PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 218, 13 September 1924, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

_— —«■ .... HI NOTES FROM 'THE GALLERY. A CHANCE FOE _.ABO"0B. (By Telegraph.—rar:i.-imentarr r.erjarter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. An hilarious minute was provided in the House to-day by Mr. J. A. Lee drawing attention to the suggestion from Christchurch that Mr. L. M. Isitt should consider resigning and re-oontest-ing his seat, Mr. Lee asking Mr. Massey if he would try to persuade Mr. Isitt to adopt this course, so that Labour might have an opportunity of winning the seat. I Although Mr. Lee only gave notice of the question, Mr. Massey at once ror.-. "I think." he 'aid, 'a question such a_ I that should either not be asked or else ! should be answered at once. I have seen | the paragraph referred 10. but do not j take tha%lighte?t notice of it. I kno-.v Mr. Isitt will hold hi? seat as long as he is inclined to keep it, and.'' concluded Mr. Massey. raising his voice. "1 do not think Labour has a hope." i Laughter, i Old School Buildings. Rpplving to the Hon. A. T. Xgata "EasTern Maori-, who drew attention to the old buildings used for name schools, the Hon. C. J. Parr I Minister of Education i informed the House that grants were always made where repairs were urgently needed. The difficulty was that many of these schools were in the hackblocks, and people would not tender for repairing or painting the buildings. | The cost of painting three one-room I schools recently was over £100 each. The Minister said the suggestion by the Hon. D. Euddo (Kaiapoi i that the buildings were allowed to wear our before any repairs were done was altogether too general to carry weight. The Education Department had to depend upon the Education Boards in this matter. and these boards had been advised not to hesitate to send in specifications fur grants where schools had got beyond reasonable limits. However, the neglect of past years was being fairly overtaken. Xhe Wider Outlook. The value of exchanging Dominion teachers v-ith British teachers was commented upon by the Hon. C. -1. Parr in the House to-day. He said there were mutual advantages, and agreed with Mr. Wilford that the change gave the teachers a different perspective. The Minister remarked that it would l<e a good thing for the people in Xew Zealand to get out of this country every six years to see what is going on in the world, because we were cut off from it down here. Mr. (i. R. 5-ykes (Masterton. : Including members or" Parliament. (Laughter. The Minister agreed with Mr. Wilford that it was a good thing to encourage New Zealand school children to correspond with children in other countries.. and quoted the case of the Wellington school pupils who had been in communication with Victorian school children for the last ten years, the correspond- I ence being kept up by successive pupils I ; in the higher classes. ! The Family Moke. I "Members are wanting the Education ! I Department to subsidise the family | moke, because we subsidise the trap in which children drive to school," said the Hon. C. .L Parr, replying to a suggestion by Mr. E. A. Ransom and others that I it was only fair that an allowance i should be given in the case of children | who rode or cycled to school. Mr. Ransom pointed out that owing to the dangerous nature of the roads it was better for children to be on a hor3e or cycle than in a vehicle. Mr. Parr recalled that he used to ridp to school with his little sister perched behind him. The upkeep of the old family moke, he said, was not much. He thought a shilling a week would cover it, for the pony could get. a flicking at the roadside. Mr. Lee: There are pound keeper? about. Mr. Ransom: It is transport that we want subsidised. Mr. Parr said the subject had beer, one of continual complaint. The scheme of subsidising was originated by the Hon. -T. A. Hanan. and it had given the Education Department trouble ever since. There were about 15.000 or 16,000] children who rode to school. Mr. Masters: Over three miles? Mr. Parr: I daresay over two miles. I Mr. Masters: They would not get a I subsidy. Mr. Parr.- Children riding ov«-r three miles would be in the majority: in would come between £2."i,000 and £.'}<l.oW i to subsidise the horse. More Important Than Parliament. Members of tiie House of Represents- ' j tives take their affairs very seriously.! land they affected great astonishment j to-day when Mr. C. R. Syk- = i .Master! urgent question To ' be Postmaster ! ; General about the AH BUrk football I result expected during th'- week-end. | Permission was <rrant<?d a.md laughter. 1 and Mr. Syke- explained that the result I would come when no nowspapers wc r ,. i published, and residents in the hack-1 I blocks would have to wait for rhe news j unless the Post Office agreed ro tlie -ii..- ! j tribution of the final score throughout I I Xew Zealand. The Postmaster-General!; : wa? evidently disinclined to take much i Parliamentary time over football, and j laconically answered: "Arrangements have been made accordingly.^ Panmure School. Mr. W. .r. .To r r< an (Manukau, [l drew the attention of the Hon. j' ' . J. Parr to the conditions ' at. Panmure school. He s _j<j its : proximity to the water reser\e made it impossible to have a septic r an : : „„ j. or near tne school grounds. The com- !< mittee had bad difficulty in arranging | | a sanitary contract, ar.ri matters were j v»ry unsatisfactory. As tbe site was - valuable for other purposes he suggested the M'nister should consider the advisability of building the school on a more suitable site. Magistrates' Superannuation. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford the Minister of Justice 'Hon. C. .1. Parr I informed the that a bill was being prepared, which would be introduced this session, placing the superannuation or magistrates on a much-improved nasi?. The draft bill had been sent TO I the Government actuary to ascertain the cost involved. Mr.'Parr said he ' sympathised with the magistrates in ' respect to their superannuation. In ; soinn cases magistrate- went on ;!,..!: Bench when 47, or 50 years old. and I : tnus drew a comparatively small amount when they retired, while men ! who had entered* the service A = ttov<= p were in a much better position. ji

Launch Accidents and Fires. Although the casualty report of the Marine Department shows that collisions affecting sea-going vessels have been infrequent, anel' their infrequency shows, generally speaking, that the collision regulations are being well interpreted by those who necessarily have to observe them, minor collisions between vessels of the launch class continue to e>ccnir, and it is suggesteel that the time ha? arrived when an elementary knowledge of collision regulations, etc., should be demandeel of all persons who havp charge of such launches. At the present time launches which are licensed to carry passengers and cargo may be in charge, of persems whose only qualifieiition is ability to drive an engine. In the; interest? of safety to life and property it would appear necessary that guch persons 1* qualified, so as to enable- ! them to take proper action to avoid collision. The same woulel apply to pleasure yachts, of which there are a large number, and person.? in charge of which are not at. present required to possess any kneiwledge e,f collision regulations, etc., or even to show a slight, ability to avoid collision. This matter is now under e-onsieieration. Referring to outbreaks of fire in connection with shipping, the report states that some of the outbreaks may have resulted from the liberty enjoyed by the general public to walk and to "smoke in the -vicinity- of vessels anel e;argoes whilst loading or d i.sch a raring operations are being perfeirmed. Such liberty does not exist in older countries. The matter is primarily one for government by Harbour Board by-law, anel it is to be preferred that boards should act. Part Time Teachers. A reduction in the Education yot« was moved by Mr. F. Murdoch 'Marsdenj to-night to give prominence to complaint? that part-time teacherare not being fairly treated by the; I Department in regarel to travelling I facilities. They had. he said, to keep house, and to travel between school.-, but no allowance wa-s made for this, if being contended that one-fifth extra pay was to meet the cost of travel, whereas it was paid because the teacher workeel six eiays a week. They should be paid an allowance for horse feed, etc. The Minister of Education promised to loejk into the matter and give a reply in a few day.?. He thought these teachers were treated generously, and this was the first time he had heard of a complaint. Mr. Murdoch agreed to take a vote on the voices, and his. motion was lost. Mr. McKeen moved a reduction of the total vote as an indication that the staffing of schools should be based on the average roll instead of the average atteneiance. The amendment was defeated by 33 against 20. . ■?-..