PARLIAMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 266, 22 August 1936, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEFENCE AND AVIATION (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 21. The House of Representatives this morning resumed consideration of the Departmental estimates. fepeaking on the vote for the ployment r’und, Mr Sv_ G. Smith (National, New Plymouth), said that the present Government had placed a number who were earning £3 or £4 a week on sustenances at £2 Is, so their position was not improved. •Replying to the discussion org _ihe naval vote the Hon. E. Jones said that 50 per cent, of the Ratings in ' the New Zealand Division were New Zealanders. Dealing with the defence vote Mr Jones said it was proposed to establish a training school for civil and military pilots. The Government would consider providing dual-purpose aircraft which could carry passengers and which, in the event of war, could be converted for defence purposes. The Pvt. Hon. J. G. Coates suggested that young airmen should be sent abroad to become acquainted with the latest developments in aviation. Mr Jones said that the Government , was well seized of the importance of providing the latest safety devices for aviation. It was felt that the Government should control radio communication and last year two young men were sent Home to study the latest radio developments. Mr H. M. Christie (Lab., Waipawa) contended that instead of providing for defence for one year without heeding what was to x come after that, they should provide for four or five years, so that a plan could be worked out. The plan must be flexible, but there were certain definite lines that could be followed. Several members suggested that the man who was to advise the Government should have knowledge of all arms of the service, not of the air arm only. , , The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes sought information regarding the extension of the air mail service to New Zealand. Mr Jones said the final design had not yet been reached. Sir James Parr had attended the conference of New New Zealand, Britain and Australia, and had expressed the Government’s viewpoint that the service should be operated by the Governments concerned. file understood that flying boats for the trans-Tasman service were being constructed. The matter in dispute between the British and Australian Governments was not yet settled, and if agreement were reached there should be no difficulty in starting the trans-Tasman service. The Native Department. The question of Maori claims was dealt with on the Native Department vote. The subject was raised by Sir Apirana Ngata and Mr Savage said that he realised that the question was surrounded with difficulties. Although commissions had reported on the Waikato, Taranaki and South Island Native land claims, it was difficult to reach finality unless the whole situation was investigated in the light of present conditions, and he favoured the setting up of a general commission to go into the question of all claims. Mr Forbes admitted that it was difficult to reach finality, and thought that a commission might do good., although it was possible that after all the claims were dealt with, others might crop up. Mr Savage, replying to further suggestions, said he thought that it was only commonsens© that the Maoris should be employed in the destruction of ragwort on their properties. There was only way to deal with noxious weeds and that was to settle them, and the Maoris, so far as was humanly possible, should be settled on their own lands. Everything the Government could do to make him- a good settler would be done. They had to make the Maori not only the owner hut the farmer of liis land. Scientific Research. Speaking on the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research vote Mr Forbes suggested that the officers of the Department should be sept in touch with scientific developments in other lands. The Hon. D. G. Stillivan said that it must he to the advantage of officers of the Department' to keep in contact with developments overseas, but it was an expensive business sending men overseas. However, contact would be kept, as it was absolutely necessary to do so. He said that the Government aimed at extending scientific work, as that was necessary if New Zealand was to keep up with the work, that was done in the Old Country and Australia. Mr W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford) said he hoped that the work of the Department would he pushed on as rapidly as possible. Votes passed were: Unemployment Fund £16,445, naval defence £651,636, defence £612,900, Native Department £281,473, Native trustee account £15,200, scientific and industrial research £98,308. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.