HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 11

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives mot at 2.30 p.m. to-day f ; The Presbyterian Church. Property Amendment- BUI was read a second time. - Captain Rushworfch (Country Party, Bay of Islands) asked the Minister of Finance whether the Bank of New Zealand has-.now taken up £880,000 ■worth of Rural Credit bonds, and, if so, whether the general public were given an opportunity of purchasing, the further issue of bonds rwhieh appears to have taken place. The Minister of Finance replied that the Bank of New Zealand to date had subscribed for rural advances bonds, issued, under the Rural Advances Act, 1926, tothe'-nominal value of £880,----000 in terms, of the prospectus' dated 2:jrd January, 1925. The sale of these securities had. not been withdrawn' since the issue of the prospectus, and it was still open to the public to subscribe thereto. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) asked the Minister of Finance whether 1:6 has considered, or will consider, the question, of fixing the licence fees for hotels on"a'graduated scale based upon sales of liquor. The> licence fees are fixed by the Licensing Act, 1908, and any alteration with regard to them will require an amendment to the Act, stated the Minister in reply." The matter will be noted and taken into consideration when the Act is nest amended. BANKING POLICY. Mr. .W. J. Poison (Independent, Stratford) asked the Minister of Finance whether, in view pf the disastrous past Australian experience of the Bank of New Zealand, which contributed largely to the for tho banking legislation of 1894, and subsequently induced the bank to adopt a policy of abstention from cultivating general (business relations in Australia, a policy approved .by the Government of the day and-wisely adhered to for over thirty years, he %yas aware that, judging by figures published under statutory obligations, the policy referred to had within a comparatively recent period been apparently departed from. (2) Whether he had received any report bearing, upon this departure from the official appointed to safeguard the country's interest.in the bank. (3) Whether he would, see that steps were taken to impress.On the bank authorities the wisdom of abstaining from extending the bank's operations in the direction indicated, except in so far as it might, be necessary to protect its interests in the.matter of exchange and such-like business .as .was not subject to the risks attendant on the carryingon of general banking "business in a country adequately supplied with banking facilities by local institutions ivhoso controlling authorities possess a thorough knowledge of Australian conditions; ' ■-•'.- .'• : '■' ■. • The Hon>:the Minister of Pinancq replied: The Government was. not aware that there had. been any marked change of policy in regard to the operations of the Bank of-'New Zealand in Australia. Wo special report on the matter had been received from the auditor of the bank. The position would be inquired into;>nd when the facts had been ascertained -the matter would receive the careful consideration of the Government; "I may say, howver," he added, "that judging from the Press reports of the; Australian statutory returns it would appear that.while Australian deposits' amount, as stated, to about £900,QQ0, it is not correct to s.ay that '•& 9,000,000 has been lent on Australian securities. The report shows assets in 'Australia at £10,230,000, including coin, bullion and notes £400,000, Government securities £4,900,000, duo from other ?3anks £2,190,000, and other assets £27,0,000, The advances would be included in the last item, and obviously could''not amount to anything like £9,000.000. •/■;■' ■".'.' FLOCK HOUSE TRAINING. ■ Mr. R. Senvple (Labour, Wellington East)," asked the Prime Minister ■whether the Government will extend to our Now Zealand boys the same opportunities fpr. training, etc., that are extended to the boys Nvho are brought from England to Block House. The Government's reply is that Flock House is entirely financed from a 'fund established by woolgrowers. The Government already has ; a farm-training school for lads at Ruakura, where a good course of .training is provided at a charge of £.36 per annum, and this school is full to capacity. Inquiries are being made regarding tho establishment of a farm-training school for lads on the Penrose Farm, near Masterton, and a scheme for training a limited number of boys on the Howard Estate property # in Hawkc's Bay is nearing the stage" when it can be put into operation. The Farmers' Union has gone very fully into the question of training boys for farming, and has furnished a full report on tho subject, one feature of which is that training should be provided on selected private-ly-owned farms under the supervision of local organisations of the union, those "boys showing aptitude for farming being afterwards utilised for development work on unoccupied lands with a view to their later becoming settlers upon them. This is under consideration. SUPER-TAX HARDSHIP. Mr. JV Linklater (Reform, Manawaixi) asked the Minister of Finance ■whether the board that was elected by ■fcho Government to consider, cases of hardship arising out of the operation of the super-tax will sit again thisj year. . Mr. Linklator stated that it has come to his notice that Several farmers who claim that they have been harshly treated by having to pay additional land-tax could not have their cases considered owing to the fact that j their applications were not received in time. The reason for their delay was because their shearing had not been completed and their income return could ,ndt-bo", furnished by the date specified, -..."■' The Minister of Finance replied > that it is not intended that the Commission set up to hear cases of hardship arising from the imposition of special landtax last year shall sit again. A, reasonable time was given in which taxpayers might object to assessments. It was necessary to fix a limit to the period allowed for objection, otherwise the work of the Commissioners would have been interminable. As the furnishing of an income return is not a condition iireeedent to' an objection to land tax, and as objections were allowed up to the end of January, the reason given for delay appears inadequate. FILM PROTECTION. Mr. ■ Clyde Cair (Labour, Timaru) hsked the Minister of-Internal Affairs, jßrtietfcer, in the- interests of public safe-

ty, sufficient, inspection and supervision was provided by film exchanges and the Explosives Department concerning the condition of films sent out, and fire hazards in projection booths of picture theatres.

"With regard to the condition of; films," stated the Hon. P. A. do la Perrelle, in reply, every exhibitor is being asked to make a report as to the condition of films on receipt by him. Should this report show damage, iiiquries will be made by a technical officer as to the cause of such damage, The Film Begillations were brought up to date when they were re-gazetted under. Cinematograph Films Act last year, and are now in conformity with the latest requirements in Great Britain. The introduction of sound-reproduction equipment has necesitated the enlargement of the projection-rooms in theatres. Advantage has been taken of the opportunity given by these 'alterations to require a considerably higher standard both of construction and fire-prevention equipment. Regular inspection of theatres is carried out by trained officers, and special inquiries are made into all fires. While it is recognised that, despite all precautions, film fires will occasionally occur, it has been demonstrated that with the safeguards now in force these fires involve only small quantities, of film, and invariably confined to the projection-room. " For detailed information tho honourable member is referred to the annual reports of the Department of Internal Affairs." . BENEFITS TO EX-SOLDIERS. ■ Mr. Carr also asked the Minister of .Defence whether he is aware that the Canteen. Funds Board has offered the sum of £10,000 per annum for two years to assist in carrying out the recommendations of the Ex-soldiers Rehabilitation Commission; and, if so, will the Government give further consideration this session to tho recommendations of the Commission'? The Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Minister of Defence) replied, "I am aware that the Canteen and Regimental Funds Trust Board is willing to assist financially in the establishment .of tflie league and machinery recommended by the Ex-soldiers Rehabilitation Commission, provided that other interested bodies—viz., National War Funds Council and Red Cross Society—also assist; but as proposals to assist ex-sol-diers in the way of employment and vocational training are embodied in the -general -provisions of < the Unemployment Bill, it is not deemed desirable to set up a separate organisation as recommended by the Commission." USE OF GAS ON TRAINS. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Reform, Patea) asked the Minister of Railways—(l) Whether his Department is now using coal-gas for lighting mixed trains?' (2) Whether all gas-cprnpanies have been given an opportunity to quote prices for the supply of coal-gas to.the Department'? The Minister of Railways (Hon. W. A. Veitch) replied—(l) The Department lias adopted coal-gas for lighting _ carriages in certain districts, and it is proposed to extend the use of this gas to other -districts, as circumstances permit. «(2) All gas companies have not been given an opportunity to quote for supplies, for the reason that the gassing of carriages is done only at stations where it is found to be necessary and economical to do so. The supplying of gas to carriages necessitates the provision of a special compressingplant, and it would not be an economical proposition to provide this equipment at' the smaller stations when the cars located there can be conveniently provided with gas-supplies at a terminal station. DAIRY FACTORY INSURANCES. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Reform, Patea) asked the Minister in Charge of the State Fire Insurance. Department —(1) whether it is, a fact that, the State Fire Office is declining to-renew, risks held on dairy factories if- they- are constructed of ■wood?.^.i(2) -Whether this policy is being pursued in connection with factories other, than dairy factortories. He said that the dairy companies in Taranaki are being notified that their policies will not be renewed, and that their bankers havd been notified of the position. This will seriously affect their finance. The Minister in Charge of the State Fire Insurance Department (tho Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata) replied —(1) The State Fire Insurance Office is not refusing to renew insurances on wooden dairy factories as a rule, but in one or two cases where special eireum-; stances have made it improbable that difficulty would arise in securing cover elsewhere, the office has, for underwriting reasons, expressed its wish not to renew. ' If, however, in any case it can bo shown that cover cannot be obtained elsewhere, the Department's decision will be reconsidered. (2) Factories are not declined as a class, but to ensure success in underwrtiing the office requires to select its business with at least tho same care as its company competitors, and every risk is considered on its merits. LAW PRACTITIONERS' ACT. t Mr.1 C. H. Chapman (Labur, Wellington North) asked the Minister of Justice, whether he will look into the matter of the necessity for legislation to amend the Law Practitioners Act so as to make lawyers responsible under penalties for the true presentation and safe custody of their clients' documents? With respqet to tho "safe _ custody" of documents, the position would appear to be that a client has already a civil remedy against a lawyer by reason of whose negligence the client's documents arc lost or destroyed," stated the Hon. J. G. Cobbe in reply. So also, if a lawyer wilfully and wrongfully destrops or disposes pf his client's documents, he is guilty of an offence punishable by the criminal law. It does npt appear, therefore, that any amendment of the Law Practitioners, Act is called for. The Now Zealand Law Society and the several District Law. Societies have considerable disciplinary powers over their members, and any client who has reason to complain of his solicitor's conduct should inform the appropriate District Law Society of the matter."