PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 290, 7 September 1928, Page 13

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

FISH RESOURCES CONSERVATION URGED QUESTION OF MINOR PORTS WELLINGTON v. WANGANUI * The conservation of the fish resources around the New Zealand coast was the theme of many of the speeches in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon when the annual report of the Marine Department was presented. Reference was also made to the case of the secondary ports. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) urged the investigation and conservation of the fish supplies of the Dominion. He said that steps should be taken to stop the wholesale depletion of fishing grounds while the investigation was being made. The bigger fishing vessels should be sent well out. Mr. R. P. Hudson (Motueka)' suggested that the Government should have a dredge made available for use in the small harbours, the controlling authorities of which could not afford to buy plant of their own and pay the high ' charges that were now asked for hired craft. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said that it would pay New Zealand to appoint a marine engineer to supervise the harbours. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Ricearton) expressed the wish that the Government would consider discontinuing the issue of netting licenses. Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon (Westland) said \the whitebait fishermen did not know ‘where they stood in regard to the regulations, and he hoped that some endeavour would be made to bring about uniformity. Mr. A. M. Samuel (Ohinemuri) considered that there was no necessity for the increasing price of fish. The damage to the fishing grounds was not caused by launches and seine nets, but by the big Steam trawlers with their wide range of action. , ..., . ..... ■ ■ ..... Minor Ports. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) advocated an investigation of the fishing grounds within . reach of the Wanganui port. He deprecated the attitude of certain boards towards minor ports, particularly the Wellington Harbour Board. An open attack had been made on the minor ports, and the critics to some extent had succeeded in making it fashionable to discredit secondary ports. The time had come when a definite stand would have to be taken. It would be a sorry day for the country if the seco'n-. dary ports were not allowed to develop, and the sooner the attack against .them was stopped, the better it would bh for New Zealand as a whole. After all, Wellington and Wanganui had a good deal in common. He appealed to the Minister not to allow himself to be prejudiced by the propaganda which was being distributed. It was quite clear why the Wanganui Harbour Board had been attacked ; the object was to prevent the board from completing. the work it had in hand. Mr. D. Jones (Marsden) considered that the Hauraki Gulf should be left to the live fishermen and the small boats; the steam trawlers could go out to the ocean. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) put in a word on behalf of the lighthouse keepers and their families. The Government could afford to be generous in its payment to those employees, he said. Westport Harbour. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) advocated the taking of some action in regard to improvement of Westport Harbour. Owing to the silting up of the bar the ships were going out short-loaded. In some cases the owners were threatening to divert their steamers to Newcastle, and the mines in consequence of the trouble were idle from time to time, and that meant an , immediate loss to the district and a general loss to the country. The Westport Stockton Cpmpany stated that sixteen steamers bad suffered delays, and that some had to leave at short notice. The Union Company stated that their shortloading owing to low water was , 0970 tons in 1926, 9311 tons in 1927, and 18,000 tons in 1928. The bar should be dredged to 24 or 25 feet at highwater neap tides add that depth should be maintained. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) said the Westport-Wellington colliery trade had been of great value to the business community. He believed it was up to 'Parliament to do all it could to improve the facilities at Westport Harbour. . After the Minister had briefly replied, the report was tabled. REPORT TALKED OUT AN EXPLANATION ; How the Minister of Justice (Hon. F. J. Rollestoii) came to talk out the annual report of the Police Department in the House of Representatives on Wednesday was explained in the House yesterday. Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua) said that there had been a difference of nearly a minute between the time recorded by the clock on Mr. Speaker’s table and the electric clocks on the walls of the Chamber. Guided by the clock facing him, the Minister of Justice had unwittingly talked out his own report. Mr. Speaker explained that the time of the House was always taken from the little clock on his table. He was sorry the electric clocks had been at variance with it. A further petition in connection with euchre tournaments was presented to Parliament yesterday. It was signed by 87 residents of Christchurch, and it asked Parliament to amend the law so that school and other committees running such entertainments for public benefit, charging admission, and giving prizes, would btf allowed to carry on without further Interference.

CLEARING THE ORDER PAPER FOURTEEN LOCAL BILLS PASSED BOROUGH RATING REPORTS A substantial clearance of the business on the Order Paper was made by the House of Representatives yesterday. In addition to accepting the annual report of the Marine Department, the debate on which occupied the greater part of the afternoon, the House agreed! to the release of six other departmental reports, the motions to print which had been talked out earlier in the session. In the evening the agreement of the Crown to clauses in two Local Bills, involving the transfer of Crown lands to the authorities concerned, was received in Messages . from the Governor-General. The reports of the commissions which inquired into the rating on farm lands in Otaki Borough and into the general question of the rating of such lands in boroughs were presented by the Minister of Lands (Hon. A. I). McLeod), the House accepting the suggestion of the Prime Minister that the reports should be debated on a date to be arranged. Attention was then devoted to. the Local Bills, of which there were twenty on the Order Paper, and of which 14, including the Johnsonville and Makara Gas Supply and Hutt River Board Empowering Bills, were passed. The House rose at 11.45 p.m.

AUCTIONEERS BILL SELECT COMMITTEE’S AMENDMENTS PROPOSALS MODIFIED The Auctioneers Bill has been considerably altered as a result of its examination by the Statutes Revision Coniniittee of the House of Representatives. The proposal to prohibit night auction sales has been abandoned, and the stipulation that lots at sales of fish, shell fish, fruit and vegetables niust be sold to the highest bidder has'been eliminated. The committee has also struck out the clauses providing for the payment into a trust account of the proceeds from sales, and, consequently, the power to issue regulations providing for annual audit, production of books, etc. The suggestion that regulations should be issued fixing the maximum rates of commission which may be charged by auctioneers for their services in transactions has also been dropped, as has also, the proposal to issue regulations prescribing penalties for breaches of any regulations issued under the Act. The requirement to furnish accounts of sales within seven days of demands has been modified to permit of agreements being made between auctioneers and their clients. Fidelity bonds are fixed in the sum of £5OO, but where additional licenses are required the aggregate amount of the bonds is not to exceed £2500. ■ . It will not now bo necessary to state in the license the place of business of the holder, who is to be authorised to appoint someone to relieve his accredited auctioneer during the progress of a sale. The appointee will also be able to act for not more than a day when the auctioneer is prevented through illness or some other unavoidable cause from being in attendance. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL A BRIEF SITTING The proceedings of the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon occupied only six minutes. ■ , ' The Christ’s College (Canterbury) Bill was read a . third time, and passed. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, and Public Works Amendment Till, and the Post and Telegraph Bill, were received from the House of Representatives, and read a first time. The Council adjourned at 2.36 p.m. till next Tuesday. A NEW GROUND FOR DIVORCE A new ground for divorce has been added to the present list in the Uiwrce and Matrimonial Causes Bill by the statutes Revision Committee. This relates to the commission of rape, sodomy, or bestiality since the celebration of the marriage. ~ |:‘ . HIGH COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE REPORT ON ITS WORK. In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. Sir James Allen asked whether the Government intended to make available for members of Parliament and the public a report by the High Commissioner for New Zealand on vacating office, dated July 28. 1926, dealing witli the work of the High Commissioner and the office. He was most anxious to bring about a closer connection between the work ot the High Commissioner and the Government. The report dealt with the work of the ofiice during the six years he was High Commissioner. In reply, the Leader of the Council (Right Hon. Sir Francis Bell) said the Government did not. consider that the publication of the report at this date would serve any useful purpose.