HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 93, 17 October 1934, Page 13

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives met at j i'.3O p.m. today. - j The Minister ot" Agriculture (the Hon. C. E. Maemillan) gave notice to introduce the Noxious Weeds Amendment Bill. Tho following Government Bills were read a first time: —Bent Restriction, .River Boards Amendment, Counties Amendment, Cinematograph Films Amendment. The Leader of the- Opposition (Mr. M. .1. Savage) said it had been rumoured that the Cinematograph Films Bill would not be proceeded with this session. If that were the ease it would be regrettable, in view of the work performed by -the investigating Committee, of tho House. ".I advise you not to listen to rumour," replied the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young). "It is my honest intention to have the measure passed this session, and in that connection I will seek the co-operation of members." Mr. 1\ W. Schramm (Labour, Auckland Bast): We- will help you to put it through. At the instance of the Minister, who indicated that his proposal met with the approval of the Advisory Committee, the Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Industries und Commerce Committee for further investigation. DEPREDATIONS OF KEAS. Mr. T. D. Burnett (Government, Temuka) asked tho Minister of Internal Affairs whether he had seen the latest issue of the official production of the New Zealand Bird Society, wherein an editorial stated: "Again tho users of sheep runs, held on peppercorn rentals in the Alpine country of the i South Island, are clamouring for cxtiiic- I tion of the kca at the taxpayers' expense. All the old hearsay nonsense against this bird is being aired by persons who hope to scare the Government." Mr. Burnett Asked: "Seeing that the Department of Internal Affairs has allocated £13,500, the proceeds of an entire art union, as an endowment for such bird society, will the Minister take steps to prohibit such propaganda from the society and so protect a worthy class- of State tenantry who have had seventy years' experience of tho depredations of the kca from charges of want of veracity." In replying, the Minister said the £13,500 referred to was not an allocation from an art union conducted under the auspices of the Government, but was resultant on an application for a. licence granted to the society on .Tune 20, 1931, for the purposes of conducting a £4000 alluvial gold art union on behalf of the funds of the society. One of the conditions which the Government insisted upon was that the profits should be invested in trust with the Public Trustee for the purposes of the society. He had no control over the teachings of the society. "F suggest," ho added, "that it would not be unfitting for you to express your views direct to tho i\:ew Zealand Bird Protection Society, Incorporated, and present, evidence to them of actual depredations of the kea among tho sheep flocks in the alpine country." Air. W. :K. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central)..; What does the Government intend to do about it? T\he Mining Amendment Bill was reTiortejl from the Mines Committee with ■mendments. (Proceeding.)