HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 113, 9 November 1933, Page 13

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tho House of Representatives met at E. 30 p.m.; today. •

Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention had been drawn to a statement made by Sir George Elliot deploring the burden cast on insurance companies as a consequence of the recent Privy Council decision in the Napier earthquake claims, and ■would the Minister give an assurance that nothing would be done by the Government to limit the present rights of workers for compensation arising out of earthquake accidents? The Minister of Labour (the Hon. A. Hamilton) said the matter had been considered, but nothing definite had been decided yet. He was sorry he could, not give the assurance asked for, or say whether legislative action would be taken to amend the law. STATEMENT BY MR. BAXTER. Replying to a question by Mr. E. F. Hcaly (Government, Wairau) regarding tho cabled report of Mr. T. Baxter's remarks regarding the number of foreign cars used in New Zealand, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) said he would be glad to see what could be done to. correct the false impression created by Mr. Baxter's remarks.- "It is quite clean-that Mr. Baxter has made a general statement which is not borne out by facts," said Mr.'Forbes. "Ho is probably 'not aware that one of the reasons' why American cars were used so largely in tho past in New Zealand was that the British manufacturer at that time was not making a car suitable to the conditions existing' here. Of late years tho British manufacturer has met tho special requirements of Dominion usage, and the Customs returns 3how that since then British-made cars have been purchased in increasing numbers and now form, a large percentage of the total number of cars imported.."

Mr. Forbes said the figures showed that, in 1932 there were 2147 cars imported from tho' United Kingdom as against 144 from America.

(Proceeding.)