PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Grey River Argus, 29 November 1927, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. (Special to “Argus”). WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. The expenditure of a further sum of £206,547 is provided for in the Supplementary Estimates which were introduced in the House of Representatives to-day, and will be considered on Monday. The sum of £3OO has been set down for' expenses of the Royal Commission to Samoa, and the earlier visit of Mr Nosworthy cost £585. For the Commission of Inquiry into the Dobson mine disaster. £306 is provided. The Public Works Fund estimate is £21,167, including £7OOO for railway construction and £6OOO for roads. In the separate accounts there is £5OOO for education, loans of £25,000 for the Main Highways Revenue fund, £75,000 for the Main Highways Construction fund, £13,000 for the State Forests account, £9748 for State Coal Mines, and £13,623 for the working Railway account.

The Chief Telegraph Engineer is allowed £lOOO for expenses in attending the World Radio Conference. For expenses incidental to the maintenance of the Central Otago irrigation works there is an estimate of an additional £5400.

A grant is made of £lOO towards the expenses of the Greymouth Diamond Jubilee. The sum of £1250 is set down as compassionate allowance for the widow of the late Hon. Bollard and £470 for the widow of the late William Jolliffe, film censor for New Zealand. The Cricket Council is given £lOOO towards expenses of the English tour. A special grant of £1250 is made to Sir Truby King on i ntirement, and an addi-t:-°nal £5OOO is estimated in connection with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. The Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children received £4,465. including £625 for maintenance of the Karitane Hospital at Invercargill and £2OOO in subsidies towards salaries of Plunket nurses. The additional naval defence estimate is £7425, including £6235 for repairs, etc., to warships. For expenses in connection with the British airship mission £4OO is set down. The Department of Agriculture provides £BOOO for subsidies to cow testing organisations.

MOTOR VEHICLES BILL. CONSUL’S AMENDMENT DISAPPROVED OF. (Special to Argus.) WELLINGTON, November 28. The House of Representatives had a quiet sitting to-night, a few minor Government bills being cleared off a very diminished order paper. The Licensing Bill and Arbitration Bill remain very low on the order paper, and the end of the cession depends upon Mr Coates’ attitude on these two measures. The Prime Minister is expected to make a pronouncement almost immediately, intimating what remains to be accomplished. The amendments which the Legislative Council make to the bills already passed by the House of Representatives, are not usually acceptable when they return to the Lower Chamber for confirmation and alterations made to the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill were no exception, and the Minister for Public Works (Mr Williams) simply moved without explanation in the House this evening that the amendments made by the Council be disagreed with. The Minister and Messrs A. Hamilton and Armstrong were appointed managers to approach the Council and submit reasons for disagreement. The Public Works Amendment Bill which was read a second time and passed through the final stages, was explained by Mr Williams as purely a machinery bill, and preparation for the consolidation of the Public Works Act which is to be effected next year.

A clause which altered the definition of heavy traffic to include all vehicles over two tons has been deleted.