PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 October 1924, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. EXPORT OF BACON. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. The House oi : Representatives met at 7,30 p.m., and immediately after the transaction of formal business members proceeded to discuss answers given to questions by Ministers. Amongst others tfid following answers were given:— That the remaining applications for money made in November, 1923, will probably be dealt with by the State Advances Department within a month from this date. That while the wages of labourers is 13s 4a per day it has been the Public Works Department’s endeavour to provide that, men be given work at |.-:(-ceworlt rates as much as possible, thereby permitting of their earning considerably more than the wage stated. For the. twelve months ended on December 31, 1923, the average earnings of un T .skilled cooperative* labourers (excluding tunnel parties) throughout the Dominion. , was Is 10.49 d per, hour and 14s 11.92 d per day of eight hours, and the earnings, of tunnellers were much higher.: That the Government has recently had under consideration legislation to prohibit the practice of directors personally guaranteeing advances made to institutions they control, and will durifig the recess consider only the con- ■ verse- subject of prohibiting loans by such institutions to their' oivn directors. ' That as the Government has been definitely advised that Queensland .has made a 'loss of £85,961 upoii its State shops, the Prime Minister, is endeavouring to, secure balancersheets so. that the Government will be able to- ascertain on its own guidance which departments were mainly responsible lor this loss: ■ y That the position, ag,regards agricultural education is being gone into in conjunction with the Education Department at the present time,. and in this connection the setting > p of a commission or committee to go fully into the whole matter is under ems’deration. That steps have, already been taken which it is hoped will have the effect of preventing excessive borro.vmg liy local bodies. That the Government is not av are of anv. proposal on the par;, ol the Bank of New Zealand io issue conus shares. That the export try ie ei fiesh pork and bacon ha's been given consider;, ble attention by the Meat Producers’ Board since its inception, and everything is being done to further develcip ’t. The board iias obtained from the shipping companies a, particularly lew rate of freight for pork to eneoirtge its shipment, and lias reduced costs In o trier directions. Further investigations me' being made in Great Britain and the Continent. That in accordance with its announced policy, the Government intends that a duty oh wheat shall be payable on all importations after, February 28, K 25. Importations before that date will be for current consumption only and will be strictly controlled so as not to affect the market of New Zealand wheat growers. . . That it is not proposed to. amend the Highways Act this session in the direction of providing additional representatives of local bodies on the Highways Board. That inquirites are being made regarding the possibilities of reducing the f’ests of building and consideration niay be given to- the ndvisability of extending State competition in the production of building materials. TRUSTEE MATTERS. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart moved the second reading of the Trustee Amendment Bill, which originated in the Legislative Council, and was passed by that body. . ‘ Replying to Mr F. J. Rolleston (Timaru), the Minister said there was no provision in the Bill to enable trustees to lend money to harbour boards, even though such boards had rating powers. It was not considered advisable to do so.

The Bill was committed, read a third time and passed.