PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 August 1928, Page 9

PARLIAMENT.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. (By TelegrapU — Press Association.). WELLINGTON, Aug. 15. Answers to questions were given by Ministers in the House of Representatives to-day. Amongst others, Ministers gave the following replies: That tlie proposal to establish a railway sick benefit society was merely an amalgamation of the various railway sick benefit societies at present operating in the service, the membership of which was approximately 8000. A conference between the general manager of railways, representatives of the friendly societies, and secretaries of railway societies was to be held on August 24 to fully discuss the proposal. It was hoped to avoid conflict with the friendly societies, as it was anticipated that a mutual agreement would be arrived at after tie representatives of tbe friendly socjotiec - had had an opportunity of * sceittuning personally the circumstances under which the proposal had' been put forward. ~ , That the question of granting Joans to agricultural and pastoral societies •and associations has been brought up on previous occasions. In view oi the demand made on the resources oi the department for loans for farming purposes and the erection of homes', it was not possible to widen the scope of the State Advances Act in the direction indicated. . That it was the intention ot the Government to assist the honey producers iri their advertising campaign in London and. on the Continent. Communications were proceeding with the chairman of the Honey Producers Board 1 at the present time. That several petitions had been received dealing with the guestion of permitting school teachers- who are non-contributors * to the teachers superannuation fund to pay arrears ol contributions, thus enabling them to become members of the fund. When the report of the Education Committee was made, the whole matter would he considered by Cabinet.