MINISTERS REPLY TO QUESTIONS PUT IN HOUSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23316, 27 July 1950, Page 5

MINISTERS REPLY TO QUESTIONS PUT IN HOUSE

(Special) WELLINGTON. July 27. The average cost of tea imported into the United Kingdom is slightly under 3s per lb. Mr. R. Walls (Opp.. North Dunedin) inquired of the Minister of Marketing, Mr. K. J. Holyoake, what was the imported cost in New ZeaThe Minister replied in the House of Representatives that during the last lb months it was 3s per lb. to the nearest farthing. .. , , The fund for subsidising approval of cultural and recreational organisations was over-committed last year, stated the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. W A. Bodkin. This resulted in the current .year's allocations being considerably reduced and only organisations whose applications had already been approved could now receive financial assistance from this source. Mid-Week Racing

The authority Cor mid-week racing was permissive, not mandatory. It applied only to Christchurch and Wellington. stated the Minister of Internal Affairs in replying, to Mr. R. M. Mac* Farlane (Opp.. Christchurch Central). The Minister added: “I am satisfied there would be far less loss of production than if meetings were held on Saturdays only. lam not aware of any request for the general restoration of mid-week racing, nor have I received a deputation in that connection. „ . . , , “The Gaming Commission had suggested that the earliest possible opportunity be seized to restore national and carnival weeks in Christchurch and to permit one week-day meeting at Wellington in July.

“Representations along these lines had been received from various sources, particularly from sporting bodies, who claimed that racing was usurping all Saturdays and as they depended on a “gate” for their existence they urged that the Gaming Commission's recommendations be put into effect. After the matter had been fully discussed with the representatives of the New Zealand racing and trotting conferences it was decided to give general effect to the suggestions of that commission.” Hospital Salaries “The requirement that certain increases in the remuneration of hospital board employees shall not be made without the approval of the Minister of Health was decided on by the Cabinet, chiefly for the reason that the cost of such increases falls on the Consolidated Fund,” stated the Minister of Health, Mr. J. T. Watts, replying to a question. The restrictions, he added, are to guard against unreasonable competition for staff at the expense of public funds," In administering them every endeavour would be made to give just and reasonable treatment to all employees concerned. As soon as a satisfactory method for dealing with the situation was worked out the control would be abandoned. Dealing with a suggestion that race broadcasting should be confined to one or two main stations so as to avoid interruption of radio programmes, the Minister of Broadcasting, Mr. F. W. Doidge, said that the service was reviewing the broadcast coverage of race results so that, when the improvements in the coverage of certain stations becomes effective towards the end of the year the presentation of racing information would be better co-ordinated than at present. The Government film unit’s weekly review is to be definitely discontinued. The Minister of Broadcasting informed Mr. F. Jones (Opp., St. Kilda) that, as has already been announced, some of the material produced in the weekly review had relatively little value in relation to its expense; also that this production hindered the unit from performing other necessary work. Therefore, in the interests of economy and efficiency, it was decided that the weekly review should cease.