THE SESSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 June 1927, Page 7

THE SESSION

ANOTHER QUIET DAY TRIBUTES TO DECEASED (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 24. To-day was particularly quiet in the House and in the Legislative Council. After brief formal business, both Houses placed on record tributes to the memory of the following departed ex-Legislators, and adjourned until Tuesday as mark of respect: —Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Sir James Carroll, Sir A. Myers, Messrs Pirani, H. H. Lusk, E. Witty, and C. Cowan. Before adjourning, Mr Coates said that the House on Tuesday afternoon would be asked to pass a Bill extending the authority to local bodies to borrow for unemployment relief. The power now in force to that end will expire on June 30, hence legislation was urgent. ’After this business had been disposed of. an Imprest Supply Bill would be introduced. UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS. (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 24. In the House to-day, Mr Parry asked the Prime Minister, in view of the widespread distress and the institution of a soup kitchen and “doss house” in Auckland, due to the continued unemployment, what steps he proposed to take to relieve the situation and remove the necessity for “these institutions, which had not been in evidence for more than a quarter of a century.” The Minister of Labour (Hon. G. J. Anderson) replied to the question. The Government, he said, was taking steps which had been made known throughout the country. It considered that these steps would meet the situation, and local bodies were being subsidised. Mr Parry: “Is that on the basis of the 9s and 12s per day?” The Minister: “Yes.” Mr Parry: “Is the Council compelled to pay that wage?” The Minister: “The Council can pay what wage it likes,but the money will only be subsidised to that extent.”

CLOSING HOURS. SHOPKEEPERS’ PETITION. (.Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 24. A petition signed by some hundreds of people was presented in the House to-day, objecting to the power of the Arbitration Court to fix the closing hours of business premises. The petitioners submit that in the interest of shopkeepers, the closing hours of business premises should be fixed by Parliament. Il is stated that most small shops are situated in the suburbs and country districts, and that a considerable amount of business would be lost to them by having to close at the hours fixed by the Court. Any shopkeeper prejudicially affected should have the power to apply to a Magistrate for exemption. Legislation is asked for to give effect to thg peti tion.