PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1929, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

. STANDING ORDERS REFORMED. (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, August 2. The House was occupied this afternoon with a debate of more, or less domestic nature, on the recommenda- . tions of the committee set up during the recess to revise the standing orders. i The proposal to curtail the speeches on the Address-in-Reply to half-an-hour, and the recommendation that newspapers be not circulated in the Chamber when the House is siting were the principal topics of discussion. Before adjourning at 5.30, for the “week-end, approval was-given to the first portion of the recommendations, including the hours of sitting, which will be from 2.30 till 10.30 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Friday.

The debate will be resumed next Tuesday afternoon, and in the evening the House will commence a long debate on the Financial Statement, expected to last for at least a fortnight.

WESTLAND SETTLEMENT.

Notice was given by Mr J. O’Brien in the House to-day’ o£ his intention to ask the Minister of Lands if he will have careful investigation made of all lands in Westland suitable for settlement or purchase, with a view to settling as many farmers as possible on the land. In Westland, he said, there was a large area suitable for settlement that could .be bought for from £6 to £lO an acre, and in the Kopara district land could be purchased very cheaply indeed.

NEW RAILWAYS.

Notice was given by Mr Black to ask the Prime Minister whether in view of the fact that filling of the gap and completion of the Midland Railway will be the most effective means of restoring prosperity to the Murchison district, and the statement in the Budget

that the estimate for the line has probably been upset by the recent earthquake, the full effects of which are not yet known, and that the proposed route will have to be re-examined, he will arrange for engineers to make the necessary survey without delay, and (2) whether in view of the fact that similar reference is made in the Budget to the Inangahua-Westport line, the engineers’ survey will be carried out forthwith, to permit of work being commenced at the Reefton end without delay.

FARMERS’ TAXATION.

ASHBURTON, August 2. The Ashburton County Council resolved to send a strong protest to the Premier, and Messrs Jones and Burnett. M-’s P. against tlie Government’s policy of taxing the farming community to the extent of £BOO,OOO to he'lp meet the deficit of £900,000.