POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 6

POLITICAL POINTS

BANK LEGISLATION DIFFICULTY [T»OK Ovt PAfcUAKIKTAST R / WELLINGTON September 9. The report of the examiners on private Bills was presented to the House of Representatives to-day, dealing with the amendment of the London and New Zealand Bank, Ltd., Act Amendment. This seeks to extend by a further two years the time within which the promoters are to obtain the minimum capital of a million sterling, which is the necessary preliminary to the incorporation of the bank to carry on business in the dominion. The committee of examiners reported that the Standing Orders had not been complied with. The necessary notice regarding the legislation had not been adequately advertised in the official ‘ Gazette,’ nor had the proper papers . been deposited, with the parliamentary authorities in time. They recommended that the Bill be not allowed to proceed, and this report was adopted without discussion, • * * * AN IRRITATING GRIN. That a smile can be an offensive interruption was evident, from the attitude of Mr Sullivan (Avon) in the House to-day, when ho became particularly annoyed. During his speech on unemployment ho had pleaded with fellow members to be helpful, not merely critical, and from this angle he condemned the speech of the Leader of the Opposition. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart looked across at the speaker and smiled. “It is not creditable that the member for Dunedin West should sit there and get fun out of the problems of these people,” said Mr Sullivan severely. There was no response from the front Opposition benches, but Mr Speaker intervened with the request that the' term “ not creditable ” bo withdrawn, Mr Sullivan, complying, remarked; “I am doubly disappointed at the attitude of the hon. .gentleman sitting there grinning and laughing at this time.” Another intervention from the chair and Mr Sullivan confessed that he found it difficult to comply with the Standing Orders and at the same time adequately.describe the attitude of the member for Dunedin West. The latter during the whole incident Seemed immersed in a daily newspaper. «** ■ * A DISLOYAL OFFICER. .. . That part of the contents of an official file of the Railway Department had been supplied irregularly to a member of Parliament was the statement made by the Minister of Railways in the House to-day in answer to Mr Langstone (Waimarino), who had raised the question of the department purchasing from Australia a quantity of springs for rolling stock. The Minister had previously explained that no order had been placed as alleged, but that the work of providing 1,000 springs had been distributed among New Zealand firmfc. He added; ‘‘lt will be seen that the h6n. member has been supplied with misleading information through some disloyal officer who, by some means/ had access to the departmental records. The letter in question'(containing a recommendation that an order*Jbo- placed • with a Sydney firm), by being divbrced from the other matter on tho files, has misled the hon. member to a wrong conclusion. The information I gave was correct.” # # * *. B CLASS STATIONS. 1 Jt strong effort is being made to secure Government approval for the establishment;/of B class radio broadcasting stations in New Zealand with a certain amount of advertising privileges. A Wellington business concern is anxious to enter this field, and ■the Acting P.rime Minister is being interviewed on' the subject this week. This suggests that there has been difficulty in convincing the PostmasterGeneral, regarding tho wisdom of the step. It will be some time before the Government will need to announce its future policy regarding broadcasting from A stations, as the New Zealand Radio Broadcasting Company’s license does hot expire till January, 1932.