HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1924, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. ' Wilford) asked the following question of the Prime Minister:—

■_ "Believing that the entry of all nations of the world into the League of Nations is necessary in the interest of the future peace of the world, and believing that the Japanese amendment at Geneva, to the disarmament Protocol may possibly prevent the entry of the United States into the League of Na-' tiona, ■will the Government. immediately advise any New Zealand delegates at Geneva to make definite reservations on behalf of tfie Dominion of" New Zealand with reference to such an amendment, so that this country may_ not be committed to even a preliminary arrangement by which a member of the League could be excluded from being declared to be an aggressor, if she attacks another State. On. the ground that arbitration before_ aggression should be the foundation principle in reference to domestic laws?"

Mr. Massey replied that nothing would be done, as fas as our representations were concerned, that would be detrimental to the interests of this country or of the Empire. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) asked the Prime Minister to inform the House if he will give it an opportunity during the present session to pass legislation on the following heads:—(l) To stop outside trusts and combines Owining and working freezing works in New Zealand; (2) to provide legislation for the establishment of a mercantile shipping board on the lines recommended by the Parliamentary Committee and previously desired by a Dominion Conference of producers and freezing works' representatives, as well as of the New Zealand Farmers Union; (3) to provide legislation to enable the stockowners of the Dominion to directly elect the producers' representatives on the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board as for separate districts m the Dominion; (4) to establish an agricultural bank; (5) to adjust the incidence of taxation upon incomes from mortgages on land and debentures, so that the taxation on the mortgages will be less than that, on debentures; (6) to establish a board with power to eradicate blackberries and other noxious weeds.

"Legislation on the above heads," said Mr. Lysnar, "is urgently required for the*, true prosperity of the Dominion. With the exception of agricultural bankjug, definite promises have been made in the past on behalf of the Government that legislation on each of the above-mentioned matters would be provided for." • - -

Mr. L. M'llvride (Napier) ' asked whether the locomotive men in the Bailway Service had received an increase of a shilling a day, and a 44-hour week while other men's wages had been reduced.

The Hon. J. G. Coates replied that the railwayman's wages had not been reduced. They were getting 7s 3d a week extra through the increase in weekly hours.

Mr. M'llvride: "The night rate has been abolished."

The Minister said < that was a different thing, as it affected allowances. It was contrary to fact to say that wages had been reduced.

In answer to Mr. P. A. de la Perrelle (Awarua) Mr. Nosworthy stated that certain visitors from Japan coming here shortly were able to make only ' a very short stay in New Zealand,, and they had to leave by the steamer from Auckland oh 14th inst. The Department of Agriculture had made arrangements for them to obtain as much information as was possible in the time availablo regarding our live utock and live stock- products, particularly sheep and wool, and it was regretted that, in the circumstances, they would be unable to visit every part of the Dominion, or to go further south than Canterbury R 1 r?E' y i° Mr- G- M'Kay (Hawkes Bay) the Hon. W. Nosworthy stated that the Howard Estate had been con siderably improved since it came into the hands of the Government, and its value on sth January, 1924, wq* £74,978 lbs 9d after paying £24,005 in cash to the relatives of the late Mr. Howard. woiVle^ ™ft d profits at that dat*