QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 194, 14 May 1936, Page 10

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

No Compulsory Universal Holiday on Saturday SCHOOL MILK SUPPLIES Ministerial replies to questions were circulated and discussed in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. “It is not proposed to legislate to provide for a compulsory universal holiday on Saturday,’’ said the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in reply to Mr. W. M. C. Denham (Government, Invercargill). Mr. Savage pointed out that provision was made in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill that the Arbitration Court should, when fixing at 40 the maximum weekly working hours, endeavour to fix the daily working hours so that no part of the working period fell on a Saturday. Replying to Mr. A. C. A. Sexton (Country, Franklin) as to whether he would when providing for a supply of milk for children in town schools make a similar provision for a supply of fruit for children in country schools, the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, replied: “It is the intention of the Government to organise as soon as practicable a supply of milk for school children (wherever it is required). The Government further hopes by means of its general economic policy, particularly the increasing purchasing power generally, to increase Ihe consumption of fruit by both children and adults. The importance of fruit as an article of diet for children is fully appreciated, and the suggestion of the honourable member will be borne in mind.” Answering a further question by Mr. Sexton, the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash, said: “It is not intended to issue a new series of Reserve Bank notes in the near future, but it is proposed, when a change is made, to ask permission for an engraving of his Majesty’s head to be included in the design for notes of all denominations.” "The Government has under consideration proposals for the stimulation of the flax industry by the introduction of improved methods of treating the green leaf and by the installation of efficient textile machinery to produce woolpacks and other products equal in quality to similar products made from other fibres,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in reply to Mr. T. D. Burnett (Opposition, Temuka). Mr. Burnett had asked whether in view of the policy of the Government to impose a levy of at least Id. per bale on all wool in Ihe interests of wool propaganda and investigation, it was advisable to impose an additional impost of -Id. to Cd. per pack in the interests of the flax woolpack industry. The Minister said it was not the intention of the Government at the present lime to increase the price of flax woolpacks to provide a turn! as suggested. CHEAPER CEMENT Reduction as From June 1 The urgency of improving the condition of dairy cowsheds and yards in the Dominion was emphasised by Mr. C. 11. Burnett (Government, Tauranga) in a question put to the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, in the House of Representatives yesterday. He asked the Minister whether he would arrange for farmers to obtain cement supplies at reduced rates and thus enable improvements to be carried out. The Minister replied: “The desirability of ensuring that dairy-farmers may purchase cement at the lowest possible price is appreciated, and the matter is being looked into. The 1933 Tariff Commission, after hearing evidence from the three companies, including cost of production, recommended that the tariff protection be reduced from 1/- per hundredweight to Sd. per hundredweight. This recommendation was subsequently adopted. The companies have, at the request of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, allocated territories on a basis which will cheapen transport charges, and in consequence the price of cement in the North Island will be reduced as from June 1 next by 4/6 per ton. The price in the Otago and Southland districts was reduced by 6/6 per ton a few months ago. The position will be further reviewed in six mont>«’ time.”