PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 222, 18 September 1919, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. ' OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT. ENGAGEMENT ENDED IN JULY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Some days ago Mr. Poole asked the Minister of Defence whether the resolution of the annual meeting of the Press Association requesting the Government to discontinue sending messages sent out by Mr. Malcolm Ross, as they were stale and useless, had been forwarded to him, as promised by Sir Jas. Allen to a deputation, and if so what action did the Government take. He also asked whether Mr. Malcolm Ross' engagement had been terminated, and if so, when was it terminated. The following answer was given by Sir Jas. Allen to-day: The complaint of the Press Association was that Mr. Ross' messages were posted instead of being cabled, and were therefore stale when received. Instructions were subsequently given to have important messages cabled. The High Commissioner was instructed by cablegram on June 25 last to give Mr. Malcolm Ross one month's notice of the termination of his engagement in accordance with conditions of his appointment.

THE MAUNGATUROTO LINE. In answer to-day to Mr. Mandcr, the Prime Minister stated when the next suitable section of the line north of Ranganui is handed over to the Railway Department, it is intended to review the time-table with the object of providing a through service on the North Auckland line. DEVONPORT POLICE STATION. The Premier informed Mr. Harris today that plans for the new police station at Devonport were prepared last year. but further action was held over as the time was not favourable for inviting tenders for new buildings. Tenders will be called as soon as there is a prospect of getting the work done at reasonable cost. .' PHASE OF PENSION PROBLEM, j In answer to an inquiry from- Mr Glover, the Minister of Defence stated to-day that the Pensions Act docs not provide for pensions to wives of invalided soldiers who were married outside the Dominion since their husband's disablement, unless they were engaged before the soldiers departed from NewZealand. The question of r.mending the law to make provision for cases referred to is now under consideration. THE PRICE OF GOLD. | In answer to a question in the House !by Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, Sir Jas. Allen i stated this afternoon that in view of 1 the reports received by the Government, jit is not proposed to either increase the I price of gold or to give a bonus to gold ! producers. The cmbp.rgo on the export of gold has, however, already been removed by the Imperial Government, consequently applicat-ms can be considered by the Minister i . Finance in terms of the war regulation.-, if mining companies or others desire to transmit gold from New Zealand.

BAY OF ISLAND OYSTKRS. Replying to an inquiry from Mr. Poole why a large area of oyster beds in the Bay of Islands was transferred by the Marine Department to the natives, resulting in great wastage of supplies, Mr. Herries remarked this afternoon that section 17 of the Fisheries Act, 1908, provides that the Governor-in-Council may from time to time declare any bay or portion of a bay or estuary or tidal waters in the neighbourhood of a Maori pa or village to be an oyster fishery where Maoris only may take oysters for their own food at all times. In order to meet requirements of the Maoris in the Bay of Islands who live near oyster beds, certain beds were set apart for their use, but as it had been found they do not require the whole of tbe oysters in the areas so set apart, arrangements have been made for them to pick those not required by them for the Department, the Department employing only the natives concerned for this purpose, and paying them the same rate per sack for picking as is paid to pickers on the Department's beds. PAEROA-POKENO RAILWAY. Mr. Wm. Fraser informed Mr. Rhodes to-day that the question of providing money for the Paeroa-Pokeno section of the East Coast Railway will be considered when the Public Works Estimates arc being prepared.

FRUIT FUMIGATING PLANT. In answer to an inquiry from Mr. Poole whether he would have the fruit fumigation plant in Customs Street West improved, the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy states that the matter will be attended to at an early date. The Minister adds: It has been held over pending a decision regarding the removal to another site. COLLEGE AT RUAKUBA. Is it tbe intention of the Government to erect an agricultural college nt Ruakura? asks Mr. Mander, to which Mr. Nosworthy replies: The Ruakura Farm is already becoming an educational institution "on a fairly extensive scale, its educational facilities being at the pre- ; sent time largely utilised for the purpose of training returned soldiers. There is no immediate intention of erecting an agricttltural college there, but the whole question of meeting the Dominion's requirements in connection with agricultural education is under consideration. PERMIT SYSTEM OK RAILWAYS. I know how exceedingly inconvenient is this permit system for railway travelling," declared Mr. Massey in the House to-day. "and I have given instructions that if if is at all possible permit- are to be discontinued after this week." This announcement followed a question by Mr. Nash, Palmerston, who quoted, among instances of inconvenience, the case of, a father whose son had been air the front being refused permission to travel to Wellington to greet him on his return.

STATE [MEDICAL SERVICE. I The subject of? State medical service in Now Zealand is under consideration, and various schemes, such as that propounded by the Friendly Societies' Conference at Melbourne, will be examined, replied .Mr. Massey to a suggestion by Mr. Talbot that tbe Government establish a national medical service and appoint a medical taxing officer empowered to assess, modify, or tax accounts rendered by medical practitioners. SA-MOAN EPIDEMIC. Replying to an inquiry as to what action the Government propose to take upon the report of the Commission recently set up to inquire into the influenza epidemic at Samoa, the Minister of Defence states that the Public Health Department has arranged to dispatch a weekly cable to Samoa, in common with other countries, giving the number of notifiable influenza cases in New Jsea-

land for the preceding week. A proposal is now under consideration to extend this notification to include all infectious diseases. Othei< suggestions ot the Commission are under consideration. PICTURE SHOWS RESTRICTIONS. Mr. Massey informed Mr. Glover that the question of removal of the restrictions placed upon the -hours of pic ture theatres, which are proving, said Mr. Glover, a source of great hardship 1 to both public and employees, will be dealt-' with by an amendment of the Public Health' Act during the present session.

Commenting on this answer, Mr. G. W. (Russell, former Minister of Health, suggested that there should be a licensing system so as to control tho proper cleansing of the theatres, continuous performances to be prohibited unless provision could be mode for thorough ventilation.

HOUSING BILL. The coming bill dealing with the housing question will be submitted to Parliament shortly, when an opportunity will be given for discussion on any practicable suggestion, states tho J Prime Minister. REPATRIATION LEGISLATION". The Minister of Lands stated that! the question of enabling South African veterans to take advantage of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act and the possibiliiy of enabling soldiers' widows to have the benefit of its provision are being considered in connection with the proposed amendments oi the Act this session. ALLIES' D._Y.

The question of making provision for the recognition of one universal holiday for the Empire by way of commemorating the victory of the Allies and the sacrifice- of British citizens is now under consideration, states the Minister of Internal Affairs, in reply to Mr, Jennings. WHEAT QUESTIONS. A question from Mr. Witty elicited! the statement by the Minister for Agriculture that plans are being prc-j pared for a new chemical laboratory for the Department, and in these provision will be made for the erection of a small model flour mill for testing wheat. In the meantime all present knowledge concerning the relative milling qualities of different varieties will be utilised when it becomes necessary to again go into the matter of wheat prices. The Minister informed Mr. Talbot that tbe Government will gazette minimum prices of wheat for next season, as already promised, and will take into favourable consideration the giving of sufficient encouragement to farmers for the 1921 crop.

WOOL CUP SURPLUS. Latest advices from the Imperial Government indicate that tbe amount of the Dominion's share in the surplus profits that have been made by the Imperial Government on wool sold for other than military purposes, will not be ascertainable for some considerable time, states the Premier, in reply to Mr. E. Newman, who pointed out that a proportion of tha surplus is to be paid to dependents of sailors who lost their lives in the war. Mr. Massey adds that an enormous turnI over, and" the complexity of accounts, including the operations of scouring, topj making and carbonising, will probably I render an earlier settlement in the matter impossible. As a matter of fact, the I wool of the 191G-17 clip was still in New 1 Zealand in December, 101 S. and a portion of that clip was only submitted to auction in London in the April sales this year.