TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 86, 8 October 1929, Page 11

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The ; House of met at 2.30 p.m.

Mr. S. G. Smith (United, New Plymouth) gave notice to ask the Minister of Justice if h£- will so amend the Police Offences Act so as to include in the definition of "carriage" the word '{aeroplane."

■T Mr. D. i Jones (Keform, Mid-Canter-tary) gava notice to ask the Minister of Finance whether he will reduce the rate of interest to settlers and workers !to 5$ per cent, forthwith. The bal-ance-sheet of the Department last year, said Mr. Joifes, showed that the Government could do this and show a substantial profit. "

■- Mr. C. H. Chapman (Labour, Wellington' North) gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether ' he will allow his Government to allow a message from this Parliament to be sent to Mr. Eamsay Mac Donald wishing him success in his mission for world peace to- America. ;bepob,ts in "the worker." Prefacing his remarks by saying that he^did not wish to comment on proceedings of the.House, Mr. J. S. Fletcher (United, Grey Lynn) asked the Actr ing-Leader of the House whether ho had seen^ the "New Zealand Worker" of 2nd October, 1929, and,if his attention had been drawn to .what purported to be ..a-report, of-.the debate on the Imprest- Supply Bill; also, whether he had noticed that his' (Mr. Fletcher's) speech;on tmeniployment had been suppressed. - ' ' .

The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. IE E. Holland): "Has thehon. member seen the "Worker'? for 9th October,. with the report of his speech in it? T> i :

. Mr. Fletcher concluded by asking tho Minister whether he would see that a full, report of Parliamentary proceeding is published in the Labour journal. .(Laughter,)

There was a.good deal of noise and laughter' going on in the Chamber at the time,, but Mr. Forbes was understood to reply that he had not seen A'Tha Worker."

■;Mr. W. E." Parry (Labour, Auckland Central)1: "Did you see the cartoon?" (Laughter.)

' Mr.. Forbes was further understood to* reply that the readers of "The Worker" .would be surprised, and that he',was sure' that now attention had ■been called to it "The Worker" would Rectify the omission.

_' Mr. Holland: "I can assure the Mm: isterthat it is in this week's issue."

■ '■' Mr. Forbes suggested to Mr. Holland that if he could show' Mr.' Fletcher that the report of-his speech was in this week's- '.'Worker," he felt sure Mr. Ketcier would accept the assurance. (Laughter.) ' Mr. Speaker called on the next business^. '■■ •'■".■'■ : ••AMATTEE OF URGENCY. .-,. The Acting-Leader of the House (the Hon. G. W; Forbes)'moved that urgency should be accorded the committee stages of the Land Laws Amendment Bill. He said he desired that the Government should have more elasticity in regard to the Standing Orders. The Leader -of the Opposition (the Eight Hon.'J. G. poates): "Are you going to sit all night? Breaking down your,,own. Standing Orders!" •■ Mr..Forbes: "I have no desire to sit all night, and I Jiope the discussion ■won 't take that long. We can see later on whether it will bejiiecessary to! take another night for the consideration of •ste BUI.". Mr. Coatea: "Put your umbrella up it starts to rain." 'Mr. Forbes repeated that all that was ■wanted was elasticity. If they did not get urgency they would have to automatically stop at 10.30 p.m. Mr. Coates: "Don't apologise." Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Independent, Gisborne): ."Will you,allow any overtime?" . „ , Mr. Forbes: "That is a matter for the honourable gentleman. .He will have to put in his claim, later." The motion was carried. FLOATING RACING PERMITS. ■■'..■ Mr. W-. J. Broadfqot (United, Waitomo) gave notice to ask the Minister "of Internal Affairs if he will take steps to eliminate the, two floating racing permits >by allocating them to the onerday clubs most entitled to them. THE liAND BILL. In committee on the Land Laws Amendment Bill, Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburb^) described the Bill as a joke. /So far -• from enabling the Minister of Lands to take power to settle or open up lands, it was actually proposed to deprive him of power.' "If we pass this Bill," said Mr. Mason, "he can only settle or open up land if the Civil servants let him. It surely is a joke to see the Minister putting this forward as something to enlarge his powers. It is a -little joke which the Civil servants have put across the Minister. (Laughter.) , Here we have themr ranged up in a solid p<-' <s" (a reference to the constitution of the proposed Development Board, and the other bodies it is proposed to set up).

Mr. A. Hamilton (Eeform, Wallace) did not pretend to such a sense of humour as Mr. Mason, although he agreed there might be something in •what he said. It might appear to Toe a case of the river steamboat, which when she blew her whistle, had to stop in order to get up steam again (Laughter.)1 To-day the land was not as at"tractive as it us'edto be: It was his opinion that one effect of the Bill would be to show what an expensive matter it was to bring in new land. Ho did not think it was altogether the job of the Government to enter into land settlement, but rather it was its duty to make the conditions so attractive that the land would settle itself. 1 . : (Proceeding.)