PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 235, 16 September 1922, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Insurance Companies Deposit Bill wa s referred to the Statutes Revision Committee The following local bills were passed—airau Harbour Board Empowering, Gisborne Harbour Board Enabling Amendment, Whakatane Harbour Amendment, Wairau River District Loan. The Council adjourned at 4.30 p.m till Wednesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Sir John Luke presented a petition from 3000 officers of the Post and Telegraph Department asking the Government to take steps to prevent the affiliation of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association with the Alliance of Labour. Sir John Luke gave notice to ask if the Government intended to take steps to secure a revision of the amount to be charged to New Zealand as its share of the Ix?aguo of Nations expenses. Mr. R. McCallum asked if the Government would, in view ot the great increase in work devolving upon Ministers, consider the appointment of parliamentary under-secretaries, as was the practice in England. Ministers were so over-burdened that such assistance should lie afforded. Ho felt sure sufficient members of Parliament would be ready to undertake minor Ministerial duties without honorarium.— The Prime Minister replied that he was not prepared to give a definite opinion on the subject at the moment, but the sqggestion was certainly worthy of consideration. Replying to Mr. D. G. Sullivan, the Prime Minister said public servants desiring to become candidates for Parliament would have to obtain tlie leave of the head of the department. There was no intention that superannuation rights should be affected if a candidate (not being successful at the election) resumed his position in his department. Legislation being prepared would deal with the matter. The Minister of Education nilormed Mr. J. A. Nash that in order to clear up a misunderstanding the department had decided to allocate a definite number of scholarships to lower grade country schools. Notice was given by the leader of the Opposition to ask if the Government will introduce legislation this session empowering a judge in chambers on the application ot a trustee of mortgages (not the mortgagor) ex parte to modify or vary the terms of a mortgage or the interest thereon. THE ESTIMATES. After discussing the estimates on the item Post and Telegraphs( reported elsewhere) the next vote taken was public buildings and domains, maintenance of roads, and irrigation works £168,444. After a brief discussion on the subject of public buildings the vote was passed at 10.10 p.m.. and the committee proceeded to discuss the vote for the Native Department of £20,945, which was passed after the Hon. A. T. Ngata had made a running comment on several items'. The Native land settlement account, £5733 and Native trustee account, £1365 were passed without discussion. Justice. £209,742; Crown Law Office, £5927; Police Department. £403,560; Mines’ Department, £35.600; and Labour Department. £35,762, were all passed without discussion, and the House rose at 10.40 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.