POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16946, 22 September 1920, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

(SPECIAL TO "TOE TKESS.") WELLINGTON, September 21. These Aeroplanes. Mr Hcnvard asked the Minister o Defence in the House to-day if the Government was subsidising tho Sooivburn Aviation Company or not. * h? company disputed t-be statement tua • had been made, and he was asked -o PU Sir Yleaton Ilhodes said lie had read tilio article bearing on the subjrct-—evi-dently an inspired article—to the that tho amount received from the Uovernuient was not a. subsidy, but a P-J" ment for services rendered. Use uo\ernment hnd certain aeroplanes and spare parts stored at v?ocl\burn, and • tho companv was paid for this, it might, he thouaht, be looked uponm the lig'ntof n sv.hsidv. It did not cost the companv £150" a month to store those, 'planes. Tho Government -was nlso to have the use of mechanics, but, so tar, thev had had little use for them. He ■wonld « T <*t a conv of the agreement, and he would then bo able to judge whether it was merelv a payment or a subsidy. Ho thought,"at all events, that it was a verv cord bargain for them. Mr M'Combs asked if tho money paid at Auckland v.*as in tho nature of a subsidy. Sir Henton Rhodes said it •was. tie did not think the Government had any machines there at present. Limvood School. Mr Sullivan has given notice to ask tho Minister of Public Health whether lie will take stops to compel the Minister of Education to provide more adequate accommodation at tho Linwood Public School, as tho present overcrowding of the rooms creates an. unhealthy and insanitary condition of affairs' that would not bo tolerated by. the Public Health "Department if the guiltv person was a private citizen; and whether ho will recommend the Minister of Education to provide three additional rooms as quickly as possible, in the interests of the health of the children? Mr Sullivan adds that the following details of tho accommodation provided and tho extent of the overcrowding , will show the necessity for action being taken: —Room No. 1, 30ft bv 2-lft, built to hold 60. now holds 81. Room No. 2,36 ft by 24ft. built to hold 74. now holds 83. Room No. 3, 40ft bv 21ft, built to hold 80, now holds 85. Room No. 4, 30ft by 25ft, built to hold 62, now holds 83.» Room No. 5, 30ft by 24ft, built to hold 60. now holds 66. Room No. 6, 25ft by 24ft, built to hold 52 now holds 91. Room No. 7, 2411 by 24ft, built to hold 48, now holds 67. Room No. 8. 24ft by 24ft, built to hold 48, now holds 77. In addition +o tho above. Standard 1., of 80 pupils, has been housed in a temporary shed since 1916. It is suggested that the Railway Department would not permit such overcrowding of sheep in its trucks as 'is here permitted in regard to children. Public "Works Statement. Sir Witty, to whom the Primo Minister yesterday referred to jocularly as "the Acting-Leader of the Opposition," to-day asked the Minister of Publio Works when tho Public Works Statement -would be brought down. The Hon. J. G. Coates laughingly replied that ho could not say. Ho was not the Prime Minister. He suggested that Mr Witty should ask Mr Massey. Mr Witty:* Might I ask the Prime Minister, then, 0 . Mr Massey: Judging from present appearances, I should say it might be expected in about sis weeks. (Laughter.) Houses for Meat Inspectors. Mr Craigie asked if. the Government would do something to get ihouses for tho inspectors at freezing works near their work. It was impossible for them to get houses in his district. • They were capable officers, and the hardship to them was very great. The Hon; "W. Nosworthy said tftiis was the first time the matter had- "been brought under his notice. He was glad it had been mentioned, and he would see if anything could be done. It | would, however, he a very big order I for the Government to build houses for all tllie people in their Departments. It would be impossible to carry that out at the present time, even if tho Government had the money.. Unsettled Crown Lands. A return furnished to Parliament shows that tho approximate areas of 1 unsettled Crown lands within the Dominion are:—First class land, 156.072 acres; second class,_ 1,280,648 acres; third class, 1,769,463 acres; barren and worthless,. 2,568,828 acres. Postal Officer Soldiers. A petition from H. E. Combs, general secretary of tho Post and Telegraph Officers' Association, setting forth the claims of a number of officers who served with the N.Z. Expeditionary Force, was presented to Parliament to-day by Mr A. Harris Those members of the Fcrvice who were with various specialist corps, where their technical knowledge was utilised, received half-pay from Hae Department, in addition to their military jjay. Tno petitioners, many of whom while on service were transferred to specialist corps and worked alongside those drawing lialf-pay, axe petitioning for equality of treatment, they having received military pay only. i Profit on Blankets. I Mr Field is asking whether it is true that soft goods' dealers are being allowod to charge a gross profit of about 40 per cent, on sales of blankets, and whether this is not an undue rato of profit ? Cost of Butter and Milk. Mr J. 11. Hamilton, who* has taken Sir Joseph Ward's place as member for Awarua, in addition to shrewd common- j sense, has also boon blessed with the gift of humour. There is, perhaps, a blend of both in a question of which ho gave notice to-day, namely, "to ask the Prime Minister whether, seeing the many and various opinions as to the cost of producing butter and milk in New Zealand, ana the repeated clamour of the Labour and Independent mombers in this House for a reduction in the cost of these articles, tho Government will agree to the purchase of sufficient land and cows to supply one of the principal towns with milk and butter at cost price, the experiment to be based on o per cent., and 1 per cent, linking fund, on tho capital required and cost of labour, and the farm to be run and managed bv the Labour Party on union wages and conditions, provided that the farmerr. accept the result as the cost of production in New Zealand, and undertake to supply loca] markets at the ascertained result." (press association* telegram.) Te Arolia Leases. In the House this afternoon the interrupted debate on the question "that the report of the Lands Committee on the Te Aroha Crown Leases Bill do lie on the table," and an amendment by Mr Parry that the report bo referred "back to the Committee for further consideration, was called on, the amendment being negatived and the original motion agreed to on the voices. Arbitration Amendment Bill. The interrupted debate on tho question "that the report of the Labour Bills Committee on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill do lie on the table," was resumed by the Labour Party, who attacked tho amendments made by tho Committee, which, they claimed, render-

Ed nugatory tho purposes of tho BilL Mr Howard moved nB a protest that tho Bill bo referred back to tho Committee. Sir William Herrios said thero would bo no objection to tho Bill going back to the Committee. Mr Fraser: We want you to kill it altogether. >lr Luke, (chairman of the Labour Bills Committee) contended that the purpose of tho original Bill was to legalise "One Big Union," and that -was not in accordance with tho wishes of the, majority of the people of the Dominion. Mr M<-Combs contended that the Bill, as introduced, did not provide for one big union covering oil industries in tho Dominion, but merely provided for the settlement of disputes within a given industry on a Dominion basis. That was not tho "'One Big Union" idea, and he could not. understand tho crass stupidity of a Committee that could so misunderstand the position. Tho amendment that tho Teport bo referred back to the Committee was agreed to on the voices.