SESSION’S FIRST DAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1925, Page 5

SESSION’S FIRST DAY

ORDER OF BUSINESS. I 1 v ’ j -MEMBERS’ MANY ENQUIRIES? j 1 I (Special to “Star.”) I A , f c ' WELLINGTON, June 25. s Parliament opened ■ this afternoon ( with all due ceremony, but the for- < nullities having been disposed of, and 1 His Excellency's speech having been 1 obtained by Air. Speaker for the pur- 1 poses of “greater accuracy,” so that ’ Members may consult it if they desire i to reassure themselves on some point i referred to, while the Address-in-Reply debate is proceeding next week, al- ) though it is more than probable they i will promptly forget all about Avhat is i contains, but inform Hansard at great i length as to what it should have con- • tallied. ‘ The House lost no time in bombarding the Ministerial benches with questions, aiid between 3 and 3.30 o’clock, they managed to rain in something like seventy queries. What with election propaganda and all sorts of suggestive material, questions rattled down on Mr. Speaker’s head like a discharge of musketry, but at length the ammunition ran. out, and at 3.30, Members were content to accept relief in afternoon tea, as guests of the Prime Minister And Mrs. Coates. During the sitting,'Mr. McLennan, the new member ■ for Franklin, was sworn in and took his seat. .Speakin" to the motion for adjournment, Mr. Holland asked the Prime Minister.to give an indication of the order in which he proposed to take the opening business of the session. He Avished to know whether Mr. Coates proposed to alter; the customary procedure this time in regard to moving and seconding the Address-in-Reply motion on one evening, and the continuance of the debate on subsequent days. Mr. Coates said lie proposed that the House should meet' on Friday afternoon and take in memoriam and obituary references and then adjourn until 730 p.m. on Monday, wheh the Imprcs Supply Bill would be introduced. That would facilitate the work that lay ahead. On Tuesday evening he proposed that the Address-in-Reply debate should commence,. the mover and seconder only speaking. Mr Coates said that he had not consulted the Leader of the Opposition ••.bont the Oidfer of procedure, but thought the arrangement outlined would meet with his approval. Mr. Wilford said that it was quite acceptable to the Opposition. The Address-in-Reply is to be moved bv Air. McLennan, and seconded by Mr Hudson. “NO-CONFIDENCE” MOTION. Perhaps the Labour Party will now be able to claim in earnest that they are the official Opposition. What everybody was waiting for this afternoon was an indication from Mr. Wilford that he intended to move ah amendment of no-confidence in the Go- , vernrnent, but they did not get it. Perhaps this Avas only to be expected in view of the fact that a caucus of the Liberal Party, as well as that of the Reform Party, is to be held to-morrow night to decide the fate of the report of the delegates who conferred at the recent fusion conference. However, the fact was that so far as the Liberal benches were concerned, they were silent on the question of no-confidence, so Mr. Holland lost no opportunity oi getting in with notice that he intended to move an amendment to the Address-in-Reply. Of course, this does not rule out the possibility of the Liberals still taking action against the Government, because the House is to meet on Monday to receive the Imprest Supply Bill, and if it is certain before then that fiision is as dead as dodo, the Liberals may shorv on that occasion what their attitude towards the Government is going to be. Air. Holland may not be the first in with the , hostile amendment after all. ABOUT “PACTS.” The proposed peace pact, and another . kind of pact, came in for mention during the afternoon. Air. Wilford gave ’ notice to a«k the Primo Minister when . he proposed to make a statement to the ; House regarding the peace pact, and avliether he intended to supply Mem- , hers with all information given by the . Home Government in relation to the : matter: also whether an opportunity would be given to Members to discuss r tho attitude to be taken by the DohiinJ ion towards the pact. , Mr. Holland : “Is that the ReformLiberal pact?” (Laughter). 3 ’There was a • humorous interlude [ when the facetious inember for Auck--5 land East (Mr. Lee) asked a question j bearing on the matter 1 recently raised , by erstwhile but norv rebellious Liberal 3 supporter, Air. Hall Skelton, of r Auckland. Air. Lee said that he, inj tended to ask the Prime Minister whether there was ‘any truth in the suggestion that the Leader of the Liberal Party was to be appointed, to ah Ambassadorial positioii in America. Needless to sav, Air. Lee’s mild s sally at Air. Wilford evoked hearty > laughter from all sides, not the least • from Air. Wilford

“You’re on a Lee shore,” interjected Mr. Wilford amidst laughter. Mr. Lee : “On-the rocks.” (Renewed laughter). Notice was given by Mr. Sidey that he intended to ask leave to introduce The Summer Time Bill. Mr. Sidey commenced to impart this information solemnly, hut roars of laughter which followed almost drowned the dying cadences of his voice. Mr. Sidey has been heatd on the virtues of summer time before, but he has so far failed to convert the whole of the Members of the House to his opinions, so ho proposes to shed a little more light on them within the next few weeks.

An undertaking was given by the Government last session that in the recess, a committee would be set up to go into the whole question of gaming laws,, but probably on account of the death of Mr. Massey, and other reasons, the matter did not receive the promised investigation. Apparently, however, it is not to be left at that. Mr. Witty notified that he intends to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs if if is his intention this year to consider the gaming laws. RAILWAY MATTERS. Keen interest in the railway system was shown by Members, and many inquiries were made for improvements is services. Mr. Witty sought to have definite information from the Minister of Railways as to when the duplication and electrification of Lyttelton tunnel would be commenced. As an additional precaution on trains, which have been speeded un, Mr. Veitch gave notice that ho intends to ask the Minister if he Will have the most efficient high speed appliances attached to the Westinghouse brakes. The advisability <>f the Department collecting and delivering passengers luggage, was the subject of :i 'question to be asked bv Mr. Harris, who refer-

red to the system in force in the United Kingdom. Air. O’Brien said that he would ask the Minister why it is-that second-class tourist tickets cannot be provided on railways at reduced, rates. . Air, Forbes gave notice to ask the Minister of Public Woi’ks whether he will give serious cohsideratiofi in framing tr.e Estimates to the completion of the South Island Main Trunk. . ■ Several questions regarding wages were asked. Air. Wilford said that ho proposed to inquire whether , the Government would appoint a Judge of the Supreme Court, or other suitable person, to inquire into the - matter of superannuation of m embers of the Civil-Service, including the question of anomalies, and Air. Party stated that he intended to ask whether the Alinister of Labour would set up an inquiry, by an organisation on which Labour would be represented, to decide what should lie the basic wage to afford a standard of living. Air. Ngata gave notice to ask the Government whether legislation would be introduced this session, seeing that this is election year, affording the Maoris an opportunity of voting on the licensing, question in the same manner as the Pakehas.

WEST COAST ITEAIS

Various matters of AVest Coast interest were raised in the form of notices aiid questions. Air. O’Brien said that he would ask the Alinister of Pensions whether legislation could be brought in this session enabling several old pioneers on the Coast to receive an increase of 2/6 a week in old age pensions passed by Parliament last session.’ The Pensions Department, he said,,had refused increases to some of the pensioners because they were living in huts'which wore not their own. Certain objections had also been raised in other cases. • Mr. O’Brien also said that he would ask the Minister of Railways if he would explain the reason for the frequent breakdown of the electric signalling on the Christchurch—Greyinouth" lines, and whether the system had resulted in any saving to the Department. Air. Armstrong notified his desire to ask the Alinister. whether ho would reduce freiubt charges between Christchurch and Greymouth. because there were so many empty trains winning at present. Air. O’Brien said that ho would 'ike the' Alinister of Public Works to have an ibqui'w made into the reports on the bvdro-glectnc scheme si’bmirtrej to the Grey Power Board bv the National Company-. ' The reports from this Comn.any, he stated, were verv contradictory, and the ratepayers were compelled ty. accept a steam scheme contrarv to their wishes The yatenpvers should be protected by .the Government. DAIRY AFFAIRS. Several questions of importance, to dairy-farmers Avere asked. Air. Nash stated that he would ask the Alinister of Agriculture Avhether legislation AVoiild.be introduced this session for compulsory grading of cream by dairy factories. He said that the- system had been introduced by numerous companies, blit could not be enforced except by Act. Air. Masters stated that he is asking Avhether the Alinister will amend the Dairy .Control Art to provide for the ward system of election to the Board. Air. Smith said that he would ask the Alinister, in view of the prevalence of cattle sickness, Avhether he would bring down legislation to encourage people to take up study in veterinary science. PENSIONS AND HOUSING.

No inconsiderable portion of the numerous questions of which notice was given had reference to questions of pensions and housing. Most of these came from Labour benches, and were in the nature of requests as to whether the Government intended to introduce legislation to increase old age, blind, and widows’ pensions, and provide invalidity pensions. Mr. Parry wanted the old age pensions to be increased to 25'- week. Mr. Smith is inquiring whether the Alinister of Pensions has done anything during the recess towards the introduction of a universal pension, and Mr. Atmore is asking whether the old age pensions could be raised to 17s 6d per week, irrespective of property and income ; also whether the widows’ pensions could be raised to the level of 1918 epidemic widows’ pensions. The State Advances Department came in for attention from several inenibers. First of all Mr. Howard asked whether the Alinister of Finance would make a statement for publication. showing how far the Department was successful in satisfying applicants who had Applied for loans eighteen months ago. Air. AlcKeen desired to know hoivdong the workers would have to wait for loans after making application.

The Minister of Labour is to be asked by Air. Fraser as to whether the rent restriction legislation will be continued. and Air- Ilvride seeks to have such legislation consolidated in order to avoid confusion.

Before the House adjourned, the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill was introduced and read a first time.