PARLIAMENT

Feilding Star, Volume 3, Issue 320, 22 July 1925, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

BUSY NIGHT'S WORK

BILLS BEFORE THE HOFST

(Per P.-CB.H Association ) Wellington. July 21

REPORT OX PENSIONS

Tile -Minister of Pensions asked loi leave bo Table the annual report ol the .Pensions Department. Mr Wilford complained of want ol uniformity in our system and il the Minister could do anything to smooth • nit ths lack of uniformity he would '.e doing a great deal towards making our pensions system less difficult and more, efficient .Mr Harris urged greater generosity <• i treatment of soldiers, particularly -non afflicted with T.B. and \ .1)., Mr Holland complained that the additional 2s G<l granted last year i-ouhl not he paid to all,old age pensioners .just because they owned some -mall amount of property or because af some other trifling disability. Ibis, extra payment should be paid to all •lassies ol pensioners.

A number ol speakers discussed the report, each advocating some extern -ion of the pensions system. The Minister, in reply, said last year he wanted to bring about uniformity in the system hut the House would not allow him because that meant reducing some persons’ allowances. He hoped ibis session to put before Hie House some principles which would improve the system so Uiat tehy might he discussed. CHILD WELFARE BILL Sir .'James Parr moved the second reading of the Child Bid Ia re Dili. In doing so he stressed the advantage of Hie hoarding-out system of orphan children as against, housing thorn in disciplinary institutions.

Mr Jordan urged that ('very < doi t bo made to avoid the tendency to treat definciont children as criminals. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Education ( <>mmitlco for inquiry and report. TR ON A NT) STEEL INI) l ST RI F.S The House put through committee the iron and Steel Industries Amendment- Bill, which was reported without amendment, amb passed. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The Weights and Measures Bill was taken in committee.

Considerable opposition was show! to clause 1C compelling exposure tr iho buyers oi the weights and measures used.

Air (Masters contended the Bill should bo made to apply to wholesalers rather than U> retailers, because it was the wholesaler who packed the goods. If the Bill applied to wholesale merchants there would he some sense in it.

Th 0 Minister promised to make it apply to wholesale merchants as well a.s to the retailers Considerable discussion took place on clause 20 dealing with goods sold bv net weight or measure, several mem be is contending that Hns containing 14 instead ol 10 ounces weic a. “confidence” trick -upon the public who believed they were purchasing lib tins'.

The Minister g«ve his assuran.eo that he would hare the whole matter looked into again by experts and the remainder °f the clauses wcie passed unamended. The House rose' at 11.2-1 till 2MO to-m<jrr;QT?.