MINISTERS' REPLIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10163, 18 July 1924, Page 3

MINISTERS' REPLIES

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE. WELLINGTON, July 16. In the House of Representatives to-day the printed replies of Ministers to questions on the Order Paper were laid on the table. Among the answers were the following: That the Government is not standing in the way of the establishment of Agricultural Banks, but it cannot accept the financial responsibility attempted to be placed upon it by the Agricultural Banking Bill of last session. . That New Zealand is represented on the Labour Bureau at Geneva, and at the Labour Conferences by delegates nominated by his Majesty's Government. It can be relied upon that the privileges enjoyed by the workers of New Zealand will not be interfered with. ■ - ~ That the Government will give lull and proper consideration to the proposal that before any strike takes place in any Government .Department, and i where' a ballot is taken, they should see that the ballot is taken under supervision on the same hues as the general election ballot, and that only those whose votes are recorded shall be counted for or against a strike. That a Bill is under consideration providing a Superannuation Fund for the benefit of nurses and others engaged in hospital work. When the actuarial report thereon has been made the Government will be in a position to make an announcement en the subject. . . , , i i That loans are being granted to local bodies bv the State Advances Department, but it is not possible, owing to the demands made on its resources, for the Department to extend the present limit. That two of the reasons for the price of Danish butter being at a considerable premium over that of New Zealand during the past season are :—(l.) The Danes have been selling considerable quantities to the United States and Germany and other European countries, thus keeping their quantities for export to the United Kingdom short of the demand; (2) New Zealand butter has not arrived regularly and in uniform quantities in the United Kingdom. There are, however, other factors at work, such as moro or less extensive speculative buying when i prices have reached .the minimum. ' Such purchases of butter from one country affect 'the margin between the prices of butter from that country and another.