LARGE SCALE HOUSE BUILDING.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 187, 23 July 1920, Page 5

LARGE SCALE HOUSE BUILDING.

A SC'HEAIE AVTTH POSSIBILITIES. (Special to “Tribune.”) Parliament Buiidings, July 2J. There is a scheme tor house-buiiiiing on a big scale in Wellington. Dr. Newman referred to this matter, fie understood that a number ol buddeis were willing to tender to put up cottages. Would the Government be prepared to kelp them’’ The Minister of Housing (Sir AV. H. Herries) said a deputation wared upon him that in regard to the matter. They had what seemed to him a vety good scheme and he thought some good would come of it. He could not give details but it- was a scheme in which both contractors and labour combined. He hoped to be able to carry it out. Air. Parry (Auckland Centra!) asked if'the Government would give details of the scheme when it was completed, so as other cities might have the benefit.

The Alinister said he would be pleased to give all information when the scheme was completed.. At present negotiations were still in progress. Afterwards, ho would have to consult the Alinister of Finance, as the scheme was somewhat bigger than was contemplated in legislation last session. He hoped there Would, be an amendment to the Housing Act this session. MAIN TRUNK ACC'OMAIODATION. Heated worus passed lie.ween Dr. lliacker ana the rn-iuiw iu.en Dr. luauhw asKed n it. was lutendeu ;o impro.e uiglit and sleeping accommoaa-uuu-ou .tiuiiK Iranis, xne present pro- , isioa was uisgx'aceiul in a country claiming io be up-to-daie. Tne x'nme Minister said a very great ileal nad oeeu done already aim many improvements ban been made.

i n-, tnaeket : un -.'vJ.nns.ei lai caiS. Air. Aiassey: 1 dope me non. member will not oc impertinent. Dr. iimcker: That is not impertinent it is a tact. •

Air. Massey: It is not a fact. We ask ior no more tor ourse.ves than tor tae general public, but when a Alinister goes away he has to work, and lie must, time a private secretary with aim. What the Department )iad in view was the running of a day train to leave Auckland and Welling at i a.m., and arrive at 10.30 p.m. It had been found possible, as a trial trip had been made but, traffic on trains had oeen so enormous and there was such a difficulty m getting more rolling stock that it had not been possible up to the present to make a change. Both the Department and the Government were anxious to effect improvements and, to do their best for tne public. Dr. Thacker: ■ Where is the Royal train ?

Air. Alassey: Does the hon. member want the Roial train? (Laughter). THE SPEED FIENDS.

Air. Hunter asked the Brender if he would take immediate steps to see that I •.nicvpiai'e penalties ■’were imposed on persons driving motors at an excessive speed. He referred to the small, penalty of £1 inflicted by -a Afagistrate at Petone yesterday. Accident cases wf>e constantly reported. The Premier sympathised with the object desired to be achieved. The House would be given an opportunity of dealing with the matter during the session. Air. Hunter urged that immediate action should be taken. He quoted recent cases of flagrant disregard of speed laws. - Air. Alassey replied that if it were a question of giving instructions to the police he would, do so at once. % THREE PER CENT OF PEOPLE PAY 70 PER CENT OF DIRECT TAXES. During the debate in the House on Wednesday afternoon on Air. AlcCallum’s Excise • Tariff Bill, Liberal and Labour members strongly contended •that the Customs 4axes on the saries of life should- be lowered, suspended, or repeated, and higher taxation levied on the larger landed estates o>» big incomes, and through the death duties. Air. D. Jones (Kaiapoi) declared that the hon. members in question did not realise how much the wealthy people paid to-day in direct taxation. The Prime Alinister stated that 3 per cent of the population paid 70 per cent of the direct taxation. Air. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) : Three per cent of the population ? Mr. Alassey: Y’es. “A FREE GIFT.” MORTGAGE INDEMNITY INSURANCE. “This’question will btT referred to the Finance Committee which has been recently set up,” replied the Prime Minister to the question given notice of by Air. W. I). Powdrell (Patea): “Whether be will consider the abolition of the Afortgage Indemnity Insurance Act: and, if not, whether the Government will take over this insurance department and accept this free gift themselves, as it is understood that there has never been a claim made, and tens of thousands of pounds have been thrown awav by this effete Act?”