HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 29 August 1919, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30 and proceeded to business after the delivery of the i Governor's Speech. I t *£ Veitch Presented a petition by J. M. Mack, on behalf of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants praying that the Minister's power of veto over the decisions of the Railway Appeal Board should be abolished Replying to Mr Glover, the Minister ot Defence said it would only be a matter of a few days, or perhaps hours, before his scheme of gratuities would be laid before the House. Replying to Mr Witty, Hon. D. H. Guthrie said there wa6 ample provision either to remit a j ear's rent or capitalise the same in cases where land is settled by soldiers too late to get the year's crop in. This was now being done in many cases where land had been settled at the wrong season of the year. Each case was being considered on its merits.

Mr J. B. Hine (Stratford) gave notice to ask the Minister of Defence if, in fixing the amount of soldiers' gratuities, he would do so on the 'basis of a flat rate.

Mr Nash gave notice to move the Address-in-Reply. Mr Massey moved formally the first reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, which was agreed t~ on the voices, and at 3.49 the House rose.