POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 23834, 14 March 1941, Page 10

POLITICAL POINTS

DELAY IN ANNOUNCING LEANDER VICTORY. EXPENSES OF HOME GUARDS [From Oor Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 13. The House of Representatives spent only a brief period on formal business when it resumed yesterday afternoon. It adjourned till evening for the secret session. The proposal is that the usual all-day sitting on Friday be curtailed, as the only business, pending the Ad-dress-m-Reply debate, is an urgent health measure relating to_ the Lake Takapuna water supply, which the Opposition was asked to regard as noncontroversial. Its first stages will be taken prior to the passing of a number of condolence motions relating to deceased legislators. Opposition members took great interest in a question by Mr Cullen (Hawke’s Bay) to the Minister of Agriculture. “More control,’ said one of these members after Mr Cullen had asked whether, in view of the fact that the Government is responsible for the marketing of onr entire apple and pear crop, the Minister, in fairness to the Internal Marketing Department and tho growers alike, will insist on the further planting of pip-fruit trees being subjected to departmental license. “ While it is true,” added Mr Cullen, “ that there is a growing demand for canning peaches, there already exists a sufficiently large supply of pip fruit, especially apples, to meet both export and local markets even in normal times. A further indiscriminate planting of apple trees will simply add to the difficulties of the department and the growers. The method of making the official announcement regarding the success of H. Leander iu its encounter with the Italian armed merchant ship Bamb I. was raised by Mr Poison (Stratford). He asked tho Prime Minister whether such radio announcements could not be made forthwith instead of being mentioned earlier and hold up, as in this case, till 6.55 p.m. on Sunday, with the result that some churchgoers missed the news. Others, he added, amid laughter, missed church. “ I did not hear the announcement myself,” replied the Prime Minister, “ but instructions were given for the announcement to be made at a time specified by agreement between the British and Australian Governments, though it had to synchronise. I regret the circumstances very much, and if anything can be done to obviate such an arrangement in the future I shall be pleased to do so.” In a further urgent question Mr Poison asked the Minister in Charge of Alan Power what arrangements the Government proposed to make for the out-of-pocket expenses of the Homo Guards, and whether he would place a sum on the Estimates that would enable these charges to he mot. Mr Semple, replying, said that the Government was at present considering a capitation scheme for such purpose.