PARLIAMENT SWIMMING IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26265, 9 November 1950, Page 10

PARLIAMENT SWIMMING IN SCHOOLS

CANTERBURY BOARD’S REPORT

ASSURANCE GIVEN BY MINISTER ,

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON. Nov. 8. Any recommendation made by the Canterbury Education Board to ensure that a maximum number of children are able to swim on leaving primary school, will be considered by the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie). Mr< Algie gave this reply in the House of Representatives to-day to Mr C. L. Carr (Opposition, Timaru), who had asked whether, in view of the disquieting position revealed. Mr Algie would support the recommendations in a report on swimming in schools fnade to the board. The report said hat more than half of the children in standard classes w’ithin the board’s district could not 'swim. No-Remittance Licences

Applicants for no-remittance import licences must certify that they possess overseas funds to the extent necessary and that funds had not been bought at more than the official rate of exchange, said the Minister of Customs (Mr C. M. Bowden), replying to Mr T. H. McCombs (Opposition, Lyttelton), who had asked what steps were being taken to ensure that sterling funds used for the purchase of motor-cars with no-re-mittance licences were the property of the applicant and had not been obtained from a broker in New Zealand. Mr McCombs said that motor salesmen said that brokers, whom they named, were willing to supply securities to be sold on the London Stock Exchange for a premium of 20 per cent.

The Actmg-Leader of the Opposition (Mr W. Nash), discussing the answer, said he knew of a man who had confessed to paying a 20 per cent, premium to get funds. In other cases shares worth only £2 14s in London were being bought in New Zealand for £3 10s, merely to get the right to London funds. 'ihe Government should stop this. It had not been necessary to make no-remittance licences available: they were being used for imports the country did not need. The Reserve Bank could have bought overseas securities owned in New Zealand, and the funds could have been used to augment the usual licences.

Governor’s Bay Road When definite proposals for widening and sealing the Governor’s BavDiamond Harbour section of the main highway in the Mount Herbert County are received, they will ’’e reviewed by the Main Highways Board in relation to the demands of other highway work in the Christchurch area. The Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) gave this reply to Mr McCombs, who had asked that the work should be given high priority. Mr Goosman said that the board had not received any concrete proposals for improvements from the Mount Herbert County Council.

Oranges for South Island The dearth of oranges in the South Island caused by the temporary shortage of shipping had now been met, and some 2700 cases of Australian oranges were distributed In Timaru last week, said the Minister of Marketing (Mr K. J. Holyoake), replying to Mr Carr, who had asked whether adequate supplies of Island fruit could be arranged for Timaru. Hail Damage at Timaru If commercial gardeners in Timaru whose glasshouses or crops were damaged by the hailstorm last week are unable to obtain the necessary finance for relief, their cases will be given individual consideration by the Treasury when they have applied through the Department of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Holyoake) gave this reply to Mr Carr, who had asked whether a report on the damage could be obtained so that relief could be given where needed. Totalisator Fractions The Government does not intend to take steps to amend the section of the Gaming Act, 1908. dealing with totalisator fractions, which now remain the property of the racing and trotting clubs. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. A. Bodkin) gave this replv to Mr H. E. Combs (Opposition, Onslow), who had asked whether Mr Bodkin would arrange for fractions to be placed under his control so that they could be used to assist sporting bodies in need of essential funds. Railway Houses at Lyttelton The construction of two houses on railway land at Lyttelton for allotment to members of the maintenance staff will be started soon, according to the Minister of Railways (Mr Goosman). In reply to Mr McCombs, who had asked that urgent provision should be made for additional houses for the executive, running, and maintenance staffs. Mr Goosman said that endeavours would be made to provide additional houses at Lyttelton as opportunity offered. WTiarf Congestion The Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan), answering Mr McCombs, said that action had recently been taken and publicised in Wellington to ensure the nrompt clearance of goods from wharf sheds in Wellington. This had resulted in a marked improvement in the congestion of wharf sheds, end yesterday there was a shortage of labour on the waterfront. Buying of State Houses ; After an immense amount of preliminary work the State Advances Corporation is almost ready to make offers to the first applicants for the purchase of State houses. This reply was given by the Minister in charge of the corporation (Mr J. R. Marshall) to Mr A. G. Osborne (Opposition, Onehunga). Motor-Cyclists The Minister of Transport (Mr Goosman) said that he would take up with the Road Safety Council and other interested bodies a suggestion that motor-cyclists should be required to wear protective helmets as a safety measure. Lincoln College Election Mr Algie told Mr McCombs that he did not propose to amend the Canterbury Agricultural College Act to prevent members of the Legislative Council, who will go out of office on December 31. from voting for a representative of members of the Legislature on the college board—a vacancy which does not occur until January 1. Ware Increases The Associate Minister of Finance (Mr Bowden) told Mr R. McKeen (Opposition. Island Bay) that the Government would not amend the Economic Stabilisation Regulations which debar industrial unions from applying to the Arbitration Court for any increase in wages within a year of the making of a general wages order. Mr Bowden said |he Government considered that frequent general wage orders would be unduly disturbing to the country’s economic life and were not warranted in view of the greater flexibility eiven to the wages structure by the removal of stabilisation wage ceilings.