A. H. Owen and 55 others praying for the amendment of the Dairy Produce Export Control’ Act. The committee reported that in the absence of sufficient evidence of any widespread desire for such a change as the petition requested, it had no recommendation to make. Mr C. A. Wilkinson (Independent— Egmont) regretted that a more favourable report had not been made to the House. The Act had been a hive of contention ever* since it was passed, and to-day the board was costing farmers £40,000 a year. The board could very well reduce expenditure, for at present the personnel was too large. Mr T. W. McDonald (United— Wairarapa) said under the system of voting on a tonnage basis, it was wealth which decided the constitution of the board, and the average producer had little to do with it. He moved that the report be referred back to the committee for further consideration. The amendment was seconded by Mr, W. D. Lysnar (Independent Reform—Gisborne), who said the board would have to be reconstituted or scrapped. Government nominees and representatives of commercial interests should be eliminated’ from the board, which at present was loaded against the producers. Voting Opportunity Desired.

Mr W. Lee Martin (Labour —Raglan) suggested that Mr McDonald was not aware of what the petitioners actually sought. They had been asked if they favoured the reconstitution of the board and had agreed that' this would be an improvement,, but what they really desired was the opportunity of voting whether the board should continue to exist or not. Mr Martin added, he was satisfied this was not wanted by producers. He agreed there was dissatisfaction with the tonnage basis of election.

Mr J. A. Nash (Reform* —Palmerston) said the board had made serious mistakes in the past. It had been given powers that were too wide. Mr A. W. Hall (Reform —Hauraki) reminded the House that the petition had asked that a poll of producers should be taken to determine whether the board should be abolished. He had not heard one member suggest that the board should be abolished; He considered an impartial committee could not have reached any other decision than that which had been reported. Nothing could be gained by referring the report back to the committee.

Mr W. J. Poison (Independent—• Stratford) declared that the question of the amalgamation of the meat and dairy boards should be given the earnest consideration of the House. Mr F. Lye (United —Waikato) believed the powers of the board should be restricted, and he agreed with those who had criticised the tonnage basis of election. He realised, however, that reconstitution ol’ the board was a matter apart from the subject of the petition. The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, said he understood the object of the petition was to have a referendum taken on the question of whether the board should continue to exist or not. If that were so, the proper way to have gone about the matter would have been to have presented a petition signed by at least one-tenth of the producers. In that case, the House would have had no option hut to have granted the request for a referendum.. He said that he and his party strongly disapproved of the present undemocratic system of electing the board. The amendment was allowed to be defeated on the voices, and the report was tabled.

REPOROA SETTLEMENT.

REVALUATION QUESTION. CONSIDERATION FAVOURED. (Times Correspoirdent.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. A revaluation of the Reporoa Settlement Lands was urged in petitions presented to the House of Representatives this session on behalf of 28 settlers. The Lands Committee reported to the House to-day that it considered the petition should receive the Government’s favourable consideration. Idle committee expressed the opinion (1) that the revaluation as assessed by Messrs Galvin and Meredith should be adhered to and the settlers’ valuations reduced accordingly; and (2) that the question of the formation of a Drainage Board over a portion or the total area of the Reporoa settlement should be held in abeyance. The committee was of opinion that the creation of a Drainage Board as at present proposed would impose a hardship on the settlers concerned.

SAFETY OF WORKERS,

COMMITTAL OF NEW BILL. WELLINGTON, Thursday. In moving the committal of the Scaffolding and Excavation Amendment I Rm, me .uinisinr of nabour, me lion. S. G. Smith, said it gave greater security to those engaged in excavation work. Local bodies and other public bodies were brought within the scope of the bid. There was no doubt that provision was necessary. The Minister said in most cases, at any rate, inspection would be delegated by the engineer to a foreman and for" that - reason the provision in the bill that local body excavation work should, like all other excavation ■work, be under the supervision of an ’ inspector was necessary. ' The debate on the committal motion 1 was interrupted by the rising of the House. i

APPRENTICING BOYS.

MINIMISING DIFFICULTIES. WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Apprentices _ Amendment Bill was debated by the House of Representatives this evening on the motion for committal, moved by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith. The Minister said, it was with the idea of minimising difficulties in apprenticing boys that the Act had been brought into operation and he believed it was operating very well. Power already existed for the appointment of a representative of a body such as a tcehi iral school hoard to an apprentice ship committee. . The motion to commit the bill was adopted. *

STOCK AMENDMENT BILL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. In moving the second reading of tho Stock Amendment Bill, the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. A. J. Murdoch, said the Bill was designed to include motor vehicles in the provision of the principal Act preventing the unrestricted removal of stock by night. The Bill was read a second time.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

BILLS PASSED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Legislative Council met to-day. The Nurses and Midwives Registration Amendment Bill was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with minor amendments. The Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill and the Rating Amendment Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first time. The New Zealand Institute Amendment Bill and the Incorporated Societies Amendment Bill were put through the Committee stages and passed without amendment.