PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 212, 6 September 1911, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

MOTES FROM THE OAIXEBT. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Beporter., WELLINGTON, this day. FRUIT FARMS AT BICKERSTAFFE Mr. Stallworthy has given notice to ask the Minister of Agriculture whether he will utilise the 2500 acres now he.d by his Department as an experimental farm at Bickerstafl'e, but not so used, for the planting of fruit farms? The member for Kaipara notes that the land is specially adapted for the purpose, the aspect north-easterly, the climate favourable, and the situation convenient to railway and to deep waterways. TO PREVENT BOGUS UNIONS. Mr. McLaren wishes to know of the Minister of Labour whether there is no provision in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which will prevent a body of workers in any industry from acting in collusion with their employers towards the forming and registering of a bogus union under the Act, in order to prevent other workers in the industry from availing themselves of the benefits of the Act in the way of securing an industrial agreement or award, and if he will submit an amendment of the act, which will provide that on a petition of one-tenth of the members of a workers' union, covering claims for improved conditions of employment, the union will be required to file such claims as a dispute or a part of a dispute under the Act? ELECTRIC POWER STATION. Mr. Myers this afternoon gave notice to introduce the Auckland Electric Power Station Site BilL THE VACANCY. Mr. Harries made two references to Mr. Fowld's action hfresigning his portfolios during his speech on the Coal Mines Amendment Bill. Mr. Herrie* smiled at a statement made by the lion. B. McKenzic, who remarked that the member for Taoxanga always wore a vacant smile. Mr. Hemes: What about your vacant •eat? Mr. McKenzic: I daresay you would like to occupy it. Mr. Herries: I may after the election. At a later stage, when Mr. Herries ■was making a reference to Socialists a Government member interjected:. "They anight reform you." " Yes," rejoined the. speaker, " they might refc ran me so that I could join Mr. Fowld's Ministry, when he forms one." THAT SMALL PROFIT. "The State coal mine is one of th? typical examples of State Socialism that ■we have," remarked Mr. Herdman on tile debate or the committal of the Coal Mines Amendment BilL He pointed out ths i this large concern, after deducting sinking fund, only yielded a net profit of £lOsl, as against £2300 the previous year. This profit, he continued, had been won in a peculiar way, viz., by exacting from the Railway Department more than a fair price. He called this boosting up a bankrupt concern at the expense of another Government concern. He added that if the State mine had had to pay the charges, taxes, etc., to which a privately-owned mine is liable (such as 6d. a ton royalty, and 3d. per ton harbour rate, as was the case at Greymouth on other coal) the financial result on last year's working would have been a loss of £2llO. "VIGOR" IN REPLY. Mr. Fisher stated that his personal experience of the establishment of a State coal depot in Wellington was that the price of coal to him was reduced from 38/ to 28/ per ton. He west on to advocate nationalising the transport service from the mine to the depot. He declared that the steamship companies were monopolies. Some dissent came from the Government benches, and Mt. Vigor Brown being singled out by Mr. fisher, announced his perfect satisfaction ■with the U.S.S. Co. Mi. Fisher then asked Mr. Brown if he would be in favour of nationalising the breweries? •* Yes, and the fisheries too," replied the imperturbable member for Napier.