QUESTION IN THE HOUSE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18127, 17 July 1924, Page 15

QUESTION IN THE HOUSE.

replies of ministers.

(HUSBS USOCUBOI OTMKMIK.)

WELLINGTON, July 16.

In the House of Representatives to-day the printed replies of Ministers to questions on the Order Paper were laid on the table. Among the answers were the following:—

That the Government is not standing in the way of the establishment of Agricultural Banks, but it cannot accept the financial responsibility at-, tempted to be placed upon it by the Agricultural Banking Bill of last session. That New Zealand is represented on the Labour Bureau at Geneva, and at the Labour Conferences by delegates nominated by his Majesty's Government. It can be relied upon that the privileges,:enjoyed by.-the workers of New Zealand will not be interfered with.

That the Government will give full and proper consideration to the proposal that before any strike takes place in any Government Department, and where a ballot is taken, they shou'/j see that the ballot is taken under supervision on the same lines as the general .election ballot, and that only those whoso VofVa!are recorded shall be couTited' 1 for or against a strike. - That a Bill is under consideration providing a Superannuation Fund for the benefit of nurses and ot'n-rs *'.>• gaged in hospital work. When th« actuarial report thereon lias been made the Government will be in a position to make an announcement on the subject. That loans are being granted to local bodies by the .State Advances Departbut it is not possible, owing to the demands made on its resources, for the Department to extend the present limit.

, That two of the reasons for the i<ricp of Danish butter'being at a considerable premium over that of New Zealand during the past season nre: (1) The Danes have been selling considerable quantities to the United States, and-Germany, and other. European •countries, thus keeping their quantities for 'export to the United Kingdom short of the demand; (2) New Xiv.land butter has not arrived regularly and in uniform quantities in the Up'ted Kingdom. There are, how.iver, other factors at work, such as more or'less extensive speculative buying when' prices have, reached, the minimum, Suyh purchases of butter from one country affect the margin between the prices of butter from that country an I another.