PARLIAMENT AT WORK

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 66, 10 December 1921, Page 8

PARLIAMENT AT WORK

ESTIMATES REDUCED BY £260,000

HIGHWAYS BILL INTRODUCED

A WRANGLE ABOUT ECONOMIES

The Legislative Council received the Customs Amendment Bill, the Forest Bill, and several other measures from the House yesterday, and read them a first time.

The Estimates of public expenditure, which had been sent to the Public Accounts Committee for reduction, were returned to the House of Representatives in the afternoon in a revised form. The committee had made reductions to the extent of £260,000, the most important cut being one of £lOO,OOO in the Defence expenditure. The Prime Minister explained that these reductions applied to the current financial year. He proposed to alter the method of presenting the Estimates next year in the interests of economy. Mr. Massey mentioned that the reductions made by the committee did not apply to salaries. He intended to pro pose the reduction of salaries, starting with the large salaries, and going down to a certain point. .

The Main Highways Bill was introduced in the House. It is largely the Bill that was submitted to the Counties’ Conference, but the list of arterial roads proposed to be constructed first has been omitted.

A Public Works Loan Bill, giving the Government authority to borrow £5,000,000 for development purposes, and an Inspection of Machinery Bill, dealing with fees, were also introduced.

The House proceeded to deal with the revised Estimates. The Leader of the Labour Party moved a reduction of a vote by £1 as an indication that the Legislative Council ought to be abolished. He was supported by the Leader of the Liberal Party. The amendment was defeated by 29 votes to 20. \

Mr. Statham moved that the Post and Telegraph vote should be reduced by £5 as an indication that the House could not take responsibility for the reductions In expenditure without more information than it possessed. The Prime Minister insisted that) he had given the House very full information on several occasions during the session, and that members were fully aware of the need for economy. The amendment was defeated by 36 votes to 12 after con siderable debate.

Then Mr. Holland moved that the Post and Telegraph Department’s vote should be reduced by £4 as an indication that the Government should not reduce salaries until the cost of living had fallen to the point stipulated in the agreement between the Government and the P. and T. Officers’ Association. This amendment was defeated by 38 votes to 10.

A proposal to reduce the salary of the chairman of the Board of Trade by £1 as an indication of di ssatisfaetjon with the work of that body was defeated.

Progress was reported after the House had passed ten classes, and the House rose at 0.40 a.m.

THE BOARD OF TRADE LOSS OF CONFIDENCE SUGGESTED. Mi - . P. Fraser moved a reduction of .£1 in. the salary of tho chairman of the Board of Trade. He said he did this because in common with many members of the House he believed that the board was not fulfilling its functions and not serving the interests of the country. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Wilford) .said he believed the Board of Trade had done some good work. But his faith in the board had been shaken by some recent events, including the cement affair. He thought that the Board of Trade would bo superseded w'ith advantage to the Dominion by a tariff board, which would include Customs experts; 1 Tho amendment was rejected by 37 votes to 12. WIRELESS ACROSS THE STRAITS A SCHEME IN HAND. The Post and Telegraph Department had a scheme in hand for the institution of wireless telephony across tho Straits, said the Postmaster-General last night Ho expected to receive a report on the question shortly. The last estimate received was that it would cost ,£130,000 for a. cable, while the cost might be as low as £10,600 for a wireless service two or three different ways across the Straits, without any inconvenience to the speaker or the listener. The recent installation of the printing telegraph had already had striking results. Through its use, two wires, he was informed, were practically idle. The wires so released could’ be used for other purposes. INSPECTION ~oF MACHINERY A NEW SCALE OF FEES. The main effect of the Inspection of Machinery Bill introduced by Vice-Regal Message yesterday is to abolish the scale of fees chargeable under the amendment of 1914 and substitute a new scale. As in the previous schedule, • two lists are provided, allowing for reductions in the case of the feels if they are paid within one: month after notice is given. The principal alterations in tho reduced scale are. a.s follow, the old rate being given in parentheses after the new charge:—For steam vessels under pressure: Digesters, 12 cubic feet and under, 7s. 6d. (none); digesters over 12 cubic feet, 15s. (Ws.); boilers up to five horseliower, 10s. (same); boilers five to 10 horsepower, 'HI (same); boilers 10 to 20 horsepower, £2 (all boilers over 10 horse-power Ii2); boilers 20 to 100 horse-power, £2 10s.; boilers over 100 horse-power, £3; steam receivers, 10s. (same); every other steam vessel under pressure, 10s. (same). The set maximum in the case of a senes of boilers connected, in.the case of one machine, is abolished, each being assessed independently for fees. For machinery not having boilers connected : For every hydraulic, electric, or other hoist ss. (same); hydraulic or other lift, £1 (10s.). , , ~ ' For other machinery worked otherwise than bv hand: If of five horse-power ot under, ss. (2s. Gd); between five and ten ' horse-power, 10s. (7s. Gd.); between 10 and 30 horse-power, 17s. Gd. (same); between 30 and 50 horse-power, dll ss. (same); between 50 and 100 horse-power, dll 15s. (same); between 100 and 200 horse-power, £2 ss. (same); over 200 horse-power, £2 15s. (same). t „ , . It is provided that no fees shall be payable, on any Pelton wheel or turbine wheel not exceeding five-horse nominal power. APPLICATIONS FOR TELEPHONES ORDER OF PRECEDENCE. The usual requests for new telephone connections in their districts were made by members yesterday during discussion of the Estimates. The Postmaster-General assured the Houre, as on former occasions, that the main difficulty was shortage of material nnd funds. Tho ultimate policy m the country districts was to install the automatic system. Tn the meantime tlie Department had just to do its best. The Government was doing all it could f r the backhlocks settlers. In the towns the policy was to deal with doctor, applications first, with members applications next, and then with those of returned soldiers who had gone into business. Other applications received attention in the order in which they were made. V "I. know a man who reads Hansard from cover Io cover.” saidl the Reader of tho Opposition (Mr. Wilford) in the House yesterday. "He is a retired old gentleman, who always takes an interest in politics, and. bo reads isvery page o Hansard.”

TRAVELLING EXPENSES IN TAXATION DEPARTMENTS. Tlie amount of money spent on travelling expenses in the Government Departments was startling, asserted the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford) yesterday afternoon. Mr. Wilford wished to know why £l5OO was being voted this year for such expenses in the Land and Income Tax Department, and why £1193 had byen spent on travelling in the same Department last year. The Prime Minister explained that a considerable amount of travelling had been done by inspectors whose business it was to see that liability for income tax was not evaded. These inspectors had done valuable work. Mr. Wilford asked whether they had detected any falsification of returns. Mr. Massey: Yes. Mr. Wilford: Then why don’t you prosecute? Mr. Massey: We did. COMMISSION ON SALE OF STAMPS MEMBERS’ PROTESTS. While the Estimates were before the House yesterday several members protested against tho decision to abolish the payment of commission on the sale of stamps. They argued that the convenience to the public of being able to purchase stamps at booksellers’ shops outweighed the consideration of such a small saving as would bo effected! by withdrawal of the commission. The Prime Minister said that the saving would be no- less than £1:2.000 per annum. Tho public need not be inconvenienced, as those who had sold stamps in the past could continue to sell them; ithe vendors would now, however, receive no commission. A member remarked that it was unfair to expect booksellers and others to take into their, custody stamps which could bring them no profit, but might involve them in loss. Stamps were always liable to bo torn, or to go astray. LATE SITTINGS A LABOUR PROTEST. The Leader of the Labour Party, when the hands of the clock were nearing 12, ■ announced last night that if he was asked to sit after midnight ho would challenge every item. He and his pai>- did not. consider it right that they should be asked to ruin their health or work when they were not in a condition to work. The Prime Minister was out of tho Chamber when the member for Buller made this declaration. "I am sorry tho member used threats,” he said upon his return. Mr. Holland: I made, no threats whatever. ■ Mr. Massey: If the hon. gentleman says he made no threats I have nothing more to say; hut just let me say this—if members want to avoid all-night sittings or long sittings, I would advise them not to threaten by implication orotherwise. My own work never ceases. It comihene.es at a quarter to nine in tho morning, nnd it never censes till’ the House rises. The strain is there all the time, this session more than usual, cr--ing to the need for economy and retrenchment. However, I can stand up to it." Mr. Massey compromised to the extent of somewhat shortening the programme for the rest of the night. Mr. Holland thanked him. ” P. AND tTaSSOCIATION AMICABLE UNDERSTANDING WITH MINISTER. The Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association for some .time complained that the Government refused it the, recognition which it considered its due. Tho Postmaster-General last, night announced that the association had been in negotiation wit'h him. and that an amicable arrangement had been reached. On practically all matters concerning the Post Office tho association would have the right to bo heard by th? administration. If tho association could not agree with tho administration, it migiit carry tho question to him, when he would either decline its request or make some arrangement with it. CRIMES AcTaMENDMENT The Attorney-General (Sir Francis Bell) yesterday gave notice in the Upper House that he intended to introduce an amendment of the Crimes Act. From a statement made recently in tho Council, it seems not unlikely that tfho Bill will bo oho designed to prevent tho woman in An abortion case from shielding tho alleged abortionist by declining to givo evidence on the ground that Aho may incriminate herself.