PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 252, 23 October 1919, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

WOTES FROM TEE GALLERY. U P (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") „ ii WELLINGTON, this day. h 'ÜBLIC WORKS' STANDARD WAGE. £. It was alleged by the member for t 'almerston North to-day that about 200 y aen have drifted away from the Manga- p oe hydro-electrical development works [j leeause tlie rate of 12/ per day (which p ras the basis of contract rates) was too j c ow. The Minister of Public Works, in j a lefending payment of this amount, said j c t was fixed by Cabinet as a standard j;, 'üblic Works' wage, and contract prices , r rere arranged to enable men of average I j, ibility to earn it. n Mr. Nash: That's not enough. v The Minister retorted that if higher ■ates were paid the Government would >c competing against other employers j md dragging men away. He knew the j, veather had been bad, and had prevented ;, nen earning full wages, but he would r ;et the engineer's report whether, on the t 'eale lixed. the men at Mangahoe could f ;am good wages. L ANOMALOUS SEA LAW. The manner in which shipping com- t panics evade all liability to passengers £ for injury and damage caused by shipwreck and accidents at sea was raised in c tli e House recently by Mr. Semple, who j asked if the Government would introduce , legislation this session putting an end { to this anomalous and reprehensible state of the law. To-day the Hon. W.H. Herries replied that the attention of the Government had already been called to the point raised, and careful consideration would be given to the member's re- ■ presentations when an amendment of the Shipping and Seamen's Act was being ( prepared for the House. MAORIS AND LIQUOR POLL. The Prime Minister has informed the Northern Maori member that it is impossible to pass legislation to give Maoris throughout the Dominion an opportunity of voting on the liquor question at the forthcoming general election. DEATHS UNDER ANAESTHETICS. The attention of the Government having been called by Mr. W. T. Jennings to the large number of deaths under anaestbetice, Mr. Massey replied: "From inquiries made by the Public Health Department it is probable that, owing to war conditions, well-known brands of anaesthetics have been difficult to obtain. There is, however, no evidence to show that the brands now in use are impure or injurious." SUPERANNUATION AND PENSIONS. T'le Minister of Finance states that provision of a war bonus to superannuated State Civil servants cannot at present he considered, while the Hon. W. H. Herriee (Minister of Pensions) informed Mr. Sidey that the whole question of old age and other pensions will be dealt with comprehensively next session, when it is hoped various anomalies will be removed. CARE OF YOUNG CHILDREN. In answer to a question by Mr. J. A. Hanan, the Prime Minister to-day stated that hospital boards throughout the Dominion have full power to expend money for the care of young . children when it is neces-sary for their mothers to receive treatment in hospital. WAIKATO BEE FARMING. The Hon. Nosworthy informs Mr. Foung that when the question of the appointment of further permanent ,apiary inspectors comes up for first decision the question of locating at leaet one officer in Waikato would receive the fullest consideration. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. The A to L Public Petitions Committee recommended the petition of Ivan Black, of Auckland, for redress for alleged wrongful prosecution to be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, the report being supported by the House. AUCKLAND-TARAXAKI HIGHWAY. Mr. W. T. Jennings presented a requisition signed by all the Auckland and Taranaki members to the Prime Minister to-day requesting assistance for the erection of a bridge across the Mrk'U River at the junction of the main road between Auckland and Taranaki. Mr. Jennings points out that a previous Public Works Minister offered to pay half the cost of the bridge, and the member now suggests that this offer should be renewed. PEACE MEMORIALS. Legislation will probably be introduced this session authorising local authorities to expend moneys on permanent peace memorials. NATURALISATION MATTERS. The Hon. J. B. Hine informed Mr Sidey to-day that the Government ha : relaxed restrictions upon the grant o naturalisation to 'friendly aliens, bui it is not proposed to remove any restric tion on aliens of enemy origin.. STATE DREDGES. In answer to a suggestion made th< other day by Mr. W. T. Jennings that a GoverDment dredge should' have beei obtained for the benefit of small harboi": boarde, the Hon. W. H. Herries state: that the question of acquiring a dredgi to hire to boards is under consideration but no action is contemplated while thi present high prices rule. LIGHT RAILWAY MATERIAL. , The Government has two report from a Public Works officer in Franc i showing that no second-hand light rail way material will be available for sale ; it having been decided to hand over ti . the French and 'Belgian Government: . for the repair of the devastated war xom . all the light railways material in the wai [ areas occupied by the British. Mr. Young, who asked the question i was informed that reports would vi . tabled in Parliament. 1 INCITING TO DISORDER. '. Labour .members strongly opposed » ; clause in the Police Offences AmemUnent J clause by add, "",j have tlie right of| \ : the Prime Minis-! ter to "withhold the bill lor a day. in "der to have a safeguard inserted, °[vir." a man the right to trial by jury, and moved to report progress. The committee reacted My. Mc\_allum's motion by 37 votee to fl, and Mr. Holland's amendment by 37 to S. The bill was reported without amendment*.

THE CLEMENS CASE. PUBLIC SPIRITED PETITIONER. Mr. C. H. Clemens, formerly of Auck» jj md, but now of Wellington, who etitioned the House last year for mi uiry respecting the methods used b£-. lie Defence Department in convevir, is son, an invalided 3oldier, from _u_-_sgjf md to Christchurch while the infi>{e:t2_. pidemie was raging, again approached lie House this session. To-day thePviblic 'etitions Committee reported on the etition in the following terms:.. '-'That I the opinion of the Committee, this etition should be referred to <ilie Govrnment for formable nd inquiry. The Committee desires to xpress its sympathy with the iietiticmer a the loss of his son, and-places'.on; ecord the high sense oi" duty, actuatingim in presenting the petition, its pur■ose being to make a reeuriencc of his infortunate ease impossible. Mr. T. W. Rhodes, who brought up lie report, said the petitioner was acting ii a most public-spirited way, because ie was only anxious that what occurred II connection with his late son's treatnent by the Defence medical staff should iot be repeated. He made no claim or compensation in respect of his son's leath. Several other members spoke in praise if Mr. Clemens' attitude, strongly coranending the petition to the Government's ittention. They alleged that the Mfads;er of Defence had ignored the petition•rs' complaints consequently Mr. Wilor.l asked the Premier if he would mdertake to bring the matter personillv before Cabinet. Mr. Massey gave this undertaking and :he report was adopted. GRAMMAR SCHOOL HOSTEL. In declining a suggestion from Mr. G. J. Parr, that a grant be placed on the Estimates sufficient to erect a hostel or boarding establishment ior the Auckland Grammar school to accommodate about a hundred boarders from country districts, Mr. Massey states that the Government is in sympathy with ths application from the Auckland Grammar School Board for grants towards the cost of a hostel for both boys and girls, but the very pressing need for buildings for schools) more particularly primary schools, must first be met. It must ba pointed out, he adds, that many of the applications from secondary schools are for amounts exceeding reasonable" requirements. HEAD TEACHER'S RESIDENCE. Answering Mr. Young's request to allot to the Auckland Education Board a sum of money sufficient to provide a residence for the head teacher at th* Frankton primary school, Mr. Maasey (for the Minister of Education) replied that the Department is averse to erectinn- residences in centres -of population such as Frankton, and is of opinion that any sums available for the erection of residences shouid be uti'rsed in connection with such of smaller country schools as afford reasonable prospects that married teachers will be permanently employed. RANGA-OJI-KUARAU BRANCH XSNE. Answering a question from Mr. Mander why the Railway Department refuses to take over the railway from Huarau to Ranganui, the- Minister of Railways states that the question of taking over the section line to Huarau was gene into by the Railway Department some time ago, Tvhen it was ascertained that it would be necessary to spend a considerable sum of money to pro-.'iae the terminal facilities and housing accommodation necessary to enable the line to be worked from Huarau. It was anticipated at the time that the extension to Paparoa would be open within a few months, and for that reason it was considered that expenditure at Huarasi for terminal facilities would not be justified. The war had delayed finishing the extension to Paparoa to some extent, but 'he was led to believe, there was every probability of the line being csmpleted to Paparoa by about the end oi march nest. The whole section would then be taken over by the working railways. RTJAKURA AGBIOTLTUBAIj COLLEGE A proposal by Mr. Mander that £5,00_ be voted for the erection oi an agricultural college at Ruakura, has produced a reply by the Minister of Agriculture that the Ruakura farm of instruction. Is at present being -utilised to its fu_ea_ available extent for the training of rsturned soldiers. It would not, in .any 'case, be practicable to expend the%ug- ! gested vote during the present financial jyear, and it is not- intended to "place a. sum on the Estimates. %, I MATERNITY HOSPITAL AT j HAMILTON. ' Mr. Massey (for the Minister of Public Health)'informed Mr. Young that it ' was recognised hy the Department that a maternity hospital for Hamilton is needed. It is not intended to establish a St. Helens or State maternity hospital, jl It being in duty bound to make such t provision, the Waikato Hospital Board ; has been advised that the establishment '. of a maternity hospital would be approved, and could be used as a training school for raidwives. MAORI AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 " Will the Government consider the ; | urgency of erecting a Maori agricultural 'college at the Bay of Islands for the r i education of boys from the northern 3 |tribe?" asked Dr. Pornare. The Minister -j of Education replied that tbe matter •was at present under consideration of 2 [ the Government. SUGAR -SUPPLY IMPROVING. Mr Massey informed Mr. Holland today that he had been «fT«:*9 un «"; 3 'stand that the position-.of the sugar e |supply was considerably improved, and "J would soon be back to normal.