PARLIAMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 278, 5 September 1936, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. CONSIDERATION OF ESTIMATES. (Ter Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 4. The House of Representatives this morning went into comnjiifjee to consider the Departmental Estimates. Speaking on the Government Accident Insurance Account, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes asked when the Government’s policy of socialism was going to be put into operation as far as accident insurance was concerned. The Hon. W. Nash, in reply, said it was a policy matter, but up to the extent that they could find a way of giving a larger proportion of the premiums that were paid to cover accidents then they proposed to follow that way. Speaking on the vote for the Pensions Department, Mr J. Hargest (Nat., Awarua) urged that pensions should be provided for members of Parliament, and he asked the Minister to take the matter up. Mr Forbes said the matter had been considered in the past, but the difficulty had been to find a basis on which a scheme could be based. The Hou. W. E. Parry said that pensions for members had been talked of for many years, and a committee had investigated the matter. The question of how to proceed was a difficult one, and he would consult his colleagues to see if a committee could be set up in the endeavour to draw up a suitable scheme. The Hon. P. Fraser said there was not doubt provision should be made for those who had given years of service to the country. The Hon. F. Jones, replying to questions on the Post Office Account,- defended the carriage of mails across the Pacific in American vessels. It was just as right to,,use American vessels in the Pacific as to use foreign vessels in ether parts of the world. American vessels had to be used if the people wanted regular mails. The great bulk of the mails would be carried in British vessels through the Panama Canal.

Referring to the vote for the maintenance of Public Works and services, Mr Forbes referred to the sum of £BO,OOO which included £61,000 to cover cyclonic damage during February last in various districts in the North Island. He said that when floods occurred in his electorate and local bodies applied to the Government for assistance they were turned down. The Hon. R. Semple explained that a great deal of damage was done, particularly in Taranaki, and financial assistance was given according to the financial standing of the counties. The local bodies in Mr Forbes’ electorate were in a better financial position, and the damage was not so serious. The Government was also spending a large sum on river works in Mr Forbes’ electorate.

Progress was reported and the House rose at 6.30 p.m. The following votes were passed today : Government Accident Insurance account £24,170, State Advances account £7697, Public Service Superannuation £BO6B, dairy industry account £41,050, Pensions Department £5,479,992, Post Office account £3,085,752, broadcasting account £143,805, maintenance of public works and services £1,182,500, Transport Department £27,123.