DEPARTMENTAL ESTIMATES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 September 1936, Page 5

DEPARTMENTAL ESTIMATES.

PENSIONS FOR MEMBERS OP PARLIAMENT. DAIRY INDUSTRY ACCOUNT. (Hy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The House met at 10.30 and went into committee to consider departmental estimates. Speaking on the Government Accident Insurance Account, .Mr. Forbes asked when the Government's policy of socialism was going to he put into operation, so far as accident insurance was concerned. Hon. W. Nash, in reply, said it was a policy matter, but to the extent that they could find a way of, giving a larger proportion of premiums than were paid to cover accidents then they proposed to follow that way. If private companies could show the Government the host way, then the Government would follow thatj way. Speaking- on the votes for the Pensions Department, Mr. J. Hargest (O) urged that pensions should be provided for mem hers o(| Parliament and urged dial, the Minister take the matter in

ha ml. Air. Forbes said the matter had been considered in the past. The difficulties had heeu to find a basis on which a scheme could bo/ carried out. If such a scheme could be devised it would receive the commendation of the House ami he suggested that a committee should he set up to go into the matter, lie did not think the matter was insuperable. Mr. W. J. Broad foot (0.) supported the suggestion and said that when a mem her had been in Parliament a num-

her of years lie lost the faculty of conducting business. Hon. VV. Parry said that pensions for members had been talked of for many years and had been investigated by a committee in the past. It was something that should be done, but how to proceed was another question. He agreed that a committee should be set up to bring down a scheme, but many factors entered into it. Tire matter would not be lost sight of and lie I would discuss the matter with his col- , leagues to see if a committee could be 'set up. .

Hon. P. Fraser said there is no doubt provision should be made for those j who had given years of service to the I country. He thought a too more genj erous provision in other ways might ! be made for former members of Pari liament. , Referring to the Hairy Industry Account Hr. W. J. Poison (0.) said it appeared that much produce was to be handled by Amalgamated Dairies and Empire Dairies. He had seen a statement credited to the Minister, that if other marketing concerns did not play the game the whole of the export would be handled by those two con panics. | Hon. W. Lee Martin said he had never made the statement, i Hon. W. Nash denied that any" secj tion of the dairying industry was re--1 ceiving special preferential treatment. I He said the Government would organise the shipping, marketing and distri- : bution of dairy produce and no one | section of the industry was receiving special treatment, either in New Zealand or in Britain. Hon. F. Jones in reply to questions concerning the Post (Men account said that an official of tho Air Ministry Leonid arrive in New Zealand on Sep- | tomber 23rd and would discuss with ; the Government the question of a j trans-Tasman service, and also he thought the Pan-American Air Service, j He said the forty-hour week had been j introduced into the Department, but there were difficulties in. the way and j until further men were trained some had to work longer hours, but they were paid for the extra time worked, i Cheaper Telephone Services. Referring to requests for cheaper telephone services, he said the margin to-day was .5 per cent on money invested. New Zealand gave the cheapest service in the British Empire and it would be recognised there was no room tor a reduction. He defended the carriage of mails in American vessels across the Pacific and said it was just as right for the department to use American vessels in the Pacific as foreign vessels in other parts of the world, j American vessels had to be used if the I people wanted regular mails. A great bulk of the mail would be carried by British vessels through the Panama Canal. They regretted the New Zealand service was being closed, but if the company was losing- money the GovernI merit could not stop the company closjing the service. If negotiations proceeding between the various Govern- , merits were successful, there was no .reason why new vessels should not be 1 piir in Hie Pacific that would carry not only the mails, but passenger's, and lie would like to see t'e bulk of New Zealanders (ravelling in their own vessels, instead of on American vessels. I'im House then adjourned for luimhoon.