QUESTION TIME

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 221, 5 September 1929, Page 6

QUESTION TIME

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UNITED STATES’ TARIFFS. HIGHWAYS BOARD’S FUNDS. Wellington. September 4. In the House of Representatives this afternoon, replying to Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour, iXapier), Sir Joseph Ward said the Government legretted that any increase of tariff rates in the United States on certain New Zealand product's had been proposed, but the situation was being carefully watched. Mr Coates said he would like to ask the Prime Minister whether any representations had been made to the United States, through the proper channels, emphasising the present ratio of Neu Zealand’s imports from the United States and her exports to that country, and indicating the effect the increase would have on trade.

Sir Joseph Ward said that international trade was quickly becoming a question of the survival of the fittest. He had been watching the attitude ol che United States very closely anu lie had observed that the Empire as a whois was in practically the same position as New Zealand. The United States was certainly going 'to extremities in protection. It seemed to him that any effective opposition to America’s proposals would nave to come from the Empire as a whole.

The Hon. T. M. Wilford, replying to Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour, Naoier), stated that appointments to the Prisons Board, which were purely honorary, were made from persons who were considered to be specially qualified lor the position by reason of their experience in judicial, social and institutional work and of their interest in penal matters. There was no rule that the Prisons Board should base its decisions upon the report or opinion of the ControllerGeneral of the Prisons. The board, in determining a prisoner’s fitness for release, based its decisions upon reports received from various sources dealing with his previous history, character, conduct and mental and physical fitness. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe in reply to a question submitted by Mr H, G. R. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs), stated that it was not at rpesent within the legal authority of New Zealand 01 any other country to restrict pelagic whaling in international waters. Mr Mason’s question included a request that the whale should not be hunted to the point of extermination. HIGHWAYS BOARD ACCOUNTS. Mr D Jones (Reform, Mid-Canter-bury) asked whetheb, in view of the shortness of funds in the Highways Board accounts, throwing additional burdens on the ratepayers of Ashburton and other counties. The Highways Board had not yet found it necessary to reduce its rates of subsidy as a result of the present financial position, which in all probability would improve in future. The Hon. W. B. Taverner (Minister of Customs), in reply to Mr H. G. R. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs), said that the Government had under consideration (he question as to the primage duty on fertilisers. The Rev. C. Carr (Labour, limaru) asked the Postmaster-Gene-ral whether he would agree to the following modification of the departmental regulations in regard to amateur radio transmission: (a) reduction of the annual license fee to £1 10s, the same as receiving licenses; (b) reasonable freedom of speech over the air so long as operators remain strictly amateur. The Hon. J. B. Donald replied that ho proposed to compare the conditions covering licensing of amateur transmitters in other countries with those obtaining in the Dominion. Mr Carr’s request would then receive consideration. The Hon J. G. Cobbe, replying to Mr H. G. R. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs), said he had noticed a report in regard to the amalgamation of brick and pipe factories in the North Island. Fourteen of the 39 factories in the North Island were concerned in the merger, the objective ot which was stated to be economy in production, transport and distribution. 'No rise in the prices of commodities was contemplated.