PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 291, 8 September 1928, Page 11

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

FIRST REAL PARTY CLASH INTIMIDATION OF CO OPERATIVE WORKERS PROGRESS ON ESTIMATES Proceedings in the House of Representatives yesterday were considerably enlivened by the brisk exchanges which took place on the debate following the statement of the Prime Minister of the actual facts relative to the Cascade coal-mine dispute. The debate lasted throughout the afternoon, and as a result the Mines Statement was talked out. Ihe special Select Committee which is hearing evidence in connection with the Summer Time (Local Empowering) Bill was granted an extension of time for the presentation of its report to the House until Tuesday. In the evening the House made progress with further classes of the Estimates, and nine classes were dealt with. The House rose at 0.35 a.m.

WERAROA STATE FARM TO BE SOLD OR LEASED SUBDIVISION INTO SMALL FARMS GOVERNMENT’S DECISION ANNOUNCED The Government intends to dispose of the Weraroa State Farm and subdivide it into small dairy farms for leasing purposes. according to a statement made by the Minister of Agriture (Hon. O. J. Hawhen) in the House of Representatives last night. When the estimates for the Department of Agriculture were under consideration, Mr.' H. G. Dickie (Patea) said that now that Masgey Agricultural College had been established there did not appear to be any necessity for a dairy' demonstration farm at Weraroa. He suggested that the farm might be subdivided and leased out in small dairy farms. The land was suitable for that purpose. Mr. W. 11. Field (Otaki) said one of the most remarkable purchases of, recent times as far as New Zealand was concerned was the Massey Agricultural College. The question, however, remained as to what was going to be done with Weraroa. At one time it paid its way. but with the arrival of the new college not far up the line, the State could not possibly be expected to use the land at Weraroa simply for experimental purposes. It . was too valuable and could be put to other uses. There was some talk of converting it into a farm for mental patients, but he could assure the Minister, if that were done, that strong opposition would be raised. Surely the Minister would not entertain the idea. The suggestion that the land should be subdivided and leased commended itself to a good number of people, and he thought it should be adopted. In reply to the suggestions, the Minister of Agriculture announced that it was proposed to sell or lease Weraroa. Now was not the time to lease a farm: next autumn would be the appropriate period. In all probability the f .place would be cut up into small dairy farms as suggested. MINERAL WEALTH RECORD COAL OUTPUT PRODUCTION OF GOLD Coal production in the Dominion for 1927 was a record, the total output for all kinds being 60,959,342 tons. The Mines statement presented to Parliament yesterday described the result as most gratifying, and to some extent attrib ed to the greater quantity used by the railways in place of imported coal. The gold production shows a slight decrease, though, from the number of claims tr “ n up last year, it appears that great .nterest is still taken in goldmining. .... The total value of the metals obtained was £3,515,779. The total value of the minerals exported to the end of last year amounted to £166,238,654. In the metalliferous mjnes at which 1733 men were ordinarily employed there was no fatal accident and only one serious accident. : Only one person was killed and five seriously injured in the stone quarries, in which 2341 men were engaged. In coal mines, where 5374 men are ordinarily employed, ten were killed and 27 seriously injured. During the year £13,860 was expended in subsidies for prospecting. There was paid out in connection_ with miners’ phthisis during the year £45.096. The total paid in pensions since the inception of the Act is £346,274. The net output of the Government eoai mines was: Liverpool mine, 137,180 tons; James mine, 37,142 tons. The net profit amounted to £21,806. This is accounted for largely owing to the fact that very little time was lost on account of strikes. The Rimu Flat dredge turned over 1,761.461 cubic yards for a return of 13.070 oz. gold, valued at £53,128. COAL REEFS IN RUAHINE RANGES INVESTIGATION URGED. A complete investigation into the possibilities of coal reefs .in the Ruahine ranges was urged by Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) in the House of Represent!!tives yesterday. He said that he understood that some years ago a report was made on the subject, but it was not a very complete or a very thorough one. He suggested that the Minister of Mmes should send an officer of the Department to the district with a view to making a t nigh investigation. The residents went confident that a strong coal reef existed in the ranges, and that it only required development to make it profitable.

WIRELESS GN SHIPS SAFETY INSURANCE POLICY OPERATORS AND EXAMINATIONS The need for the installation of wireless apparatus on all ships, was the sub-' ject of some discussion in the House of Representatives last night, during the debate on the Marine Department’s estimates. „ , Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) contended that no ship should be allowed to go to sea without being properly equip' ped with wireless. Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell) inquired whether wireless operators on some ships had passed their examinations. He understood that the regulations in that regard were not strictly enforced by the Marine Department. The House should be assured by the Minister that the operators must pass examinations, as cases had occurred where officers had, through the lack of sufficient experience, been unable to call up stations when assistance was wanted.

Wireless on all ships, in the opinion of Mr. T. Al. Wilford (Hutt) was an insurance every Government should insist upon. There should be a continuous service to ensure that there was always an operator available to receive or dispatch distress messages. The discovery and development of television might in the future exercise an important influence on the safety of life at sea. Mr. G. R. Sykes (Masterton) said it was ridiculous to assume that the officers of the ships had not sufficient intelligence to master the intricacies of the morse code. With a little practice, anybody should be able to send twelve words a minute.

Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) said that wireless had made such wonderful progress during recent years that the life-boats on many of the Atlantic liners were equipped with sets. While agreeing that all coastal vessels should be equipped with wireless, he pointed out that it wits not necessary that the operators should be eerificated men. It was quite a simple matter to send out distress signals. The Acting-Minister of Marine (Hon. Sir Maui Pomare) said that New Zealand’s wireless regulations were more stringent than those of any other country in the world. Two hundred and fifty-one officers had passed examinationsMr. J. S. Dickson: But there are operators on ships who have not passed examinations. That’s the point. The Minister: "These are old men. Are you going to put them out of work.” The Minister added that as time went on those men would be replaced by certificated officers. So far as television was concerned, they could rest assured that when it was successful, the Department would lose no time in adopting it. Irrespective of what the Mercantile Marine Guild or anybody else thought, if a practical method of saving life at sea offered, it would be adopted. ALL SHOULD LEARN! VALUE OF SWIMMING “Swimming is a thing we should encourage,” said the Acting-Minister of Marine (Hon. Sir Maui Pomare)' in the House of Representatives last night. “It is in the interests of all to learn how to swim for their own protection, as well as for saving, the lives of others. There is no individual in New Zealand who should not be able to swim.” Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) : How about increasing the subsidy to the swimming associationsThe Minister: That is another tune. (Laughter.) URBAN SUMMER-TIME PROSPECTS OF‘ BILL The House of Representatives yesterday gr; ed the special Select Committee to wnich Mr. T. K. Sidey's Summer Time (Local Empowering) Bill has been referred an extension of time until Tuesday next in which to report to the House. Although nothing has come from the committee, the opinion of members generally is that there will be so many difficulties in the way that the idea of local daylight saving will have to be abandoned. DESTRUCTION OF PIGS RESULTS FROM BONUSES “Undoubtedly the giving of the bonus for the destruction of wild pigs has had very good effect,” said the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. J. Ilawken) in the House of Representatives last night. "The pigs have been cleared out in many districts.”, although they are still a pest, and a had one, in a few other areas.” The Minister said the reduced vote this year was due to the fact that the amount authorised last year was. not expended. The Department had found that there was a smaller and smaller number of snouts coming in, showing that the menace was being eliminated. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE NEW ZEALAND’S PRECAUTIONS. “My opinion as u layman is that we will never get foot and mouth diseases in this country with live stock,” said the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. J. Ilawken) in the House of Representatives last night. "The germs would not be found on the stock. The risk lies in the importation of stock foods, but fortunately we import very, very little of these goods. Nevertheless, the country can rest assured that every precaution will be taken against the disease entering New Zealand?’-