HOUSE CONSIDERS ESTIMATES

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 September 1929, Page 7

HOUSE CONSIDERS ESTIMATES

EDUCATION VOTE MEETS CRITICISM DEFENCE BURDEN. WELLINGTON, Last Night. When the House of Representatives aresumed at 7.550 o ’clock to-niglu, the New Plymouth Borough Council Empowering Bill (Mr. S. G. Smith) was

read a second time. ■ The House wont into Committee of ■Supply and consideration of the first •estimate, was resumed.

Mr. 0. A. Wilkinson suggested that

the present mail service to San Francisco should be diverted to Vancouver. It might be even more satisfactory if .the subsidy were employed to provide •a faster service direct to Britain via Panama.

Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, stated that the present services were meeting

the requirements of the country

would be very difficult to make any .alteration at present. He looked forward to the day, however, when there would be service through Panama to New York and from there to London. Mr. W. Lee Martin criticised the charges for rural telephones and rural deliveries and expressed the view that the department should place service before profit. He also urged that more attention should be directed towards combating diseases among cattle. Mr. H. G. Dickie advocated improving rural communications and services is conjunction with the land settlement scheme. He also recommended that an endeavour should bo made to arrange a reciprocal agreement with the Commonwealth, whereby we would give preference to Australian dried fruits by increasing the tariff on similar imports from the United States, in exchange for a reduction of duty charged in the Commonwealth on imports of New Zealand pork products. Education Starved. Mr. E. Semple expressed dissatisfaction with the estimate for education and stated he did not see how the Hon. H. Atmorc could give effect to his policy with the money at his disposal. Some of the schools in the Dominion, Mr. Semple added, were a disgrace to the department. Ho also urged that higher salaries should ho

provided for primary schoolteachers, especially for head teachers, in order that such an important profession might bo made more attractive, a* the present time, the highest salary that could be obtained was £SSS per

annum. Mr. W. D. Lysnnr also statod-that the salaries paid to headmasters in primary schools were not sufficiently attractive. Mr. H. K. Jenkins discussed steamer services to America and said ho favoured the route via Honolulu and Los Angelos. Mr. H. T. Armstrong criticised the

proposed expenditure on what he de

scribed as the “comic opera defence force.” Ho said it would be in keeping with policies in other parts ol the Umpire 'to reduce expenditure in this direction. In his opinion. it could be ■cut. down by half hud w.th the money saved, wonders could be worked in the way of pensions for soldiers. Mr. J. A. Young urged that some course should be sought to enable greater continuity in the staffing of small country schools. He stated that at. the present lime, the staffing was frcqucnly interrupted »)y the variation in average attendances. Poverty in Pas.

Mr. Langstone joined with Mr. Arm.strong in his criticism of the defence vote. He said it was futile to expend money on obsolete forms of defence, in view of recent developments in science and chemical warfare. Ho also .suggested organising native farmers <tnd providing them with capital to enable them to cultivate native land as a remedy for the conditions of poverty in some of their pas. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle said he hoped the Minister of Agriculture would reconsider his decision and centralise experimental work in the South Island at Lincoln College in the same manner as the work in the North Island had been •centralised at Massey College. A system of open air schools throughout the Dominion was advocated by Mr. J. S. Fletcher. In discussing trade relations with the United States.. Mr. W. J. Poison said ho kad been informed while in America that while New Zealand trade was a mere bagatelle, the combined Australian and New Zealand trade was valuable and if these two countries were to combine in an endeavour to secure some reciprocal arrangement with the U.S.A., there would bo a fair prospect wf that end being attained. Mr. A. W. Hall urged that the extension of the dental clinic service to the country districts should be expedited.

Mr. I). McDougall drew attention to

the profit from last year’s operations in the Post and Telegraph Department and urged that, employees' salaries should bo restored to the former standard.

Mr. H, M. Eushworth referred to the -reduction in the provision for the carriage of lime for bona fide farmers and for portion of freight rates on fertilisers,. compared with the amount expended last year and stated he trusted this was not to be interpreted as an indication that smaller quantities would bo used this year. Life-Saving Subsidy.

Mr. F. Lye expresesd the opinion -that the treatment of diseases in cattle largely in the hands of the dairy* 3ifcen themselves. He suggested that information as to results of research j, into the subject should be circulated among .farmers. An increase in the grant to the JBoyal Life-Saving Seciety .was sought, by Mr. I). G. Sullivan, who said the

very heavy, death roll in New Zealand as the result of drowning was partly due to lack of knowledge of scientific methods of life-saving. The Hon. de la Pcrrclle indicated that the supplementary estimates might disclose an increased grant for the Eoyal Life-Saving Society. Mr. Wilkinson expressed the opinion that the present situation in regard to the High Coramissionership was unsatisfactory. It was unfair to the present High Commissioner that he should ho in the position that the appointment might bo terminated at the end of October. He suggested Sir James Parr’s term, should bo extended for six months. The first estimate (Legislative Department, £89,806) was then passed and the House rose at 10.30 p.m'.