QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1792, 3 July 1913, Page 8

QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.

BIBLE: IN SCHOOLS,

"Yes," was the reply given by the Prime Minister to the : question. put by Mr. G. Witty (Riecarton) as to whether th 6 Government were in favour of retaining tho present-fiational system of free, secular, and compulsory edikation. Mr. T. M. WILFOED (Hutt) asked the Prime Minister also .whether he intended introducing . any' legislation this session enabling a referendum to 'be taken on Bible-reading or Bible lessons in State, schools;;and, if so, .what form of question or questions orf issue, or diu he intend to submit. ' The PRIME MINISTER' replied that the Government did.libt' intend to introduce any legislation this session enabling a referendum to bo taken oil Biblo reading. or \Bible lessons in . State schools. CIVIL SERVANTS' RIGHTS. In reply to another question by Mr. Wilford, tho Prime Minister stated: "The question of amending the regulation which,-is intended to prevent members of the Civil Service from becoming members of oertain local bodies, must bo the sub'J'eSt of communication between arid the Public Service Commissioner, and CtVo Government will confer with the Commissioner accordingly." GRADUATED LAND TAX. Mr. T. M. WILFORD (Hutt) asked the Minister for Finance whether tho ownera of property affected by the graduated land tax. of last session have paid tho increased tax or have disposed of or cut up their properties as tho result of such le^islatwru, ALLEN (Minister for Finance), replied: The owners in question had no alternative but to pay tho assessed tax for 1912-18 levied on their properties, - because such tax was payable according to . the ownership'and tho value as at March 31,-1912. • After March 31, 1911, the first year's effects of the new 6Cale 'will be ascertainable. Judging from sales .made recently,.(however, it is apparent that the cutting-iip of the larger properties is being accelerated by tho increase of the graduated tsx of last session. / , THE NAPIER EXPRESS. Mr. G. HUNTER (tVoipawa) 'asked the Minister for Railways .whether he will speed up the Wellington-Napier express by curtailing the : Jong and vexatious dclay that-takes plaoe at mntiy ,of the stations under the present time-ta.blo. The Hon. W. il: HERRIES (Minister for Railways) repli6d: ;Thjs question will be taken into consideration when tho timo-table is afcain reviowed.' The position in tho past has" been that while sections of 'the community clamour for fast' train services other /sections ore. equally as olomorous in.their demand'that every village hamlet 6hould be served by express trains. The result is that the express has'to stop' at'intervals that are so short as'to preclude ithe possibility of its attaining any- high; speed. -Frequent stops and high speeds'aro incombatabje., Tho experience' throughout i the Dominion is that whenever a. train •is laid •on . for the purpose of giving speedy transport, and tho traffic-from certain-stations _has in consequence to lie,dealt .with by mixed trains, the Department is' assailed from all quarters by insistent demands to increase the number of stopping places, not-' withstanding thi; effect. compliance with this request may have on the' iournoy time. As far as- practicable the time occupied at stations is reduoed to the lowest minimum,: and the train schedule has to be drawn out on lines that will.nermit of the. train running to -time,with the maximum load' "Tor' the obuntry that it lias to serve. Mr. G. Hunter - (Woinawa) said the Ministerial replv "W(is like a good many Ministerial replies—there ,was absolutely nothing'' in it. The subject of the question was not the reduction or the'increase of the number-of stopping • pUms, but only, to shorten , the 'timo the train stopped at several of the' stations. , He hoped the MiiVister -.would reconsider his answer, because -'the matter was one which was of considerable' importance to the travelling -public': .