POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16986, 8 November 1920, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON. November G. Cashmere Hills Sanatorium. The Minister of Defence was asked a question in the House of Representatives this morning regarding the future management of tho Cashmere • Hills Sanatorium. Sir Heat on Rhodes repeated the statement lie had made on a former occasion. He added that he was in hopes that eventually the North Canterbury Hospital Board would assume control. Eventually there would be very few soldier patients in these institutions, and tliev must necessarily be occupied bv civilians. General McGavin would meet tho Hospital Board soon after the House rose, and it was hoped that an arrangement entirely satisfactory to tho patients would he arrived at. The Hiley Scheme. Mr McCombs, in the House this afternoon, complained that little was being done so far in connexion with the Hiley scheme at Lyttelton and Christchurch. There were only some eight or ten men working on the goodsshed, aud no gang had been put on to work in connexion with the Lyttelton tunnel. This was work that could bo undertaken by tho Otim tunncllors when thev had finished their present work. Tho discussion cropped up. in connexion with an authorisation ior railway improvement® at Palmerst-on North. The Minister of Public Works said Mr McCombs had no need to complain. This work had been authorised. Tho work at Palmerston North, which also was important, had not yet been authorised". More men were already at work on the Christchurch improvements. Tho End in Sight. In moving tho adjournment of the House at 5.30 p.m. to-day until 11 a.m. on Monday, tho Prime Minister said that business was going through very well and should be finished on Tuesday. Tho'Finance Bill was not yet finished, but should be ready on Monday morning. It was an important measure of 43° clauses —a sort of Financial "Washing Up" Bill. Authority wodld bo asked in it to borrow for hydro-electric power purposes. . Mr Bartram: Is the Industrial Insurance Bill coming on on Monday? Mr Masscy: "I think so.'/ Ho added again that he hoped to finish on Tuesday. Secondary Industries. The institution of a propaganda campaign with the object of popularising the secondary industries of the l>ominion, was suggested to tho President of tho Board of Trado by Mr Sullivan, in tho House of Representatives this morning. This course, ho said, had been fdlowed with some success in Australia. * _ . The Minister (the Hon. E„ P. Lee) said that ho would bo very glad to coneider the suggestion which had been made to him. Importation of Egg Pulp. Immediate action on tho part of tho Government to prevent tho importation of egg pulp from China was urged upon tho Minister of Agriculture in a question which Mr Isitt asked in the Hoxise of Representatives to-day. Mr Isitt read letters which he had received from the president of tho New Zealand Poultrvkeepers' Association, and tho Wellington Egg Circle, asking that such steps should bo taken in tho interests of tho industry. It was stated that food was dear, and in those circumstances if they were compelled to compete against the Chinese egg-producer, the efforts of tho Government to encourage tho industry would not be of much avail. They were quite prepared to havo the Board of Trade fix the prices of eggs. The Minister (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) said that he was prepared to give the matter full consideration, but he could not give a definite promise in the direction asked until he was satisfied that the efforts of the Government to induce tho wheat-growers of tho Dominion to x iroc l uco enough wheat for the country's need had been successful. That had been at the back of his mind in taking no action so far. Coal-mines Amendment. The managers appointed by the Legislative Council to confer with the managers from tho House of Representatives concerning the disagreement in regard t-o clause 9a of the Coalmines Amendment Bill reportod this afternoon that the following report had been adopted: "To omit paragraph (b) and substitute the following new paragraph (b) by inserting after the words 'experienced coalminer' in the principal Act tho words: 'Or has hnd_ at least _ 24 years' experience in driving, stoping timbering, or shaft sinking, a or in rises or winzes in connexion with underground metalliferous mining, together with six months' experience on the fnee with an experienced coalminer in underground coaling.' '' (abridged press association BirOßt.J In Legislative Council. In. tho Legislative Council to-day tho Government Railways Act Amendment Bill, and the Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill were put through their final stages. Railways Authorisation Bill. The Hon. J. G. Coates moved the, serond reading of tho Railways Authorisation Bill. Mr Field said ho was surprised to see in tho Bill a proposal to make tho deviation of tho Auckland-Wellington railway at Palmerston North, instead of a deviation from Levin to Greatford. The Prime Minister had promised a deputation that thiß deviation would not be made until he and the Minster of Public Works had been over tho ground. Relying on that promise, he now found himself in a very falso position with his constituents. He was quite certain that the wrong policy was being pursued. Mr Massey denied that he ever lnade the promise attributed to him. "What ihc said was that he would go over tho ground before the work was commenced. They were simply taking power to go on with improvements at Palmerston North, if ,it was subsequently found that ne and the Minister of Public Works approved bf the work. Mr H/cv had reported in 1914 that improvements at Palmerston North were second only in importance to., one other work in tihe Dominion, and they could not afford to wait till next yeAr to take power to do the work there. The Bill waß read a second time, ar was subsequently put through its final I stages. j Greymouth Harbour Bill. I Mr Massey moved the second reading ' of the Greymouth Harbour Bill. He explained that the measure was intended to strengthen the finances of tihe Greymouth Harbour Board, which had been in difficulties for some time. Mr Seddon dealt at length with the difficulties and grievances of the Greymouth Harbour Board, and said it would be satisfactory to the people of tihe district to know that they wero getting another start. Mr Holland compared the treatment meted out to the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Boards, and expressed surprise that both Boards were not treated alike. At the same time, if the people of the district were satisfied, he thought the arrangement made waa not a bad one, and he wondered why it had

not been made in tfie case of tho "West- I port Board. | Tho Bill was rend a second time, put * a through Committee without amend- ' ment, and read a third time aud passed. Divorce Amendment Bill. The Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill. Ho said the measure sought to make several necessary amendments in the existing law. The principal feature of tho Bill was the clause giving the Court discretionary powers u here no discretion at present existed. Failure to comply will) a decree for t-He restitution of conjugal rights was being revived as a ground for divorce, and insanity established for a period of seven years was made a new ground for divorce. Mr Wilford said after long experience in tho Divorce Courts, he was satisfied that an order of separation was a premium on adultery, and generally resulted in that, with divorce following. He would therefore support tho right to a divorce after separation for three years. He did not think that the grounds of divorce in Xew Zealand were too wide and in spite of the outcry made by the Churches against, the frequency of divorces, if lie had hi* way he would widen the grounds in several directions. • The Bill was read a second time, pin through Committee, and read a thirc time and passed.