PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 179, 30 July 1924, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. { - - j SOUTH ISLAND FREIGHTS. j MAIL STEAMER GRIEVANCE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The member for Christchurch North has presented a petition, signed by 100 residents of Christehurch, Dunedin and Invereargill, praying that the duty on imported lemons be reduced from one penny to a halfpenny per lb, on the ground that the present duty, being equal to 00 per cent ad valorem, is too high. Petitioners suggest that the freight rate on the mail steamer from San Francisco and Cook Islands to the South Island be placed on the same basis as the North Island, as the South Island pays a large share of mail subsidy, while Auckland and Wellington get the benefit of trade through the steamers calling at those ports. The South Island is. penalised to the extent of 50 per cent extra freight, and is, in the opinion of the petitioners, badly treated in regard to shipping. They look to Parliament for redress. A Ponsonby Petition. Some 27 shopkeepers in Ponsonby area have petitioned Parliament in regard to hardships inflicted upon them by the Shops and Offices Act. They ask that evidence be taken showing how small retail traders are handicapped under the Act, with a view to modification as far as they were concerned. The petition was presented by Mr. Savage. Against State Bank. "I venture to predict that in the course of its natural life the bank would not lend half a million," declared the Hon. C. J. Parr, in criticising Jlr. T. M. Wilford'e agricultural bank proposal. Mr. W'ilford interjected to say that his bill did not propose that the State should give a guarantee for the bank's bonds, and the Premier retorted that Liberal members behind held a different view. <Mr. Parr wondered who would take up agricultural bank bonds if the State was not Behind them. Referring to the Bank of New Zealand, he said much of the criticism was unfair, and pointed out that the bank had saved the country in the 1921-22 crisis. 3lr. Corrigan: And you saved the bank. Mr. Parr declared that the bank was strained' to the limit to save the country at that time. ' Bad Island Fruit. The bad condition of a fruit cargo from Karotonga and other Cook Island ports, which reached Wellington on Saturday by the Ngakuta, was the subject of questions by Messrs. Jordan and Fraser. Mr. Jordan asked Sir Maui Pomare if he -saw the fruit when it was landed. "The Ngakuta,"' he said, "was built as a coal carrier, and did not have suitable ventilation." Mr. Fraser asked that instruHions be sent to the islands regarding the proper packing of fruit. Sir Maui Pomare said the whole matter was receiving consideration of tho Government. The Ngakuta might not be a very suitable vessel, but she had a very rough trip, and the fruit was wet before it was shipped. There was no need to send instructions to tho islands. The Department had two experts there, whose business it was to see that all fruit was packed properly, and there was thorough inspection and testing before it was allowed to come to New Zealand. The suggestion that a more suitable boat should be used was a puzzler; it practically meant a State shipping service for the islands, and on that subject he could say nothing at present. It was a question whether the State would be justified in poing , in for such a service. The (Minister also touched on the question of dear fruit, and said if the fruit ring could be smashed up in this country people would be able to get cheaper fruit. . Superannuation Schemes. "Where do we come in?" was what people outside Government employment had been asking , since attention had been called by the recent railway strike to the value of the Superannuation Fund," was the Hon. J. A. Hanan's remark in speaking to a motion to introduce the Local Authorities Superannuation Amendment Bill by the Hon. E. F. Bollard. Mr. Hanan said an actuarial report on the financial condition of the various schemes brought into operation by local bodies should be obtained. He wondered how long outside people wouljl be called upon to make up contributions by way of State subsidies. A searching investigation was required. The Government should take some steps in regard to a national or social insurance scheme. Mr. W. D. Lysnar thought the schemes as they existed to-day were too heavy a drain upon the Government, and he urged some readjustment before they broke down. Mr. H. E. Holland urged the Minister to insert a clause in the bill to the effect that any superannuation under the measure shall not affect the old age pension. The Hon. K. F. Bollard said tho. bill was short, comprising two clauses. One clause was inserted with the idea of giving power to a contributor and to a local body to reduce the retiring allowance in order to increase the annuity to a widow on the death of a contributor. The second clause amended the existing law in order that there should be no reduction in the amount of retiring allowance on account of compensation receivable under the Workers' Compensation Act. The bill was read a first time. Maori Tangis. "Tangi simply means weeping, and it is no more possible to stop weeping than you could make people fly," was the statement of Sir Maui Pomare (Minister of Health) when Mr. H. W. Vru (Southern Maori member) > called his attention to the action of the Health Department in prohibiting a Maori tangi near Christchurch, the district health officer having been reported to have said that the Department would put its foot down in such matters. The Minister explained that he was not dealing with a specific case, but in general. There were certain things from the public* hearth standpoint which Maori and pakeha had to consider, and he thought the Maori conformed pretty well to the laws of hygiene.' There was no intention to do away with tangis, but only to protect the community is cases of infectious disease. The Maotj Councils Act had limited the duration of these gatherings by providing for burial within three days, though at one time tangis went on for three weeks or a month. In this Maoris were not peculiar, for it was said that the Hebrews, from whom the pakeha borrowed his religion, wept for Moses 40 days and 40 nights, / ■- -