POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17271, 8 October 1921, Page 11

POLITICAL NOTES

(tnOUL TO "THE FRSS3. ) WELLINGTON, October 7. 2(Mt in London. jfc W. S. Glenn mentioned in the this afternoon the newspaper rean interview with Mr Kidman, ££<rn as the "Australian Cattle King," •. ■ w ju C h there was mention of a, probSlo bad market for meat and the dcCT: n getting New Zealand lamb quickly from the ships on to the London eaid he was afraid he rtnld not disagree with Mr Kidman in far os the outlook for l>eef on the fandon market was concerned. Ho dfg bound to admit that foi our beet a present, the outlook was not par. tfcularly good, but he thought the position would improve when the remaining quantity of beef purchased hy the Imperial authorities was got rid of. He under the impression that it had been almost disposed of a couple of months ago, but he was not quite certain. He could not express any opinion tjiat would lead the pastoralists of thi3 country.to think that we could for sumo considerable time compete successfully with the Argentine in beef, though in. regard to mutton and lamb we could do so- In regard to the handling of limtton and lamb in London, ho had lpoked into that matter when he was tjiere. He had been in communication with both the Port of London Authority and the shipowners,' and they had admitted there had been delays—somewhat serious_ delays—but those concerned were doing everything they could to fivoid such delays. Mr Lysnar: There are thirty ships laid up. Mr Massey: But not with meat on Board. Mr Lysnar: Yes, most of them.

Umber for Paper. In the House to-day, Mr Witty referred to the large area of forest land that had been set aside with a view to the manufacture of paper in this country. He understood those who had the rights over this forest land were supposed to start operations within a given time, but that nothing had been done. He asked what was the position. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said that application had been made by another company for a port of the area allotted. The administration of that area was now in the hands of the Forestry Department, and he understood that the Department was dealing with it at the present time. Public Works . Statement. Mr J, E. Hamilton asked the Minister of Public Works to-day when the Houee might expect the Public Works Statement. The session had started Iktdr than usual, and he suggested that ft should be brought down about the . 'usual date, so that local bodies could

get their works done during the summer. . The Hon. J. 0. Goatefl said it would be impossible to bring down the StateV rnent earlier than, usual, but all pos» • tible expedition would be used, r: Mr Musters: It makes a lot of difference to the local Bodies. : .Mr Coates : Yes, and it makes a lot of difference to members of Parliament', because as soon as it is down, they clear off and that's the last we see of them. (Laughter.) [Sooner SehodL . Mr J. McOombs to-day referred to 'the ( purchase of the'extra land for the Sumner school. He said -the land waa acquired on condition that the owner acoepted bonds. The purchase had vir- £ tually been made, but the bgnds had jnot .arrived.. To protect its interest ' the Education Board had to guarantee ax per cent, interest to till * ihe> nonds came along. • That, he said, r appeared to be a sheer waste of money, because the authorities had not got poMewion of the land. " 4 The Hon. 'O. J. Parr said the member , for Lyttelton had not £ot the facts /quite accurately. The Board had taken possession of tne property a month before the Government authorised its purchase. There would be no waste of pub* . >lic money. The interest would be paid •on the bonds from the date of the purchaw, bo that the Education Board would be reimbursed. The purchase had beetr authorised ip July. This was thei first of these bond issues for sites for The government, he added, ~ miut unable to find the cash because tto money i available must go in buildings that Were urgently required. SMMUjr Bills. *• -The- Hob. J. A. Hanan asked- tihe " prime Minister to-day if he could give ak; v any idea of the amouttt in Treasury outstanding, and the. rate of in* <>' terest, and if he had considered inviting r ' tenders for the conversion of these bffls, as had been flone in England. £ . ' ' r *Mf Massev replied - that he did. it sot think that it waa neceraaryto call If • for tenders in this country, for tthe s 1 amount of Treasury bills was .very £••• - compared with that in Britain, si 1 ,' A/ttottth ago there- was none afloat, to i' ''lite best of nls recollection.' Since then business had been done m r/MT Ihe time of the year had been when itwasneceesary to matte s; ffe- No difficulty had been cxpenIVt- "doing se. It temsp fluency, and would have to be year. They had not yet wachf |l r H ftSd* 4K# 'time of the year when thei pa land tax would not be collected until p f * TOXt memth, and the income tax not until ffii, , These were the two sources & % from which large sums of money were ® I deritfsd, v Some bills had been j, ? issued in thepast few days. (:. | Interned to Germany During War. | ?' ''The case of 'a seaman, who had. suffep- | civiliaA 1 internment in Germany for & f/the period <if tb» war, was brought to g-5' *J. Ae nbtioe of the Government to-day yjv'f by &£ A. Harris, who asked, if the s Government had ever considered suoh p-,'* l oases. The man to whom be referred P< t was in a ship at a German part at the If 1 f time of the optbt«ak war. He waa fe I detained at Ruhleben camp for the four S '/■ ties cotttinoed; Ho was then sent to p. « London, where he was oven only fc|f i 10s and was sent back to New Zealand. |k . ■ Ha received no wages during his internffii v-; J ment. A soldier who was made . vf, eoner -of war- and intMnad. received._his R- pay. The vnan had returned to New *' ■■■ Zealand penniless, though he was now .j in work. The benefits of. repatriation k' . or the discharged soldier settlement H; vechetoe might do extended to such a yi-pnan. There were about twelve oflncrs &' nmibtr' poeltioii..'. „ • ' • . P*f..y •> •. The Prime Minister said that ne ianld not recollect that.this or .any J similar case had ever been, considered by ; the Cabinet He was inblined to think il,| that- tH». .was th® • first time that the |i , ; matter (had ever been mentioned. The fe' man concerned, of whom he knew somes' i / [thing, was now in fairly good employ- . i inent. Ho did not know whether anymf,- thing oould be d<me in the case, but he would eonsuit the .Minister.of Defence. .case involved a oertain amount of §fe; - •( hardship, and he would bring it. before Ife;, •Cabinet.

f, ' I Hanmer Springs. p' ' ! ■ Dr. Thacker to-day, asked for. an imK provesuent ill the appliances and caterl'"- | ing for sick people at Hanmer Springs. - Be said there had been a good massuer | at Hanmer, but he had been shifted to fcf^'j.fiotorua. r The Hon. W. Nosworthy replied that lr>< in tlie interests of economy, p bprings reawt was being handed over I?; WBealth Department. The mat-

t e n„n f ! rre l to , b ? the hon - member ment 1)3 attonde d to by that departThe Price of OatmeaL Mr Witty asked the Government today why the price of oatmeal had been maintained at the jwice it was two years ago, when there had been a big drop in the price of oats. The Hon. E. P. L©e promised to have enquiries made. Loans for Power Boards. The quostion of raising money for the Power Boards which are being formed m New Zealand was brought up by Mr J. A. Nash to-day. Mr Nash asked whether the Minister of Public Works would confer with the Minister of Finance with the object of reaching an arrangement for the joint raising of I loans on the London market. Power Boards were becoming active at the present time, and they would wish to get on with their work and becin to order such things as poles and the other requisites for reticulation. The SouthlnnJ Board had already gone on the 'London market with a State guarantee, and he felt that if tho Minister would pve his suggestion serious consideration, • it would be very helpful and the Boards would b<> able to raise the monev on much better terms than if each board acted for itself. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Costes) replied that he • would bo pleased to confer with the Minister of Finance as suggested. Hew Bills. In the House to-day, the following Bills wore introduced and read a first time: —Christchurch Tramway District Amendment (Mr Isitt); Taieri River Improvement (Mr Edie); Judea. Land Drainage Board Empowering (Sir William Herries). Women J.P.'s. Mr McCombs is urging the Government to appoint women Justices of the Peace. Theatre Monopolies. Dr. Tbacker wants to know what the Government are going to do about the ''theatre monopolies" of this Dominion. Theatres in important centres, he says, are held vacant if they cannot get their monopoly price. Rangiora High School. Mr D. Jones will ask the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the statement made by the member for New Plymouth about boys' playing "two up" at tho Rangiora High School has no foundation in fact. He states the story originated through a few JjOys playing with lead discs. No money passed whati ever and the game was immediately stopped by senior boys, as an undesirable amusement.