YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19325, 11 August 1926, Page 3

YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT

THE ESTIMATES COMPLETED THe annual report on mental hospitals (details of which appear elsewhere} was tabled. . , , ~ The Hon. R. A. Wright laid on the table the report of the National 1 i.ovident Fund, which, ho said now consisted of about £25,000, and the Government subsidy to the fund now amounted to £4o,ooo.—The report was ordered to bo printed. The Howard Estate Amendment Hill was introduced by Governor-General s Message. • , • The report of the friendly societies was presented by tbc Hon. R. A. Wright. , , The Leader of the Opposition asked whether the Government had given any consideration to the extension oi the maternity bonus to all mothers.— The Hon. Mr Wright said that Cabinet had not considered this matter. It was quite obvious that such an extension would greatly increase the cost, but no would have the matter looked into with a view to laying it before Cabinet. . In laying on the table the report ol the probation oflicers, the Hon. E. «• Rolloston said there was no doubt the svstem of probation was good in its general effect. The statistics ol the office were not quite complete, but miprovemeuts were being made in that direction. The general deduction was that about 85 per cent, of those who came under the Act did not return to the offenders' list. What the department was aiming at was that there should he closer personal touch between the probationers and the probation officers. Discussing the prisons report, Mr W. J. Jordan complained of the personnel of the Prisons Board, and asked what qualification these gentlemen had which warranted their appointment. — The Hon. Mr Rolloston said the members of the board were all gentlemen experienced in philanthropic work, and had done their work very satisfactorily for many years. Their only remuneration was travelling expenses and a nominal foe of £1 per day when the board was sitting. In the evening the House went into Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates.

The rote for the National Provident and Friendly Societies Department ’,897) was passed without comment. On the vole for the Cook Islands (£26,972) Mr 11. E. Holland ;isked for some information about the lepers taken to Makogai from the Islands.—Sir Maui Pomare, replying,.said that about sixty cases had been discovered in the Islands. Forty had been taken to Makogai, and twenty more were to go. Accommodation had been provided at Makogai at a cost of £2,000. The disease had been prevalent in the group for many years, but was unknown before the advent of the white man. The history of the disease in the Islands was interesting. A leper case wont to Samoa from Hawaii. A man from Penrhyn Island visited Hawaii about the same time, and after his return homo he developed leproyv. This island of Penrhyn had always been the worst sufferer. No whites were affected. Careful investigations wero being made to seo wlvether the disease, showed any tendency to show out in fresh cases. Some doubtful ones were under observation.—The vote was passed. On the vote for the Department of Industries and Commerce (£11,167), Mr W. A. Vcitoh urged that greater efforts bo made to extend the department’s activities so as to develop the country’s secondary industries.—Mr E. P. Leo, in stressing the need for greater encouragement of secondary industries, contrasted the vole of £II,OOO for this department with the £054,000 allocated for the Department of Agriculture.— Mr V,'. E. I'arry asked for information regarding subsidies for the Vancouver and Sun Francisco steamship services.— Mr J. A. Lee said lie thought that in view of the value of industrial exhibitions, as proved by the Exhibition at Dunedin, the Government might wolf give some subsidies to smaller industrial shows held in different centres.—, The Minister (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod) said that no venture along industrial lines could entirely disregard primary industries. Touching on the. complaint regarding the prices charged for gas in certain centres, he thought the remedy was in sight—that, indeed, the reply was already visible in the everincreasing use which was being made of electric energy. The Minister said the subsidy question must be regarded from the economic standpoint, and the South Island could not be disregarded. The matter had been under the Government's consideration for the past Iwo years. The subsidies paid to the San Francisco and Vancouver steamers wets obtained on particularly advantageous terms, which would not bo possible if the steamers had to divert their courses further south. —The vote was passed. The Valuation'.Department (£49,183) was the next vole taken, and in this connection Mu H. M.‘ Keen contended that the applicants for loans under tho Slate Advances Act. whose loans were refused, wero entitled to a cony of the valuer’s valuation, since the applicant bad paid lor it,—The Minisur. in reply, said that iii practice it has been found that the furnishing of copies ol valuation gave rise to endless annoyance, since the disappointed applicant endeavored to convince the department he was right and (he valuer was wrong. After all. the lender was tho one to say whether iho seenrity offered was satisfactory.—The vo'e was passed.

On the main highways account (£571,5(10) Mr Adam M-nnilion obiecie.d to the method of registering motor cars, exception being taken to the annual change on the registered numbers as being costly, laborious ,and inconvenient.—The Minister replied that, though objection was taken, no alternative method had been suggested.—The vote was passed. On the vote of CTIO.OSO for mental hospitals, Mr P. Fraser complimented the 'department on the excellence of its report and the satisfactory results achieved by its staff under disadvantageous circumstances, particularly the overcrowding at most of the hospitals. —Tbo vote, was passed. Tbo Audit Department (£23,029) was passed without discussion, as was the vole of £250,000 for the State forests account.

On ihe vote of £1.00(1 for the Nauru and Ocean Islands account, Mr A. M. Samuel made air appeal to the Government to secure cheaper fertilisers for fanners as the greatest boon they could confer on the primary producers.—The Minister, in reply, said the examination of suppliers’ ami manufacturers’ books showed that fertilisers wore, being sold in New Zealand as cheaply as the present circumstances would allow. —Mr Samuel contended that fertilisers could be cheapened to fanners from Ids to 25s per ton. —The vote was passed. This completed consideration of the Estimates, and the House rose at Lie p.m.