PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 August 1925, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Cry TELEGRAPH- —PRESS ASSOCIATION AVELLLNGTON, Aug. 28

AVhen the House of Representatives ajsemibled at 2.30 (p.m. to-day it immediately went into committee of supply to consider the Estimates, -the first Vote taken being a- sum of £152,594. for the Customs Department. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. G. AV. Foribe®) entered a «tmng protest against the way in which the business was being presented to the House. ‘As Leader of the Opposition he was entitled to know what was coming on. The Hon- Sir Maui Pom-are ®aid that from time immemorial the Estimate® had been introduced in the they were being introduced now. Mr. Forbes had not previously complained, not even when- he was on the Government side. The Estimates had been before the Ho-use for the paistt three week® and members sihould be in a position to speak intelligently on any subject in them. 4

Mr. AV. A. A r eitch (Wanganui) complained that the House had been driven very hard. No member had had more than five hours in bed ia-ny night th,is week, and iit was very difficult to keep up with the work. ' The Premier (Ebon. J. G. Cotaites): AVe are wide -awake. Mr. Veifbch retorted -that it was necessary to keep wide awake with the Prime Minister in charge of the House, and that was why they wanted information. Mr. Cloates staid that unfortunately he was out of the chamber this morning when the House adjourned, and ’consequently he wais deprived of the opportunity to istate what business would come on to--day. He had adopted -a course this .session which had never been adopted before, viz., giving information at the end of the day as to whait the next day’® business would be. He via® willing to give the infomiiaitiiOn desired, and he read out a list of fourteen department® whose estimates he desired to have passed. Continuing, Mr. Coates said he tlio-ughb at might require two more days to g|et -the Estimates through.. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland) pointed out that the Prime Minister had included the Labour Department, but the report of that department was -not yet down. Tiro Prime Minister was optimistic in thinking he wais -going to get -through all those estimates that day, a-nd still more optimistic An thinking he was going to get them all through in two more days. He (Mr. Holland) wanted to see the business of the Bouse more systematised, a® the present methods were insane and a disgrace to the country. ~ ~ . The Hon. G. J. Anderson said that if the Labour Department's report was not known it was not the fault, of the department. He had had it in his desk for a week,. but had not been given -an opportunity to -lay it on the table. . Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) complained of the long hour® member® were being -asked to work. Much of the businee® of this session liad been -conducted without a quorum in the chamber. Mr. Coates said memebers must take a share of the blame for long hours; they simply talked, talked, talked. An lion, memeber: AA 7 e came here to talk. , ~ Discussion then developed on the question of locally made uniforms versus imported uniforms, and Air Sullivan moved an amendment that the vote be reduced by £ l s as an indication that no remission of duty be made on imported uniforms. After a iengthy debate the amendment was defeated, by 31 votes to 28, and the vote was then passed. The vote for the Department of In-, dnstries and Commerce (£87,059) was next taken.

Mr. Forbes asked what was being done to give effect to the suggestion in the departmental report that something more should lie done in the matter of scientific industrial research.

The Minister said certain recommendations were being made, to the Government for the establishment of a board of scientific research. Mr. Sullivan urged a greater publicity campaign in favour of New Zealand made goods to overcome the present prejudice against local manufactures and so build up secondary industries. Mr. Veitch supported Mr. Sullivan s appeal, adding that he feared the expenditure on publicity was too small to secure the fullest results. One firm of cigarette manufacturers was spending more money advertising its goods in New Zealand than the Government was allowing to advertise New Zealand products throughout the whole wor’d. The Minister stated the department was using every endeavour to impress upon people the expediency of using New Zealand goods. The vote was adopted. .. The House rose at 1.15 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, ,