POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16883, 10 July 1920, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

————— v (srECIAT, TO "TOE PRESS.") * \TELLINGTOX, July f>. ' ' Lake Coleridge Poorer. Mr I>. G. Sullivan to-day asked the Minister of Public "Works when information would bo available regardins the further supply of power from Lake Coleridge. The people of Christ-, enurch, be said, were very anxious to get this information. The position was becoming more acute every day t as was jxiinted out at a public mooting the other day, and local industries were bein C interfered with. The Hon. J. G. Coates said ho had had this mat tor before him a good oVal during the last month, or so. The immediate difficulty was in regard to ma-* ->' terial, but a portion oi it had now arrived, and some machinery, a generator, and pipes, were already on the way to the works. An SOOO lew. generotor'and another smaller one would increase the total bv 12,000 k.w., but the whole scheme * was bigger than that, the figures ho had given being for the immediate supply. Full enquiries wore being made, and later he would be able to give a considered and definite statement. It would bo a statement that could bo relied upon by all interested, and would cover the whole question of increased supply. Dr. Thacker referred to the low condition of the water ah Lake Coleridge. Owing to lack of rain, sufficient water was not flowing into the intake, and ho said the work of diverting the Harper river was being developed at the usual snail's pace of tho Department. The lake was dangerously low now. Mr Coates: I'm sorry to hoar that, but tho Department is thoroughly alivo to all possibilities and all disabilities, and when I can make a statoment it will be a thoroughly considered report. Christchurch Questions. Sir Heaton Rhodes is asking the Government whether, in order to encourago a permanent demand and a permanent supply of potatoes, they will place a sum on the Estimates to provido a bonus for tho manufacture of etarch from potatoes. Dr. Thacker will ask the Minister of Marino whether his Department knows that land at Officers' Point, Lyttelton. is being washed away? He says this land has been reclaimed at great cost. Dr. Thacker wants the Government to substantially increase the amount of £10,000 obtainable under the Housing Act per year. Ho says £10,000 a year is a mere bagatelle for housing purposes in tho large cities of this Dominion. Christchurcli Parcels Post Office. Mr Isitt asked the Postmaster-Gen-eral if steps would bo taken this winter to secure heating apparatus for tho parcels post offico at Christchurch. Ho said the office was so cold in midwinter that it was almost impossible to wvrk in it. Both men and women were employed there. The Hon. J. G. Coat«j Mid, if the facts were as stated, some steps would be. taken to improve the position. "Tho Reds" and Mr Statham. Mr H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, speaking between one and two o'clock this morning, made.Jk some biting references to the member for Dunediu Central. At tho last election, lie said, Mr Statham had stated that ho would not associate with "the Reds." He had also stated that quite recently he had led the public to believe that ho would not givo a vote with "the Reds" if that would put out the Government. "But. Sir, added Mr Holland, "ho has only one hope of beating the Government in this diviskn, and that hope rests solely with tho vote that 'the Reds' will give-. How will tho hon. member vote? Will he bolt from the Chamber as he did on tho last motion, or will ho cross over and vote with the Government, as ho did on the other motion? How much does the consistency of the hon. member amount to? Mr Statham: I never stated I would not go into tho lobby with the Labour Party. ~.«-. Mr Holland: Ho has said in effect that he would not give a vote to turn the Government out if that vote had to depend for its support on "tho Reds.'' „ , Mr Statham: I don't think you aro quoting correctly. . Mr "Holland: "I am quite satisfied I am. I want to pin the hon. member, down. It is not sufficient for him to blow hot air when he is before the oleotors fighting the Labour men, or when attempting to discredit the Labour members of this House, or giving vent to high falutin' stuff concerning lovaltv, the meaning of which he probably does not understand." He charged "the hon. member with baulking at one door and then at the other, and finally ho bolted out of the Chamber. But if Mr Statham succeeded in carrying his amendment, the Government would be defeated, and the hon. member would be sent for to form a new Ministry. Having trounced the hon. member for Dunedin Central, Mr Holland turned his attention to the Government and tho Opposition parties, and deplored their washing of dirty linen on the floor of the House. First the Reform Party did it, and then they had the spectacle of the Liberal Party getting on to tho wringer. (Laughter.) Westport Harbour Board. Tho Prime Minister informed Mr H. E. Holland to-day that a Bill was being prepared dealing with • the Westport Harbour Board, and the details would be furnished to interested parties at Westport as soon as they were available. End of tne Debate. The debate on the Address-in-Reply came to its end just before 10.30 tonight. With the two amendments out of the way little life remained in the discussion. Mr McCombs, who, haying moved the adjournment, had the right to open this afternoon, did not elect to do so, and Mr S. G. Smith filled the breach. "Hard Labour." "How long is the session going to last," said Mr Seddon. looking across _ tlie Chamber at Mr Massey to-night. "Six months," replied the Prime Minister. "It sounds like a said Mr Seddon. "You deserve it, ;? retorted Mr Massey. "Hard labour, added an honourable member, and tne House laughed. Mr Statham's "Adventure." Yestcrdav's storm, though it was, after all, only a result of a minor depression, seems to have cleared tho air. or at least the washhouse. For a time there was dirty weather, but to-day the House was calm and dull. Mr Witty for Humanity. In concluding his speech on the Ad-drcss-in-Replv debate this evening. Mr Wittv said: ""I intend to help tho Government all I possibly can to put the soldiers on tho land, in their housing scheme, in their efforts to better the'underdog,' and to try to uplift humanitv and givo every individual in this country a fair show to get on.'' ! Revising Standing Orders. i The suggestion that the Standing 1 I Orders of tho House of Representatives might be revised with a view to dominating waste of time was made to the Prime Minister this afternoon by Mr J. R. Hamilton (Awaru). Tbo debate at present iti progress, in which

,->very member was entitled to speak at on a "ide range of subjects, was a ea?<? i' l point, he said, and it seemed to him that the rules might well bo considered by the House with a view to rectifvinu this state of affairs. Mr" Miissey said that he would be very glad t0 consider the suggestion thrown out by Mr Hamilton. As a matter of fact, he had already conferred with the Sneaker on the question. He thought there was great need for a revision of the Standing Orders, f=pccially in the direction suggested by Mr Hamilton. (rr.ESS ASSOCIATION TELZGB.A3I.) .Nauru Island. To-dnv the Prime Minister, replying to Mr W. H. Field, who called attention ro the cable messages appearing in the morning papers with reference to the selling prico of Nauru phosphates, and an amendment to the agreement, said lie bad received a message from Lord .\iilner to the- effect that the agreement had been confirmed by the House of Commons, with an amendment, which did net affect the agreement in any material respect.