PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1936, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

'' TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS

'-HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

" The House of Representatives met at .2.30 p.m.

•;, Mr. A. G. Osborne, the new; Gov- ■. ..ernment member for Manukau, was :) -sworn in as a member of the House --'"oi Representatives, and took his seat J.< Mr. A. G. Hultquist (Government, Bay of Plenty). Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs) asked the Minister of Railways if he was aware that busdrivers on the Wellington-Hutt route were working on an average 48 hours per week. Would he introduce the 40----hour week, as had been done by many private firms, and thus provide the bus-drivers with the same amount of '-leisure time as is enjoyed by others engaged in similar occupations? The Hutt bus-drivers worked 96 hours

every two weeks, said Mr. Wright. Mr. Wright moved that the Standing Orders be suspended to permit the introduction of the Wellington City Em-

powering Bill. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. '--» rJ. Savage): I want to make it clear r-M .that 'this will be the last day; there ~ ...will be no more after today. ~'Here we have a local' body

'right alongside Parliament Buildings Mr. Wright's motion was carried > and the Bill was introduced and read a first time. The Finance Bill was introduced by Governor-General's Message. The Minister of Finance (the Hon. •*W. Nash) said that the Bill contained loan authority provisions, and one or two minor amendments to the Pensions Act, and there was also provision empowering local authorities to borrow money without a poll of the ratepayers. This would oper- " ate only in certain circumstances— • '' where the money was needed to relieve ■ ■'■'unemployment, and where the Govern- -■ ment was granting a subsidy. The "'-■" Bill also empowered the Public Trus'""Jfee and the Government Life Insurance Commissioner to lend money up "-'■ to a 66 2-3 per cent, basis instead of 60 per cent, as at present. Mr. Nash said that he hoped to have the Bill passed at today's sitting, and that he hoped to take the Supplementary Estimates tomorrow.

„.. • -.-■, -; (Proceeding.)