HOUSE QUESTIONS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 111, 23 April 1936, Page 7

HOUSE QUESTIONS

Ministers’ Replies to Members’ Inquiries VARIOUS SUBJECTS By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 22. The House of Representatives to-day discussed written Ministerial answers to members’ questions. Tho following answers were supplied:-— Mr A. C. A. Sexton (Country) asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the very large increase in the cost of poultry food, tho Government will institute a payable guaranteed price for poultry farmers’ products.—Mr Savage replied; Investigations for the purpose of determining a basis of guaranteed prices for primary products arc proceeding, and as soon as the necessary information is available negotiations will be initiated with a view to the introduction of procedure to ensure a reasonable price for commercial poul-try-raisers.

Mr D. G. McMillan (Govt.) asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider raising the maximum age of entry to various departments of the Public .Service for a limited period us was done after the Great War. —Mr Savage replied: In the departments under the control of the Public Service Commissioner the age limit for appointment to cadetship was, in 1932, extended from 19 to 21 years in the case of candidates who had passed the University entrance examination, and it is not considered practicable to extend the age in tho case of cadets beyond 21. It is the practice, where suitable opportunities arise, to appoint candidates with full degree qualifications at higher ages. The age limit of cadets for entrance to the railway service had been raised and cadets are now engaged up to the age of 19. The apprentices’ age lias been increased to a maximum of 17 years of age. It is considered that what already has been done reasonably meets the altered conditions arising out of the depression, and that to further extend the age limits would have the effect of imposing hardship on applicants for employment in Government departments who are already qualified under the existing age schedule.

Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Nat.) asked the Prime Minister whether he intends to put into operation the Act at present on the Statute Book which provides for the election of members of the Legislative Council.—Mr Savage replied; It is not the intention of the Governmentat the present time to put into operation tho provisions of the Act referred to, RIVER CONTROL, _ Replying to a question by Mr T, D. Burnett (Nat.) regarding control of rivers to control flooding, the Hon. B. Semple said; The Government is fully alive to the necessity of better river control and protection from floods throughout the country, and intends to take steps to investigate this subject in the future. The collecting of proper data concerning rainfall precipitation within river drainage areas, flood flow of rivers and the effect upon lands adjacent to rivers, has not received the consideration it should have, and much work must now be done to see that this most important investigation is properly carried out. Replying to a question by Mr W. P. Endean (Nat.), who asked whether the Government has sold or agreed to sell butter to the Co-operative Wholesale Society of England or any co-operative society there, the Hon. Leo Martin said; Negotiations are proceeding in London for the purpose of determining the best method to be followed in connection with the marketing policy as-

sociated with guaranteed prices for the dairy industry. Negotiations are not yet finalised. The Government has met representatives of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, and hopes to extend sales to the society through the usual channels.

Replying to Mr W. J. Lyon' (Govt.), the Hou. Peter Fraser said: The Government views with grave concern the exercise in certain directions of riparian rights of some owners of land adjacent to lakes, rivers and beaches, whereby public interest is detrimentally affected. It proposes to take tho whole question into consideration with the intention where practicable, of vesting in or bringing under the control of the State such riparian rights as will make it possible to make accessible to the people of the Dominion all places of scenic beauty and recreational value from which they are at present excluded, with, of course, the necessary safeguards for protection of forest and other areas which might, in certain circumstances, bo endangered. Before anything effective can be done

throughout the Dominion, there will have to be an extensive survey of the position in respect to existing rights, and the area affected by them. SPECIAL POLICE FORCE. Mr Lyon asked the Minister in charge of the Police Department whetb-' er the special police force had been disbanded, and if not, whether it was his intention that this force shall be disbanded.—The Hon. R, Fraser replied; The police force reserve has not been disbanded, but recruiting for it has been suspended, and the question of retaining the services of the present members of the reserve is under consideration. Mr W. J. Polson (Nat.) asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the policy disclosed by the Government as to members of official board? who have outside business interests, he will apply the same tape measure to Cabinet, and particularly to the Minos Department, the Minister in charge of which is largely interested in the sale of New Zealand coal. Ho added: “The Minister in question has recently announced that the importation of Australian coal will be prohibited, and presumably this will increase the business of New Zealand coal agents.”—Mr Savage replied: Ministers of the Crown have been appointed because of their experience and knowledge of the problems with which they will be called upon to deal. The Minister of Mines* is especially qualified in that respect, and may be depended upon to carry out faithfully the policy of the Government. It is not the intention of the Government to destroy the constitutional right that has been extended to Ministers since the inception of self-Go-vernment in New Zealand. Mr J. Robinson (Govt.) asked tho Minister of Internal Affairs whether, as the birthday of the King this year fulls on Tuesday, June 23, the Government will ’ give consideration to celebrating the event by declaring Monday, June 22, a Dominion holiday, as such change would enable more people to enjoy the holiday.—The Hon. W. Parry replied: It has always been the practice in New Zealand, except when the birthday falls on a Sunday, to observe the Sovereign’s birthday on the actual date, and. it is not considered desirable at the present time to make a change.