PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20864, 6 August 1931, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 5. Tho House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. J. B. Donald gave notice of his intention to introduce the Auckland War Memorial and Museum Amendment Bill. ’ The South Wairarapa River Board Empowering Bill (Air T. W. AUDonald) and tho Petonc Borough Council Empowering Bill (Air W. Nash, Hutt) wore introduced and read a first time. The reprint of the Statutes Bill was put through its remaining stages and passed. DEFENCE 'AMENDMENT BILL. Moving the second reading of the Defence Amendment Bill, the Aliuister of Defence (Hon. J. _B. Cobbo) said it provided for drafting members of the Territorial force into the reserve on attaining the age of thirty-five years instead of twenty-five as at present. It was considered that this extension of age would, by the inclusion of a number of older men, have the effect of stiffening up the various units. Provision was also made for drafting a /Territorial into the reserve at any time on his having completed throe years of efficient service, although he might not have attained thirty-live years of age. Mr Gobfae pointed out that tho Territorial might require for business reasons to retire from active participation in training after he had served for a time, and the provision gave the necessary authority to enable this to be done. The Bill also provided for an extension of the age for training in the reserve from thirty years to forty years of ago. Referring to the Government’s defence policy generally, Air Cobbe said it was intended to spend annual amounts of £200,000 on land defence and £40,000 on aviation, and these sums would provide a force which would he creditable to the dominion He paid a tribute to the fine spirit displayed not only by the permanent officers, but also by the Territorial officers, who, by their enthusiasm, were helping to make the volunteer movement a success. The newspapers also had been most helpful, and on the whole tho new system had been fairly dealt with throughout the dominion. The number of recruits attested to July 10 was:—Mounted Rilles 367, artillery 757, engineers 149, signallers 117, infantry 1,091, Army Service Corps 143, Aledical Corps 127, and up to date 50 per cent, of the number required to complete tho establishment had attested.

Air F. Waite (Clutha) said the Bill was a recognition of the. fact that recruits would not ho forthcoming in large numbers, and that it would he necessary to keep them under training for a longer period than formerly. Ho urged that some pretty stringent regulations should be issued to deter employers from taking advantage of tho recruits by replacing them in their jobs because of their going into annual camps. It was possible that such a situation might arise. Air W. E. _ Barnard (Napier) expressed the opinion that young recruits should he encouraged nnd should not bo deterred from service by the precedence being given to older men. He agreed that there should be statutory provision to ensure that volunteers’ lobs were kept open while they were in camp. Air T, W. AUDonald (Wairarapa) said ho welcomed tho proposal to raise the age, because older men would be a great help to the young recruits. Air 11. S. S Kyle said lie thought an effort should be made to encourage young men in the country , districts to join up with thh mmuiteds, although ho admitted it would be difficult to secure the necessary number of mounts. The Bill was read a second time. NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND.

Moving the second reading of the' National Provident Fund Amendment Bill, tho Aliuister in charge of the National Provident Fund Department (Hon. J. B. Donald) explained its provisions on the lines of his previous statement. Ho said the Bill would place contributors to the fund on the same basis as Civil servants, this provision having been made necessary as the result of tho salary cuts. There was also provision that claims for incapacity and maternity benefit had to be made within twelve mouths. Air A. Hamilton (Wallace) said he considered the scheme could be extended materially to the benefit of a largo number of people. Air AI, J. Savage (Auckland West) said ho would like an assurance that contributors would bo left iu tho same position as formerly. Mr Donald: That is so. The local authority had to decide whether contributors should continue at a higher rate or not The Bill was read a second time. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND BILL. Air F. Langstone (Waimarino), moving tho second reading of the Bank of Now Zealand Amendment Bill, said it aimed at conferring on tho directors of the bank appointed by the Government the same powers as those enjoyed by tho directors representing the shareholders. It also provided that directors appointed by the Government should not be connected with other banking, commercial, insurance, or other financial concerns. The Prime Aliuister (Air Forbes) said it would bo difficult to obtain men with the necessary qualifications for appointment who were not connected with institutions of the kind to which Air Langstone had referred. Tim debate was interrupted by_tho adjournment of tho House at 5.30 BUDGET DEBATE. The whole of the evening session was occupied by tho debate on the Budget (a report of which appears elsewhere), and the House rose at 9.45 p.m.