PARLIAMENT MINISTERS ANSWER QUESTIONS IN HOUSE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 2

PARLIAMENT MINISTERS ANSWER QUESTIONS IN HOUSE

Wide Variety of Subjects

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 31. Written replies by Ministers to 44 questions asked by members were circulated in the House of Representatives this afternoon, and members spent'until the tea adjournment discussing them. Hospital Equipment. ■The Minister of Customs (Mr. Nash) replying to Mr. J. T. Watts (Opposition, Riccarton), said that when machinery and appliances used in hospitals for therapeutic and surgical purposes were not available from Empire countries, there was power under the Customs Amendment Act, 1927, to admit such goods for customs purposes as if they were of British origin. There was no corresponding power for the remission of sales tax, but the incidence of sales tax upon surgical apparatus generally was at present under consideration. In the instance cited by Mr. Watts of a hospital board paying £215/14/4 in customs, duty and sales tax on apparatus costing £399/19/6, Mr. Nash said the board would obtain a rebate of customs duty. Local Body Loans. Mr. Nash, answering Mr. J. F. B. Cotterill (Government, Wanganui), who ha'd asked a question about financing local body loans at nominal rates of interest, said he could appreciate that there was considerable local support for the suggestion that Wanganui’s civic debt should be refinanced at 1 per cent. Mr. Nash said the Government’s policy during the last 10 years had been to reduce interest rates to a minimum, and they were at present lower than ever before in the Dominion’s history.. It was proposed to continue this policy. Retail Prices. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan), answering Miss M. B. Howard (Government, Christchurch East), said the Price Tribunal had no knowledge that consumer goods were being held up in factories, warehouses and shops in the expectation of a rise in price. Fines on Bookmakers. The Attorney-Genera] (Mr. Mason) in reply, to Mr. T. C. Webb (Opposition, Kaipara) said no fines imposed on bookmakers during the last four years had been remitted, but two had been reduced. Extreme hardship, including illness, family responsibilities, lack of. financial means, that the defendant was operating in a small way, and that he was a first offender, were in both instances the grounds upon which the royal prerogative of mercy was exercised. Shipping Dispute. The Minister of Marine (Mr. O’Brien), replying to Mr. T. C. Webb, said the refusal of seamen to take colliers to sea at Westport recently appeared to be a breach of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925, and of the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations, 1939. While the question of appropriate action was being considered, the Government’s efforts had been devoted to maintaining the active operation of essential shipping, and the co-operation of ’ all concerned had been given in pushing on with the heating and lighting of ships. “Political Speeches.” “It is not and never has been the policy of the Government to ‘put up civil servants’ to make political speeches,” said the Minister of Marketing (Mr. Roberts), answering Mr. J. T. Watts (Opposition, Riccarton). Mr. Watts had asked whether the Minister approved the action of Mr. Boss Fraser, Director of Marketing, in attending a meeting of co-opera-tive societies in Palmerston North, and making a political, speech. Mr. Roberts said Mr. Ross Fraser was present at the conference in his official capacity, and with the. Minister’s approval snoke on the functions and activities of the Internal Marketing Division. Control of the Press. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), replying to Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill), said his attention had been drawn to the proposal that the British Government should hold an inquiry into the ownership and control of the press in the United Kingdom, and added that the Government would consider whether there was a need to hold an inquiry into the ownership and control of the of New Zealand, similar to that suggested for the United Kingdom. Children’s Footwear. Mr. Sullivan, replying to Mr. Watts, said he had last week 'presided over a conference of footwear manufacturers, which considered means of stimulating the production of children’s footwear. Manufacturers expressed confidence that the employment and training of returned servicemen would enable supplies to be substantially increased. Import licences were already available •for children’s footwear in excess of the supply. Officer’s Resignation. The Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones), answering Mr. C. M. Bowden (Opposition, Wellington West), said it was a fact that an officer of a particular Army motor transport store in Wellington recently, tendered his resignation. Instead of bringing under official notice any irregularities or discrepancies he discovered, as was his duty, this officer elected to make allegations of such irregularities and discrepancies in his letter of resignation. (Mr. Bowden had asked whether it was a fact that irregularities had been discovered at

this Army transport store, in consequence of which an officer had been asked to be relieved of his duties). Mr. Jones said the officer’s resignation had been accepted, and the Controller and Auditor-General was giving prompt attention to the matter, o’he 'goods concerned were not yet subject to the War Assets Realisation Board’s control.