PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 August 1926, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF R.EPiIbESENTATI YES,

THE! All NINO INDUSTRY

(by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AY Mlj 1 * I,NX i T ()>N. July -I. The House of Representati vos mot at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Minister of Alines (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) laid on the cable the annual report of the Mines. Department. Discussing this document, Mr W. E. Parry urged that- the Government should open up the MacDonald State mines at Hiuntly, so that the. people of the northern districts could have a. full supply of State Coal at a. reasonable price. Air T. W. .Rhodes (Thames) advocated greater encouragement' being given to the working of the abundant mineral deposits and complex ores in the Coromandel district.

Air. H. I'll. Hoi land (Leader of the Opposition) spoke of the excellent, work the New Zealand coal miners were now doing. Their output last year was the best for five years, viz., GOO ton.s per man. Tlluut would have 'been higher had each man had the opportunity of working fuIL time. He thought the James mine would eventually be as payable a mine as the Point Elizabeth and Liverpool mines. The Hon. G. J. Anderson: “It has not so far.’’

Mr. Holland: “I am satisfied it will be. ”

Air. E. P. Hudson (dVlotueloa), referring to the iron industry, said it had been built at a cost of £190,000. and good pig iron was now being produced. Air. A. At. Samuel (Ohinemuri), as representing what he described as the largest gold producing district in Now Zealand, urged more liberal treatment for the small miner who was developing bis individual claim.

Mr. T. K. Sicley (Dunedin South) urged upon the Government the necessity of protecting our Dominion iron works from foreign importations of iron.

Sir John Luke (Wellington North' urged that assistance be given to the Ouakaka iron works by means of a. protective tariff. There was no reason why the rails now used, on our railways should not he produced in New Zeala lid. Air. T. JO. Y. Seddon (Westland) regretted the falling; off in, the production of gold, and suggested to the Alinister the'"completion of the geological survey of New Zealand as a means of reviving gold mining. The Hon. G. J. Anderson said tliat last year they had increased .the subsidy to the Ouakaka, iron .works, but the trouble was the fact that cheaply produced Indian iron was being imported in. considerable quantities, but the whole matter was ifnder the consideration of Cabinet. As the matter stood at present, however, it was not easy to enforce the dumping clauses of our tariff. So far as the geological survey was concerned, lie hoped l they would be able to do more in the near future. With regard to water races on the West Coast, it was his intention to offer them to the power boards, and if they were prepared to offer a fair price them he thought they .should have preference. If not they would be sold to the highest bidder. The Alinister of Defence presented the annual report of the department.