PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 239, 21 September 1922, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

i REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. I In reply to Air. T. Af. Wilford, Air. , Massey said the Government had not yet decided whether New Zealand . would be represented at the Pan Paci- ( fie Conference, opening at Honolulu on October 25th. but he would place the matter before Cabinet in the j course of the next few days. , Replying to the Hun. J. A. Hanan, j Air. Alassey said he did not expect r many large holders of 4J per cent tax free stock would convert under the Government’s scheme, because their f investment was too profitable, but , there was a good deal being done in , the way of conversion. > To other questions Ministers gave 5 the following answers • — Advances are not now made to discharged soldiers for the purchase of r houses, but only for their erection. > As soon as funds permit the exteni sion of the Act to South African vete- _ rans will be considered, but this cans not be done until all applications by 3 discharged soldiers in the Great War now eligible for advances have been » dealt with. There is, however, no objection to South African veterans becoming transferees of houses acquired - under the Discharged Soldiers' Settle--3 ment Act if the owners cannot transs fer to other discharged soldiers. When the conference on matters j affecting electric power boards is con--0 vened the Government will bring up v the question of bringing the Electric I Power Boards Act into conformity with the Municipal Corporations Act and Counties Act dealing with the n disqualification of members who have i contravened section 15, sub-section (6) f of the Act by deleting the three years’ s disqualification. l reduction in the price of bread » may be expected when the costs ot - production and distribution warrant ? 'Such a reduction. It is difficult at e this time to state what effect on the price of bread the removal of the Government guarantee for wheat will 1 have, but if the harvest of 1923 is ! a bountiful one wheat prices will pro,l bably be lower and consumers of Hour J and bread will benefit accordingly. r The Government is now’ considering s the question of how to free soldiers’ 0 pensions from income tax. It was proposed to introduce legis- ' lation this session to strengthen the j teachers’ superannuation fund in the direction set out in the actuary’s res port. 8 The Government is considering the ’ question of amending the Industrial 1 Conciliation and Arbitration Act by J deleting the section which requires a ballot of members of a union to lie taken for the purpose of confirming a resolution to refer a dispute to the . Council of Conciliation or the Arbitra- , tion Court when the said resolution s has already been passed at a special g meeting of the union of which every member has received notice. ’ A scientific survey of the deer herds of the Dominion is being undertaken J by the State Forest Service with a view to suggesting the best method ■ for the control of the deer herds and ' of dealing with the prevention of damj age by those animals. ; PRICE OF FLOUR. 1 The Hon. E. P. Lee made a state--1 ment as Alinister of Industries and Commerce on the subject of some remarks recently made by Air. G. Witty regarding the price of flour. That gentleman had stated that the Board of Trade had fixed the maximum price . of flour at £lB per ton and when millers reduced the price to £l6 10s they were told by the chairman of the hoard that they must not sell below £lB per , ton. In the course of his reply Mr. Lee said he discussed the matter with the chairman of the Board of Trade, who emphatically denied that any compulsion was brought to bear by the board at any time during its existence to compel millers to sell at a fixed maximum price. The chairman of the board further informed him that he had at times been requested to fix a minimum price, but had invariably refused to recommend such a course. The Board of Trade, added the Alinister, had no power to fix a minimum price, and if it attempted to do so it would be ineffective. STATE ADVANCES AMENDMENT. The House went into committee oh several bills when it resumed at 7.30 p.m. The first taken was the State Advances Amendment. Air T. K. Sidey characterised the bill as an electioneering measure. The chief vote catching features were, how ever, not yet in the bill, viz., a proposal to add £2,000,000 to the advances fund and that its provisions regarding repatriation were to be extended to civilians, which meant the end of repatriation. It was proposed to put the Housing Department under the Advances Office, not to facilitate the building of houses, but for the purpose of winding the department up. Air O. J. Hawken objected to the bill because it proposed to lend money to others than country settlers, which was tho intention of the original Act. Mr W. A. Veitch said no one could object to the proposed changes if they meant more efficient organisation, but he was extremely anxious about the ultimate fate of the Housing Department. The Hon. Ur. J. Anderson said the Housing Department would go on as it had been doing during the past six months. They would no longer build houses en bloc as was done at Miramar, but houses would be built to suit individual tastes so far as the money will go. Mr A. Harris complained of the administration of the Act, under which, instead of lending up to three-fourths of the value, the Department always cut valuations down to such an extent that very few could accept the loan offered. Air P. Fraser regretted that the information given to the House by the Minister did not afford much promise of more houses being built. Air Alassey said he was certainly going on with the scheme of strengthening the advances fund and on a week’s notice he could pay £500,000 into the fund as proof of his sincerity in the matter. On the subject of housing he quoted an official douement showing that during the three years ending Alarch 31, 1922, the following houses had been built:—Railways, 188 houses, at a cost of £2220; State Advances Department, 6282 houses, at a cost of £3,245,610; Housing Department, 340, at a cost of £409,325; Discharged Soldiers Settlers Act, 3300, at a cost of £2,667,000; or a total of 10,110 houses, costing £6,542,119. That he considered a record of which any Government might be proud, and they were going on building under the scheme set out in the bill. Dr. Newman urged the Premier to see that large sums were not lent to single individuals to build big houses. It was better that a large number of small houses should be built than one big one. After the supper adjournment claus- , es passed rapidly without debate or ' amendment. The Premier moved a new clause which provided for a higher rate of ■ interest to be charged for new money lent. He explained that if he got the money at five per cent, the rate of interest would be six per cent., with . a rebate of a half per cent for prompt payment. The clause was agreed to t on the voices and the bill was reported with this amendment.

CUSTOAIS AMENDAIENT BILL. 1 The Alinister moved new clauses making special provision for fixing the current domestic value of goods imported through an intermediate count try and for giving the Comptroller or 1 Collector of Customs power to require - the production of documents relative i to goods imported. These were agreed ° to and the bill was reported. e WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. In committee on the Weights and s Measures Amendment Bill, Air G. e Witty raised the question of the r weight ot coal supplied, contending t that some people were receiving short i weight. # The Alinister said he was having a e clause dratted, but it was not quite ready. The idea was that every bag _ must be weighed and u tag attached if which would enable purchasers to see i. at a glance what weight they were - getting, and for an inspector to get >- into a coal cart and challenge the weight of a bag at a moment’s notice. 7 Ihe Alinister moved a new clause J giving power to make regulations for _ controlling the sale of coal, coke, fire- ’ wood and charcoal. j The bill ,with this amendment, was i. reported. The amendments made in the State Advances Bill were agreed to. s The Customs Bill and Weights and - Measures Bill were read the third p time and passed. c The House rose at 10.50 p.m. 7