PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1923, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

O MR. MASSEY’S PRESTIGE. ' J ' MEMBERS’ VARYING ESTIMATES. (Special to “Star.”! WELLINGTON, June 22. Who is Reform’s strongest Minister ? Speaking in the House to-day, Mr Atmore stated: D tiring the' Oaniaru election campaign, the Prime Minister referred to Mr E. P. Lee as his second strongest Minister. I suppose he wanted the other Ministers to keep on guessing who was the strongest. The Prime Minister is certainly a wily old tactician. The Prime Minister: I never made such a statement. Mr Atmore: The papers said you did. The Prime Minister: They were ■wrong. Mr Atmore : Then they merely gave you credit for more cunning than ycu actually possess. “I don’t think it is quite fair to carry on the work of Parliament with the Prime Minister absent,” declared Sir J. Luke. The Leader of the. Opposition (Mr Wilford): Why not? Sir J. Luke: Because he is the king-pin. If wo put our shoulders to the wheel we can put' through the legislation that is needed before he goes. He (the speaker) could not understand what the Leader of the Opposition was “up to” in. connection with Mr Massey and the Imperial Conference. Mr Wilford smiled. Sir . Luke reminded the House that on .a former occasion when it was contended that Parliament should not

close down to allow Mr Seddon to go Home, Mr Wilford was insistent that it should do so. Mr Wilford: Was it not in 19J2 that Mr Seddon went home, and Sir J. Ward carried on? Sir J. Luke: It was a different proposition. ’ Liberal Member: You. had a government then. Sir J. Luke replied that if he were Prime Minister he would think it a proper thing to go away feeling that he had the confidence of the House, that the work was done, and that everyone was happy. Mr Wilford : Why do not you take charge ? Sir J. Luke : I can’t convince you that I have the confidence of the people. CROSSING ACCIDENTS. Level crossing accidents were also dealt with by ! Sir J. Luke. He said he thought that the Railway Department, through the Minister, should bring down a report showing what it would cost to put in overhead crossings at the most important crossings throughout New Zealand. He knew it would cost a good deal of money, but the toll of life at the present time was disastrous. Many crossings in New Zealand were too close to one another, and he thought some of them could be done away with. If high level crossings would be too expensive then powerful bolls should be installed instead of the. tinkling bell at the crossings now. These, were, not loud enough to be heard because most 05

the vehicles passing over crossings were motors. “BELOW PAR.” Mr Atmore adopted the role of tutor of tho Minister of Education. Mr Atmore, who took some part in the Tauranga by-election, was referring to the establishment of a district school at Morrinsville, and he endeavoured to suggest that the Minister’s action was intended to influence votes.in favour of the. Government candidate. The Minister of Education : Your facts are. all wrong. Mr Atmore: If they arc facts they cannot be wrong. Surely the Minister of Education should know that. It is on a par with the Minister’s statement yesterday about a newly-born convert. Fancy that from a Minister of Education. lam afraid the Minister is very much below par this evening. apprenticeship bill. ? Reference to the coming apprenticeship legislation was made by the Min-, ister of Labour (Hon J. G. Anderson). He said that he. had been endeavouring to bring about a beter state of affairs in the apprenticeship law. If possible he wanted to ascertain why it was that so many apprentices were offering for what had been expressly termed the “cuff and collar trades,” as compared with the very useful trades of the country. Nearly 200 per cent of apprentices were offering for engineering trades, fitting and turning. Sir J. Luke : There, is. no engineering in the country. The engineering trade has been driven out. The Minister said that it was impossible to get apprentices for blacksmithing or moulding, bricklaying, or plastering. Carpentering apprentices were not offering in very large numbers either, and there were not nearly sufficient carpenters. What he wanted to do was to ascertain what was the best means of inducing boys and girls to take up clothing and other trades of great importance, to the community, rather than take up professions, or go in. for clerkships. Amongst the unemployed of the country the

I.UVJ UIIVUI vvi '• * great majority were those who had got into dead ends. Tn limes of depression, it was very much easier to deal with, those who had knowledge of trades. The technical schools were very . necessary in connection with the training of apprentices. The scheme, he proposed was not an attempt to make the technical schools a part of the apprenticeship, but rn adjunct to it. He was. very pleased that the Director of Education intended to foster technical instruction in junior high schools. The Minister concluded by saying he believed that they would bo. able tn evolve some mealns that would induce a larger number of boys to take up trades and not get into dead ends. CABINET RECONSTRUCTION. There is as yet no sign of the end of the AdcTress-in-Replv debate, and the hope expressed by the Prime Minister that it will end on Monday night is not likely to be realised. Recent speakers have been very nninteresti ig, dealing with domestic, matters from purly party | oint of view. Howe.' -r, there have been few signs of intensive party wrangling except when recent by-elections arc mentioned. The Prime. Minister is n it likely to speak bef’-e Wednesday next. Cabinet’is to have a busy week anti h likely to come to some important

decisions. Among the matters to be abetted to the new Minister (Mr Bollard). This also involves the reconstruction of the Cabinet. Mr Parr is still displaying anxiety to be rid vt Public Health, and it is considered that Dr Pomare, who has not yet held an important administrative position, would not be opposed to taking charge of that Department. Cabinet will also consider the chairmanship committees, and may offer that office to Mr L. M. Tsitt. If it does so, there are a, number of staunch Reformers who will be displeased. Cabinet announcements are awaited with intense interest.