DAY IN THE HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 187, 9 August 1930, Page 12

DAY IN THE HOUSE.

PARLIAMENT" SPEEDING UP.

RESUMING ON MONDAY.

NEW ZEALAND-MADE GOODS,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday,

The day' work in the House of Representatives did not quite complete the programme set for to-day, which was to finish the Financial debate and adopt the first item in the Estimates, which gives very wide latitude in discussion .and enables members to present points, overlooked in the main debate. This morning's sitting opened with statements from_ the Reform and Labour leaders showing a willing desire to co-operate in getting through important policy business before the Prime Minister should leave for London. Long hours were not objected to, though when members: thought the Opposition leader was advocating a Saturday sitting there was an amusingly unanimous protest. "Not This Saturday." The Prime Minister, having replied to discussion, the first item of the Estimates, took the remainder of the afternoon, and the debate will be resumed on Monday at 2.30, for the House will extend the sitting days during the next fortnight. The topics raised in the Estimates discussion were threadbare. Mr. H. E. Holland, the Labour leader, .moved a £1 reduction to bring into prominence the Government's failure to grant relief to petitioners suffering from miners' complaint whose cases had been recommended for consideration by the Mines Committee. He allowed the decision to go against him on the voices. Half a dozen members supported the protest originated by Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) against the stoppage of subsidies to life saving and swimming clubs, but, recognising the inevitable, no motion was moved. The use of New Zealand-made insulators by the Post and Telegraph Department was referred to in the House, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Opposition, urging the PostmasterGeneral to see that the Department supported the local products. "Why didn't your Government use New Zealand-made insulators when it

was in office?" interjected Mr. H. B, Holland, leader of the Labour party. Mr. Coates (glaring towards the Labour benches): We did. That is the usual parrot cry of the Labour party. The Chairman of Committees: Order. In reply, the Hon. J. B. Donald, Post* master-General,, said that the Depart* ment had instructions to use New Zealand goods whenever possible, and often a higher price was paid in order that. a local manufacturer would obtain preference. Half the insulators used at present were made in New Zealand, and the Department had lent one of its engineers to a manufacturing company in order that it might improve its products. Films for Adults. « An increase in the issue of certificates recommending films as being more suitable for adult audiences has resulted from the more vivid presentation of life made possible by the addition of sound and colour to the "movies," according to the annual report of the Internal Affairs Department, as presented to Parliament to-day. , "It would not be proper," states the report, "to attempt to curtail cinema entertainment to the mental level of minors, and parents and guardians must accept the responsibility of selecting the class of entertainment that their children may be permitted to attend." During the last financial year 2930 films were examined, and. of the number 102 were rejected. In the first instance 274 were passed subject to excisions, and 1(57 were passed with recommendations that they were more suitable for adult audiences. Eleven appeals were lodged against the censor's decisions, which in two cases were reversed and iilms were released with ithe "adult audience" recommendation. The films dealt with consisted of 58 British and 586 foreign quota lilms, and 454 British and ' 1528 non-quota films. The countries of origin of the quota films were: America 509, Great Britain 58, Germany 12, Italy 2, Austria 1, France 1, and Norway'l. Of the British quota films 51 were silent and seven were synchronised for sound, while the foreign quota films were 270 silent and 310 synchronised . for sound. All foreign sound films originated in America. A favourable recomemndation has been given by the Public Petitions Committee to the petition of J. A. Cruiokshank, of Auckland, for compensation for services as a police officer retired without superannuation. The committee to-day referred the claim to the Government for most favourable consideration, "with the suggestion that a compassionate allowance of £300 be granted.