THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 33, 8 August 1923, Page 5

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

The House of Representatives got through a very fair day's work yesterday. In the afternoon the recommendations of a Committee were presented in favour of granting certain trotting permits, and, of course, this provoked an inevitable discussion on gaming legislation, the Prime Minister repeating his assurance that a Gaming Bill would be introduced this session. In the evening the House got down to the Committee stage on the War Pensions Amendment Bill. A determined effort was made by the Labour Party, supported by the Opposition, to make the payment of the economic pension mandatory, but amendments moved to this end were defeated. The Minister of Defence, who was in charge of the Bill, announced that the Government had decided to accede to the request that the N.Z.H.S.A. should have the right of nominating a member to the Appeal Board, and the Bill was amendad accordingly. The Prime Minister also assured the House that an amendment would be brought down by Governor-General's Message to meat Hie _ question of "attributabiiity," which had been so etvon.'ly pressed by members on all sides of the. House. The effect of this would be to enable soldiers who broke down after their discharge to apply, for a pension, which could be granted' provided the board was satisfied that the disability was due to war service. The Bill was put through its final stages after a discussion which lasted from shortly before the dinner adjournment until Hbout 11 o'clock. 'ihe Auckland University Amendment Bill and the Victoria College Amendment Bill were passed without amendment, and the Fisheries Amendment Bill was also put through after the insertion of a minor amendment. With the passage of these four linls, Uw House was satisfied with the assurance of the Prime Minister that, it had done a fail- day's work, and at 12.10 a.m. it adjourned until 2.30 p.m. today.