TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 37, 13 August 1923, Page 8

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives sat at 2.30 p.m. to-c!ay.

The annual report of the Police Department was presented and laid on the table without discussion.

When the Minister of Mines (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) brought down the Mines Report, Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) said it would be disastrous it anything were done to break down the co-operative principle which had been introduced by the Government in certain of the mining localities. He also wanteJ to know what was being done in regard to development of coal mines in the North. Mr. Fraser condemned the conditions of employment in the mines, and said he had seen places where the conditions were such that the men would lie driven to almost any lengths-to lighten them.

Mr. H. Poland (Ohinemuri) stressed the need for encouragement of prospecting for fresh goldfields. There was no inducement at present, he said, for men t.- try to make new discoveries. Fresh conditions were required to enable men tc get mining titles. The gold mining industry . was of such importance that if anything could be done to foster it, then it should be done.

Mr. K. S. Williams (Poverty Bay) said he hoped the Government would do more in respect to prospecting for oil in view of the probable establishment of a naval base at Snigapore.

(Proceeding.)