PARLIAMENT’S FIRST DAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 June 1930, Page 7

PARLIAMENT’S FIRST DAY

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS • ■ ' ' \ ‘ ’ , . ' ' ARAPUNI INQUIRIES [SPECIAL TO “STAR.”] ; WELLINGTON, June 26. Parliament was opened this afternoon with due ceremony. The first sitting of the House was characterised by the expected bombardment of notices of questions to Ministers, in which the subject of Arapuni' was most conspicuous. The leader of the Opposition (Mr Coates) and ‘many private members raised various phases of the subject of disturbance at the hydro-electric works. Mr Coates asked for a complete statement of: investigations, reports etc., connected with the Arapuni works, and asked the Prime Minister, if he, will consider appointing a/commission or committee of the House in order to lift the whole question beyond any pbliticak controversy. Mr Semple asked a similar question. Mr Forbes replied that the Government wojild take the House into. its fullest confidence. The . question of setting up a commission, or committee of the House was a .matter for consideration.. Meaiiwiiile/sfull investigation. of the position ”.was being' made. A ' A-1 "A V? ’ ’ In a lengthy statement, * the Minister of Public Works (Mr Taverner) traced the ..history of the Arapuni troqble’. He ; said' tha f t,--if necessary inquiries would be 5 made' in ‘London as to .the possibility of securing ■ promptly a steam plant for installation in the Waikato district, handy to the coal mines. Summarising the report from the geologists, Mr Taverner: said they declared that the whole of the block of country affected might have been in tension from natural causes, and the extra excavation for the power house, together with the hydrostatic thrusts in the penstock head, might have just caused the limit of resistance to be overcome. The geo- » legists expressed the opinion there was no undue water percolation from . the spillway, previous [to the formation of the cracks. Further investigations would include a survey of the \ financial position of the scheme and deal with the economic aspect. Notice was . given by Mr Clinkhard, that he will move the Address-in-Re-ply motion. The House -rose until tomorrow afternoon.’ 1 f ,

NEW OFFICIALS.

WELLINGTON, June 26.

When the Qouse meets to-morrow, Mr W- A. Bodkin (Central Otago), will be nominated by the Prime Ministei* as Chairman of Committee to succeed Mr S. G. Smith, who filled the position until his recent elevation to' Cabinet rank. Mr Bodkin’s -selection was endorsed at the Caucus, of the United Party. • "■ ■ The -Caucus of the United Party has appointed its Whips to succeed Mr A. J. Murdoch (now a member of the Ministry) and, Mr G. C. Black, who resigned when Sir Joseph Ward relinquished the office of Prime Minister. ' "•. •.

Mr G. C. MunnS (Roskill) has been elected as Senior . Whip, and Mr E. F. Healy (Wairau) as Junior Whip.