PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 10

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

SCHOOL DENTAL TREATMENT RELIEF FOR LESSEES GROUNDS OF DIVORCE There was considerable activity in the House of Representatives'yesterday. ■ In the afternoon the Prime Minister announced New Zealand’s approval of the principle of .the recommendations of- the Imperial Wireless and Cables Merger Conference, and intimated that time-would be given for debate on the subject. Presentation of 'the annual report of the Health Department gave rise to a discussion on dental treatment, members advocating extension of the scheme to the backblocks districts and beiieht -of all; children irrespective of the schools they attended. lhe Minister’s views on the question were not expressed,, as the report was talked out. In the evening the Public Domains, Reserves, and National Parks Bill was introduced. . This measure is. a •consolidation and revision of. all the-existing laws dealing with reserves, domains, and parks, and in addition seeks to enact new provisions. The Property Law Amendment Bill and the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill were read a second, time aftei some debate, as was also the Hanmer Crown Leases Bill. The House rose at 11.40 p.m.

PUBLIC RESERVES REVISION OF THE LAW NEW PROVISIONS INCLUDED. • AN IMPORTANT BILL A'complete revision of all the existing laws relating to public reserves, domains, and national parks is made in the Public Reserves. Domains and National Parks Bill, read a first time in the House of Representatives last night. z Included in the Bill are clauses dealing with the constitution and administration of national parks, which, however, do not interfere with the special legisla-; tion '■ dealing with the Tongariro, Egniont, and Peel Forest National Parks. Special saving clauses conserve the powers contained in any existing enactments dealing with particular reserves or re- . serves of a special class. A consolidation of the various laws was contemplat-. ed,-but, it-was found that to bring the lawup to date and into line with modern practice, a complete; revision and rearrangement was desirable. 7' The Bill seeks to remove the obscurity surrounding the definition of “public reserves” in the Act'of 1908, with a view to marking as clearly as possible the dividing line between lands which are and are. not-public- 1 reserves. The classification of reserves in~ that Act is removed, and it-. is now proposed to give' full; powers to change the purpose, exchange, or vest reserves, subject to reasonable safeguarding provisions." An entirely new proposal is one to empower the Governor-General by Orderdn-Council to revoke the reservation of any reserve subject to Parliamentary sanction in the case of reserves set apart for public health or recreation, or for the use, support, or education of Natives. The proceeds from the. sale of any eserve set apart, for. health or recreation are to be expended in the acquisition of other lands for such ’-rposes. Protecting Public Interests. There is also provision for the revocation of vesting orders and the cancellation or titles where it is established that local bodies or trustees in whom reserves have been vested are guilty of a serious breach of trust. The object of this clause ,is to enable the Government-to step, in and protect the public interests should '.it - be . found that trusts created j with respect, to public reserves are being abused. z . Provision is - made for giving sports bodies a better tenure of reserves and domains by.allowing the controlling, authorities . to enter into agreements for their use for a specified number of days each -'year. The maximum period of agreement-is to be - five years. Wider powers with respect to the erection of' gymnasia-and other buildings for the full enjoyment and use of the reserves are also ■ sought .in. the Bill. ■ Special legislation enabling domain boards to.raise loans for development purposes will no longer be necessary if .the Bill passes, since it contains a clause conferring this authority on the boards. Increased Penalties. The Bill seeks to raise the maximum penalty for offences in a public domain from £2O to £5O or to imprisonment for three months. It is considered that the present penalties are too light, and that a stiffening up would prove a useful deterrent to vandals and other enemies of public property. ' Another power which is sought with respect to domains relates to the setting" apart of areas for baths, camping sites, and parking places for vehicles, with power to fix charges with the prior approval of . the Minister for the use of the areas. It is considered desirable that the controlling boards should be able to cater for public requirements in this connection, and to be able to levy a reasonable fee for the facilities provided. The Bill was read a first time. SOUTHERN WORKS ' AN INQUIRY PROMISED An -inquiry into the conditions obtaining at the Waiau-Parnassus. relief works was promised by the Minister of Public Works (Hon. K. S. Williams) , in the House, of Representatives yesterday. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) said he had received complaints from a worker that the camp . was pitched on swampy, muddy ground, that the men had been refused straw for their beds and had been given wet bunks on which to sleep. It was also alleged that the men had been kept working all hours, including the King’s Birthday and Ansae Dav, that they had been kept waiting for an unduly long time for their correspondence and pay, and that they had to keep explosives in the camp, as proper places were not provided. It was further stated that the eanltary conveniences were inadequate. “If you will let. me have a copy of the allegations I shall be glad to have immediate inquiry made,” said the Minister.

MEMBERS’ SPEECHES

MR. SPEAKER’S REMINDER

A rebuke was administered to iuterjectors by Mr. Speaker in the House of Representatives last night when Mr. A. T-Tnmilton (Wallace) was speakm*. Sneaker called the House to order. inHmatin" that it was his responsibility Ke tlmt the debates <«d into conversations across the flooi of tne House Reasonable questions were permissible but he reminded members that a member who was speaking was entitled to be heard, as the Standing Orders put it, without interruption. Speeches must not he punctuated as the the end of. tense with interruptions and interjections.

DENTAL CLINICS ; I — 2 EXTENSION OF SCHEME ! / J I CASE FOR COUNTRY CHILDREN ' REPRESENTATION TO ■ . GOVERNMENT > _• , 1 ..- .. : ■ 1 The care anti treatment of the teeth t of children in New Zealand was made ] the feature of the debate on the annual j report of the Health Department in the ] House of Representatives yesterday. < Strong emphasis was laid by various j speakers on the peed for placing children , in outlying districts more an an equality 1 with those in the town, in regard to the , treatment provided by th'e State. i Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) referred , to the advisability of establishing dental t clinics in connection with the schools. In i some cases the necessity was urgent. He had no doubt that the Minister was doing the best he could with the resources at bis disposal, but he thought these resources should be extended. The Depart- . ment of Health was one that should re- ■ ceive every consideration. There was discontent throughout the country at the ; inadequate supply of dental nurses. He j hoped the Government would meet the t situation. At present they were only fooling with the matter, which was not < parochial, but in the interests of the ] general health of the country. 1 ■ Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston) said that ; in his own district there , were numerous ■ applications for dental facilities. He , spoke more, particularly on behalf of the ( country children. Country school com- ; mittees should receive further ' attention , in this matter. More nurses were required. He gave the .Minister credit for all he had done, and said that if an in- | creased vote was asked for, there would be not one objection to it. As a way to improve matters at present, he suggested , that the children in the country schools should be sent to the central clinics once in every three ''months. That would, no doubt, involve the appointment of further nurses. “I do think,” he concluded, “that the Government should consider seriously the question of placing a reasonable sum on the estimates for the purpose of increasing the number of dental nurses.” The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) said.it would be years before they could catch up with the demand for dental nurses, many of whom, after being trained, left the service, to be married. Mr. J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo) said that it was more important that dental treatment should be carried out by 'the Government in the country than in the towns, where facilities for dental treatment already existed. He referred to the excellent work that the dental nurses were doing in the country. Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei) urged that the number of dental nurses should be increased by’ a 100 per cent. Equality with Towns. Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) assured the Minister that there was a great deal of • dissatisfaction in regard to the disabilities which children in backblock districts suffered in regard to dental treatment. At the same time those in the country did appreciate all that had- been done by the Minister and his Department. The dissatisfaction was due. to the fact that it was thought that more might be done in the way of. putting, those children more on an equality with the children in the towns in the matter of. treatment. “It has been truly said,” he.added, “that a healthy people is the best asset a nation can have, but there cannot be healthy children without sound teeth. I think the debate we have had this afternoon is not in the nature of carping criticism but will fortify the Minister in his endeavours to further the scheme which he has so ably carried on up to the present. He will realise from the expressions of opinion by members that the House ana the country generally are strongly behind him'in any endeavour he may make, to enlarge the benefits of the scheme. We hope, however, it will not be long before the Minister can remove the disabilities under which the country children labour in comparison with the town children in the matter, of dental Y. Seddon (Westland) made a plea on behalf of the children in the backblocks and trusted that the travelling. dental nurses would devote a portion of their time to visiting the backblock schools. Mr. R. P. Hudson (Motueka) also urged that more liberal provision be made for the training of dental nurses. Mr. J. Linklater (Manawatu) said very little attention had been paid to his district, where there was no dental clinic. He was sure the Minister realised the necessity of-, extending the work to the country districts. • Sir John Luke (Wellington North) said he had noticed a marked improvement in the health of children as a resitlt of the dental treatment. The work, however, should not be confined to the towns, and even if economies had to be exercised in other directions, the treatment should be extended to the country districts. . , Mr. H. M. Campbell (Hawkes Bay) considered there should be more dental nurses in the country districts. It was I up to the Government to arrange for an adequate supply of nurses to meet the requirements. . The report was talked out. HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE Amazement at actual and proposed hospital expenditure in New Zealand is expressed by the Director-General of Health (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) in his annual report to Parliament yesterday. The Director-General visited the hospitals in almost every part of the Dominion, and says that unfortunately he . brought on himself much criticism because he ventured to comment on the extraordinary increase in hospital expenditure. He is appalled at our hospital expenditure, actual and proposed especially / in certain districts, but he does not blame 3 the Boards entirely for this. If the memi hers of Hospital Boards could visit, other . countries, including Great Britain and the t (Tinted States, they would come back here 1 pleased and proud of our hospitals and our institutions ns a whole. i Dr. Vnlintine considers the time has . certainly come when a halt should be railed in', hospital expenditure.