APPOINTMENTS TO MINISTRY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 249, 15 July 1920, Page 8

APPOINTMENTS TO MINISTRY

- ' TERRITORIAL ISSUES. Suggestions for futuro appointments to 1 ■ the Ministry were offered to Mr. Massey 3 by tho member for Wairuu (Mr. M/Calf lum) in the House yesterday. ■ Mr. • M'Cnllum said that the north end of r the South Island had not for many years i had a representative- on the Ministry, : and ho asked the Primp Minister whether I in making future Appointments to tho ) Government lie would consider the claims ■ of one of 'the six members represent- ; ing that part of the country. It hapI pened that most of .the members for I these districts were opposed to the .Prime ; Minister in politics, but lie would sug- • gesfthat the member for Motueka (Mr. I Hudson) would the Cabinet. Mr. Massey said that lie was very much obliged to the honourable member for his suggestions, and especially i for that very. valuable part of his sug- :,' gestion concerning the member for 1 Molucca. "I am certain," said Mr. 1 Massey, "that Mr. Hudson would innko ' an excellent Minister—steady, reliable, a worker, popular, and loyal, qualifications ; that would be hard to beat. My trouble : is that I have about fifty friends in the House whose qualifications are somewhat similar." (Laughter.) Mr. Brown: Two in Hawke's Bay deserve seats in the Ministry. Mr. Massey: "Of course they do. But unfortunately Cabinet is limited in number according to law." He added that although for some rpnsons ho might bo willing to increase the number of Ministers, hojiad to admit that the filling of vacancies i>» the Ministry was alwave for him an unpleasant task. , Mr. Brown: ono on your : «ld» is dissatisfied? ■ ■ , Mr. Massey: No, I have with me n body of very loyal "men, who are always quite ready to accept my' as to what I consider to be right. BOER WaTvETERANS LAND SETTLEMENT CLAIMS. 1 In reply to a question in the Houso : the Minister of-Lands (Mr. Guthrie) ' made the following statement: "When j 'the claims of most of the discharged sol- ; diers who have norynfl' during the recent ; war have been dealt, with the question ' «f extending the benefits of the Dis- , charged Soldiers Settlement Act to South African veterans will be considered." ; OUT'OFIRDER' [ . MR. HOLLAND'S MOTION. ' A notice of motion .given on Tuesday i by Mr.H. E. Holland (Buller) relating i to the govemmont of Ireland was mentioned in the House yesterday.. The ■ question did not reach the Order Paper, ;•■ and Mr. Holland asked if it had been • ruled out. of order, i The Speaker said the notice of motion ■ had been submitted to him, and ho had . undertaken to let Mr. Holland know i whether or not it could be placed on the . Order Paper. The question having been i raised now in the House, ho would say that he was of opinion that tho ques : tion should not be placed on .the Order Paper, for the reason that it dictated to the British Government, or rather reflected upon tho action of the British Government. "I-am taking the reßponsibility. on my own shoulders of saying . that a notice of motion reflecting upqn < the action-of the British Government at ; a critical is not in order, and i should not.be placed upon the Order ■ Paper,", added the Speaker. Mr. Holland stated that he wished to - raise a question of privilege, but the ; Speaker ruled that.no question of privir lege was involved. If a member wished - to disagree with the ruling the proper 1 course was to givo notice of a motion q to that effect. r Mr. Holland: Then I understand that '■ 1 can only dispute your ruling by notice i of motion on the Order Paper, which no--3 tice the Speaker or the Government has s powder to prevent the House reaching - during the session? ' ' t The Speaker replied that he had no--1 thing to do with the order of business, t That was a matter for the Government. The member's privileges were not being infringed. If the member wished to dispute the ruling of the Chair he must no it in the proper way. abadloke 3 The Leader of tlie Labour Party was called to order sharply in ' the House j last night. He was discussing a Bill dealing with naturalisation' of aliens, and it appeared that he was impatient '. of any revocation of naturalisation. Ho , set out to make his point this way: 3 "You received the Prince the other day with open arms." j Voices: So wo should. . Mr. Holland: I don't say that- you shouldn't. My point is that you did not ' -i let his long and illustrious lino of the ' Gorman ancestors interfere at all. There were murmurs of annoyance all 1 over the House, and Mr. Malcolm, the ? Chairman of Committees, told Mr. Hoiland that he was not in order, and that ' he must confine himself to the subject j matter ot the Bill. I s REPLIES ¥lUESTIONS l - — 0 Members of the House have evidently e been canvassed with' respect to the rei moval of duty on children's footwear. 1 Several questions have been asked in the t House urging the Government to remit a the duty. The reply of the Minister of - Customs is that the question of placing ■<■ girls' and boys' boots and shore on the a free list will receivo consideration when r the tariff schedules are under review e next session i- Legislation is to be introduced shortly a to empower county councils to purchase n land to erect buildings thereon, or to :1 purchase land on which/buildings have ;- been erected. i A Bill to deal with the influx of o Asiatics is at present being prepared by • tho law draftsman, and; it is to he d introduced during the cession. i6 The Prime Minister stated yesterday 0 that tho Government does not consider a it necessary to propose- any amondinent to tho Mortgages Extension Act to provide for a further extension of tho operations of the Act beyond December • 21, 1920. 1 The Minister of Public, Works (Mr. Contra), replying to n question in which '< the Government was urged to make it ,s possible, for light railways to be built ?' of a gauge of 2ft. or moro, said that '■ the question of introducing tho necessary 13 legislation. to allow of lines of narrower 1' gaugo ttian 3ft. Gin. being built was now • 3 under consideration. 10 Tho Government has declined to no- • cent the suggestion of Mr. G. Mitchell >o (Wellington South) thht in view of > anomalies in the pension system a spe- >' cial conimittoo of the Homo should ba set up to investigate tho matter. I