POLITICAL NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 55, 2 September 1927, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENTi

Although .the afternoon . r was very;., quiet, matters wore brisk in the House '. of Eepresentatives last night. Half a dozen local Bills were disposed of, including three of Wellington interest. One of these related to the ambulancetransport service, and it was subjected to a certain amount of criticism, some members maintaining that ambulance work was rightly the function of the Hospital Board. The War Disabilities Removal Bill was passed after-the At-torney-General had introduced an amendment extending its .provisions to military.defaulters. In the Committee stage, Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) sought to exclude teachers of, ex-enemy origin from the scope: of the Bill, his" object being to deprive Germans who had refused to become naturalised of the right to teach in universities, but the amendment which he moved on thd point was heavily defeated. -The. Say. ings Banks Amendment-Bill was alsoput through. its final stages, and the and Income-tax (Annual). Bill was read a second time. Discussion oa the latter BiU did not : open: until towards midnight, and the Minister of Finance devoted most of his speech to replying to vanous criticisms which had been levelled against the. BiU in the Press. In the course of, the- debate I desire was expressed that more information should be given as. to the S 'I? £•- P r°l>osal3 would have, and this the MiniEter promised to supply i tt at l^Tm. Stage- : The H°U*e ™> .'. :- -.' * ■■■ *■'. . ■'* ..'"■'.'.'■ " WELLINGTON'S TAILING? fo^i Ut taw the el"^t6n Ci^y. Council for. what he considered .to be an undua propensity on .its part to, ask. Parliar w £ legislation was made: by Mr. G: -^ Forbes (Hurunui) in", the Housa of Eepresentatives last. night." Why was it, asked Mr. Forbes, thai ' Wellington was always asking Parlia. ment for legislation when.other" eitie* tound it unnecessary to'do'aof ■ Wellington leads, the rest "follow,*t suggested Mr. T.M. Wilford (Hhtt) Mr. Forbes said he thought that because Parliament met in Wellington th«City Council had got. into, the habit o« saying, "Parliament is so handy, well go up;., and put. a th^ouKh '» (Laughter.) ... An .official of, -the WeU longton.City Council.jwas'.- always:.to ba seen about the lobbies, and if Wel« lington City Council had tq': pay Par. hament for the amount;of;:.time it 3 matters took iip '.in.the" House -ne was ■ sure the amount would be.:far .greater than that which.any other: city would have to meet. Wiy: was "it ..that Weilington had-.a craze "foi-.iegislatipn?- ---_ Mr.- Wilford: 'i' They iaye'jds'ion ani initiative.'^ . '.' "; "'"- . ."" : Mr. ForbesV..''They have "a" craving for legislation like some men have a craving for drink." • The Hon. E. A. Wright: ''They aii very progressive in. Wellington." '■' ..."■• •••'.-;•■' ••'.•.■.■: S',--, .. -. AMBULANCE STEEEr DATS. : Exception 'was takeniby. : "Eighfi Hon. Sir Joseph Ward "(IriveicargiU) in the House of Eepresentatives last night to the holding of street days for the'purpose of collecting funds for hospital ambulance purpos.es. I£ it was .desired to add to.hospital board funds for the purpose, he said,<_let thq hospital rate be increased. ; - Mr. E. M'Keen (Wellington South) j '•'-It-"lias 'become one-of-:,four^institu» tions.'.* '■-,■>:■ ;, r-"\ .-^,.; % .. ........- ;- ---"It has," Sir Joseph agreed. "W4 ought to reconstruct the system." .' ' • "•.'.•-•■■'.-•■ BEAUTIFUL WELLINGTON. 1 A word for the beauties of Welling* ' I ton was uttered by Mr. P. Fraser (Wel» lington Central) in the-House of Eepre* sentatives last night: in-speaking upoai the' Wellington City .Exhibition 1 an 4 Grounds-Bill. -'■::.::,: ■■*■ .-, ■.. ojv,. '' I am sure members wili V recognise," he said, "that for grandeur o| ' scenery, Wellington is ahead .of any. '. thing else in New Zealand...:. Indeed,: % have nevermet anybody who.says i$ caii be surpassed in the world.'.' Eeplying ■:to an 'interjectioiif Mj^ Fraser Vs'aid he; recognised.:that-Auek> land had a, very beautiful harbour, bn| he asked if members-of the House hadt seen Wellington from'the-wireless staY tion on the Tinakori Hills...- .-.- ---"If I told the whole-truth,'.'.he re* barked, "it might sound- egatistical.'-* ■■'•'-:'• -''"• ~r"»~ . <:%~ SAVINGS BANK AMENDMENT. The Savings Banks Amendment BiH ■ was passed :by the 'House^of S-Bepresen/« i tatives last nighti-withi «• newsvrclaus^' added: - ■•:■■■ t->■_'■■■ai'^ In Committee on the -Bill/: the Min> kter of Finance (the Hon. Wv-Downi« Stewart) moved'to insert" a uewJclausa providing that not more: than s:* 100 bo paid out of the-profits -■ of s-': savings bank to' the' president,. and?-£1 per day for each; meeting 'attended; but not exceeding £24' in anyone; yearj to the xther board members. ■ •=;; The Eight Hon. Sir '. Joseph' Ward (Invercargill) said a maximum of &2i ~ a year seemed very small,, and . waslikely to be offensive to men >■• .taking such responsibilities; -- : The Minister ' said 'that;to.a large extent he agreed with what. Sic-Joseph said, but he pointed' out that the savings banks, were originally started tq assist working men to make savings, and largely gave their services voluntarily. .:.'■■:••■.•- ■ ; The clause was inserted,- and ths Bill as amended was passed. •.-.■% -\