PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19772, 9 November 1929, Page 19

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED UaJtioaao ra*M m»ociatiq« aaroax 1 WELLINGTON*, November S. The House of Represent attTes %»' continuously, all night, all day, and into the. night, transacting the u«nl rjri'.l of session business. The Finance Mill w,<« passed through its remaining stages, and after some other minor details the House settled down to debate the Appropriation Piil. There was considerably talk on a clause providing for a bonus of X'W to members of the House. Very four members opposed it. however. The Appropriation Pill was passed at ".30 p.m. In the evening the Hon. Mr Voiteh moved the. second reading of the Trantport Department Bill. lie said the measure was a very short one, contain ing only five rlauso*. providing for the appointment of u Minister for Trans port, the creation of ft Department of Transport, the appointment of a font missi.'vner of Transport. Niiri authority for making regulation!! for carrying out the Act. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr Coatfs, said it was a matter for satin friction to him that the Minister had decided to go on with the Hill. The Department's main function was not, after all. purely administrative, am there were local authorities with very wide powers in regard to adnuniatr.v tion. ,'tnd the. main consideration wfta the extra cost of a large new l>< payment before its duties had been defined. When the Mouse did Irfislntii it should know what it meant. Th* onlv criticism that could bo made of the' original Bill was that it had been before its time, and in advance of public opinion. The. Hill, as now drafted, could be of great use. The Hon. Mr Veitch, Minister for Transport, in reply, stated that the Bill gave no additional powers to the Transport Department, but merely transferred to it statutory powers already exercised.

In Committee the. Bill was amended by the addition of a i'latino den ling with the Auckland Transport Boiird. As amended the Bill was passed. The House rose at 10.52 p.m. till 11 a.m. to-morrow, when the GovernorGeneral's assent will be received to tht Bills parsed.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ABRIDQBD FftBSS ASSOCIATION BBFOVrJ WELLINGTON, November «. The Legislative Council sat at intervals to-day keeping pace with the work of the House as it was sent on. Sir Robert Stout asked the Minister in charge of the Council: "Seeing that our Parliament is now in session, ought not tho Ministry to request the Home Govern/nent to make no agreement with Russia that may affect New Zealarid without consulting our Parliament, seeing that Russia has declared that one of the objects of its Government ia to destroy the Parliamentary system of government that is in force in countries outside of Russia, and to substitute therefor a Soviet proletaria'n Government?"

The Leader of the Council (the- Hon. Mr Stdey) replied that, any agreement between the Soviet Government and his Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom could apply, to New Zealand only with the concurrence of this Dominion, and it would be premature to consider the attitude of New Zealand in that connexion until the actual text of any agreement was available.

The business of the House win a«t concluded at 10 p.m., and the Council decided to riso tor the day ami meet again in the morning at If o 'clock.