PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 224, 20 September 1924, Page 11

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. INCREASING COST OF DEFENCE {By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.) , WELLINGTON, Friday. The attention of Parliament was drawn by Mr. Sullivan (Avon) in the House to the fact that in the defence estimates Sir R. Heaton Rhodea was asking £40,000 increase on last year's expenditure (£348,-32), being approximately an increase of 12 per cent. Mr. Sullivan thought the annual burden ot defence at that rate would become very, substantial indeed. He moved that the total vote be reduced by £1 as an indication that the House did not approve of the expenditure being increased above that of last year. The Minister said that guns, etc., were more costly than in the past. On division the amendment was defeated by 33 votes to 24, and the total vote of £387,923 was passed.

A Contortionist Feat. Some amusement was created in the House when Mr. Monteith (Wellington East), in the course of the debate on the Defence • vote said that on one occasion he watched boys drilling at _ the Garrison Hall in Wellington, and for twenty minutes the officer in charge kept the boys going in an attempt to make tbem "bring their eyes round with a click." The thing was a* manifest impossibility. He asked the Minister to give instructions Cat a grain of commonsense should be exercised in the drilling of boys, and that they should not be required to do such cortortionist feats as "bringing their eyes round with a click."

Sir -R. H. Rhodes (Minister of Defence) ' assured the House that the expression was merely a figure of speech. Mr. Monteith (indignantly): The officer said he did not hear it. Export of Pedigree Cattle. There is a possibility, states Mr. D. Buddo, of a valuable export trade in pedigree dairy cattle being opened up, and it is essential that the trade should be opened up with the best guarantee possible that the record of test is as accurate as possible. Therefore he asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he would favour legislation making it an offence for any herd testing association to issue a certificate of record for any dairy cattle except .under conditions approved by the Minister of Agriculture. The Minister's I reply will be given later.

Maori Fishing Rights. Sir Maui Pomare presented to the House a petition signed by 98 natives of Manaia and other placeis in Coromandel district, complaining that the conditions of article 2 of the Treaty of Waitangi have been violated by the prosecution and fining of several natives /or obtaining oysters. Petitioners ask that Maoris should have the right to obtain oysters' from Coromandel beds, and to have the use of forests. They also ask that trawling to confine dto an area outside Cape Colville and Tiritiri, because at -present it is ruining the | Maori fishing grounds. The use of pukoro;i fishing nets by launches, they urge, should also be prohibited, as they net undersßed fish; ' < Well Behaved Territorials.

The conduct of men in territorial camps this-;year was commented upon in the House this evening by Mr. Veitch (Wanganui) during discussion of the defence estimates. Mr. Veitch said the conduct of the men had been particularly good, so good, indeed, that in Wellington and Waverley and elsewhere the police had actually written to the defence authorities drawing attention to the fact. Sir K. H. Rhodes (Minister of Defence): The Wellington police volunteered that 'information. Mr. Veitch said it was particularly creditable. to the men themselves. The Territorials in camp were principally between 18 and 21 years of age, which was about the liveliest time in a young fellow's life. Voluntary Military Service. Mr. Jordan (Labour member for

Manukau), pointed out that the British Government had voted seven millions less for defence, and were reducing their standing army, but increasing the territorial forces. It must be agreed that New Zealand required the nucleus of an army in New Zealand, and that, was to be found in a voluntary force, where the men became enthusiastic, competing one against the other for rank, and being ready when necessity arose to take up the training of their fellows.

Fires in Coal Areas. Danger of fire in the coalfields at Buller Gorge was mentioned by Mr. H. E. Holland, when the Mines estimates were under discusssifll. Mr. Holland said the conservator of forests was felling certain timber there. It was dead timber, very liable to fire, and might set the coalfields ablaze. An outbreak had already occurred, but fortunately there was a supply of water available,. There was also another coal area in the district on fire. The Hon. G. J. Anderson said it would be a national calamity if the coal areas in Buller Gorge were set on fire, and the Government had put a proclamation over the land to safeguard it.

Teachers' Superannuation. The Minister of Education, replying to Mr. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), said a bill dealing with Public Service superannuation would be introduced by him in a few days. The main object of the measure was to correct anomalies in the superannuation of teachers.