PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 223, 20 September 1929, Page 15

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

ANOTHER WASTEFUL DAY. DISCUSSION ON HOSPITALS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Despite the Government's best efforts to get on with the serious business of the session, the Labour and Reform parties seem to obstruct progress at every turn. Again to-day time was wasted in a fruitless debate. Nearly the whole aiternoon was devoted to discussion of the Government's attitude towards the optional clause in the statute of tlie International Court of Justice, despite the fact that the evening newspapers had announced in the cable news that all the British Dominions had signed. In the evening a small Government bill designed to bring about amalgamation of the Wairau and PiQton Hospital Boards was made the vehicle of a general discussion on hospital matters, and so many members were anxious to speak that the Minister of Health, t;he Hon. A. J. Stalhvortliy, who is one of the most painstaking and conscientious members of the Ministry, had 110 chance to reply till the time for adjournment had almost arrived, consequently he had to clip his speech to a minimum. *; >v ..- Prime Minister Impatient. "Oh, let lis get on with the bill," interjected the Prime Minister to-night when Mr. Nash, Reform member for Palmerston North, was rambling on hospilal matters generally on the sccotul reading of a little bill amalgamating Wairau and

Picton Hospital Boards. Mr. Nash took I exception to this interruption. "Have i you awakened?" he asked, tooking at Sir Joseph. "I am surprised, because tlje right honourable gentleman is usually so courteous. I resent his remark, arid hope he will go to sleep again." "I have not been asleep," retorted Sir : Joseph tartly. i Mount Roskill's Privilege. Mr. • Jordan (Manukau) has been informed by the Minister of Internal Affairs that the request of the Mount Roskill Road Board that they be included in the operations of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill will be granted. Sequel to Suicide. The grandmother of two orphans, Mrs. Connolly, of Te Kuiti, has petitioned the House, seeking a compassionate allowance to assist her to .maintain the children. Petitioner states that the father of the children jumped over Grafton Bridge in December, 1928, and the mother died a week later, on Christmas Eve, leaving children aged 14' and 11 years destitute. Everything belonging to the parents had been mortgaged prior to their deaths. "I have very little," says the petitioner, "but I have struggled to keep the children, and must have some help now." Land Laws Amendment. J The only amendment made to the Land Law's Amendment Bill by the Lands Committee, which reported the measure to the House to-day, affects the constitution of the proposed local land purchase boards. 'The amendment provides that two, instead of three, members shall be appointed by the Governor- , General. The committee recommends that there be classification of all the lands of the Dominion according to (a) whether the land is suitable for closer settlement, • and (b) whether land is suitable for closer settlement and subdivision.

Relief Work at -Whangarei. As the unemployment position at Whangarei has not improved, the Minister of Public Works, following, representations' made by Mr. Murdoch (Marsden) has instructed the district engineer to place another 20 men from Whangarei on the Kiripaka-Ngunguru road. Since April last 400 men in North Auckland district have been provided with employment,, and over 250 have been placed since mid-July. Omahuta Timber Block. A. return tabled to-day showed that the value of timber removed from Omahuta block for the Public Works Department was nil, and the amount taken for sale was valued at £78,575. The amount debited to the block in respect of wages, salaries of rangers and caretakers was £3992. Under-cutting in Tobacco. No recommendation was made by the Industries and Commerce Committee on the petition of Wellington shopkeepers seeking investigation of the question of competition at. cut rates by other retail traders. Petitioners suggested that the law should be amended to protect tobacconists. The committee reported that the matter was one of policy. , , Empire Parliamentary Conference. A report of proceedings at the Empire ■Parliamentary Conference'in Canada will be given by the Hon. J. B. Gow, M.L.C., and Mr. W. J. Jordan, Labour member for Manukau, at a meeting of members of both Houses of Parliament to be held next week;