Parliament

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 276, 1 November 1924, Page 3

Parliament

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, Oct. 31. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. OPOSSUM SKINS. In reply to Mr. Wilford, the, Hun. R. F. Bollard said he could consider u proposal that the royalty of 1/- per opossum skin should be reduced by half. SINGAPORE BASE. Replying to Mr. J. A. Nash, who asked if in view of the change in the political situation in Britain the New Zealand Government would urge the work of the construction of the Singapore naval base, Mr. Massey said it was rather early to speak of the new Government at Home. It was not wise to interfere in party matters in another country. So far as Singapore was concerned the members of the House knew the Government’s views as expressed a. year ago. He could only, add that tne Government “was of the same opinion still,” and members could interpret that as they liked. TEACHERS’ SUPERANNUATION. The Hon. CJ. J. Parr (Education) informed Mr. Witty that there was no prospect of a teachers ’superannuation bill being introduced this session. He also stated regarding 161 teachers, 130 of whom retired (who found themselves at a disadvantage in the matter of pension owing to their having made a wrong election of scheme), the Government decided to permit them to change the election and so reap the benefit of the better pension system. FIRST OFFENDERS. The Hon. C. J. Parr informed Mr. H. T. Armstrong that he would inquire into the cases of young offenders dealt with in differing manners by different magistrates. 'While the Minister should not interfere with magistrates, Mr. Parr said he agreed that it was desirable that there should be some standard method of dealing with juvenile first offenders, whose names should not be published. LICENSING LEGISLATION. In reply to Mr. J. A. Young, Mr. Massey said Cabinet had decided it would be unwise to bring forward licensing legislation at this stage. He was unable to state whether the Licensing Bill could be printed and circulated so the people would be able to study its provisions before next session. Mr. Massey said to-day’s business would be the Public Works Estimates, and to-morrow the “Washing Up” Bill and local bills would be taken. PUBLIC WORKS. On the motion to go into committee on the Public Works Estimates, Mr k J. McCombs (Lyttelton) complained that through the new system of the pooling of development funds for hydro-electric schemse Canterbury was being robbed for the benefit of the North Island. The Lake Coleridge scheme was penalised in the interests of northern enterprises. Mr. Wilford reaffirmed his belief that the allocation of grants for roads and bridges and other public works should be in the hands of an expert boards of business men outside the Government service and free from political influence. He complained of the undue proportion of public works expenditure in North Auckland as compared with other parts of New Zealand. Railways should be run as business concerns on strictly business lines. The main trunk railway connection from Invercargill to Auckland should be completed. Mr. Wilford complained that the Mangahao hydro-electric scheme was too expensive and that work should be undertaken on the Lake Waikaremoana scheme. Something more should be done to provide additional lighthouses around the coasts, some portions of which urgently needed means for warning mariners. Motor competition ought to be met by the adoption of methods by which the railways could obviate the present disastrous effects of motor competition. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) supported the plea for a business board to deal with public works expenditure and agreed with Mir. McCombs that the Coleridge hydro-electric scheme was being unfairly treateu. It was a pioneer scheme. A loan was raised for it at 4 per cent, and then other schemes were set going, but therefore cost 5| and 6 per cent. Now all the funds were pooled, which meant that Coleridge was paying 5J to 6 for its 4 per cent loan. The Hon. C. J. Parr ridiculed protests about political control of public works expenditure in the face of their immediately following pleas for greater expedition on this or that railway or other work. So far as North Auckland was concerned there certainly had been an expenditure of some £40,000, but members forgot that this was due to the disastrous floods which had necessitated Government assistance to the settlers whose farms were inundated, just as had been given to settlers in Marlborough and other districts in former years. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch South) considered the suggested board would be ineffective as a means of obviating political influence. He attacked the contract system of carrying out public works, especially the letting of such a large contract to Armstrong, Whitworth and Company, who were wealthy, monopolists. JNew Zealand might be able to work quite as well by the adoption of the co-operative contract system in its proper form. Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) pleaded for tne Napier-Gisborne railway connection at the earlier possible date. He pointed out that only £126,0U0 was spent last year out of £150,000 voted. This year’s proposed vote was £170,000. Mr. J. Edie (Clutha) said the< backblocks districts should have first consideration in the matter of roading facilities. The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) and his protest to those made regarding the treatment of the Coleridge hydroelectric scheme. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) and Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) stressed the need for better Recess to backblocks lands. Mr. Rhodes appealed for relief for gold miners who had been adversely affected by the embargo on export during the war. Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) hoped the Minister would maintain his policy relating to electric works so that all users of current would be placed on an equal footing in the matter of price. He protested against the motor tax of £l5O improved on lorries used on the Tokaanu road. It was a very unfair handicap on the residents of Tokaanu especially the natives who had established a dairy factory, for which this road was the only outlet. When the House resumed at 7.30, Mr. Langstone continued the debate, condemning the construction of public works by contract. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) accused the Premier of inconsistency, stating that when in opposition Mr. Massey had condemned the practice of bringing down the Public Works Statement in the dying hours of the session. The Minister of Public Works was likewise inconsistent, because in one part of his Statement he deplored the multiplicity of local bodies, yet on another page gloried in the fact that there were 36 new power boards. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) complained of the unequal allocation of money for public works. Auckland was getting more than Wellington and the whole of the South Island.

Mi-. A. 801 l (Bay of Islands) claimed that Auckland and the northern districts were only getting expenditure proportionate with their needs and development. The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) condemned what he called the “borrow and squander” policy of the Government. THE VOTES PASSED. Immediately after the supper adjournment the House went into committee on the Estimates, which total £8,096,646. The discussion was continued until shortly after midnight, when all the votes were passed without alteration. Immediately after the supper adjournment the House went into committee on tho Public Works Estimates. The Hon. J. G. Coates, replying to previous criticism, said his policy of •oncentration on railway construction had resulted in railways under construction being being reduced from 36 to 9 and during the past four years the number had been reduced from 16 to 9. Discussing hydro-electric schemes, the Minister said all experts were agreed that it was unwise to attempt to bring power from Waikaremoana to Wellington, To do so would mean a loss of fully 25 per cent of power in transmission. Mangahao was a necessary adjunct to Waikaremoana, and although it had exceeded the estimated cost by nearly half a million that was largely due to tho high prices following upon the war. Construction would begin at Waikaremoana next year and ultimately would bo poined up with Mangohao. As to hy-dro-electric schemes generally he condered we had reason to be proud of them. We were making no mistakes. AU the schemes were weU thought out. and well carried out. They were based on businss principles and wove being developed according to a definite programme* The discussion continued until shortly after midnight, when the total votes amounting to £8,096,646 were passed without alteration. The Rating Amendment BiU, providing for exemption of Sunday schools from rates, was put through all stages. A number of additional clauses to the Washing-up Bill were brought down by Governor-General’s message and read the first time. The House adjourned till 11 a.m. tomorrow.