PARLIAMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17523, 5 July 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

(Abridged from Press Association.)

HOUSE OF-REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, Jui/j 4.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. HOTEL, HOURS.

Petitions were presented praying that hotel bars should be cioseu at 6 p.m. during tne period of the war. One from Auckland, presented by Mr Pocle, was signed by 2U,7«8 persons, and was referred direct to the Government. THE BELGIANS.

Replying to Br Tnacker the Prime Master sa.d that the Government was in communication with the British Government on the question of feeding the Belgian peopio. BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—i>eiinilion of 'lime (Air Sidey), Proportional Representation and Effective Voting (Mr Voitch), Dominion State Bank (Mr Veitch j. Commercial Tiusts Act Amendment (Mr Veitch), Police Force Act Amendment (Mr Veitch). ■ _ Mr Brown gave notice of his intention to introduce the Mapier High School Empowering Bill. POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK.

On the laying on tho table of a paper by Sir Joseph "Ward, relating to the Post Office Savings Bank, Mr Payne took occasion to urge the removal of tho Rm.tation on the amount of deposit on which interest is paid. He contended that the limitation was inst-tuted in tho interests of tae banks and other lending institutions. The. removal of tho limitation would speedily convert the Post Office Savings Bank into a national State bank. . , Mr Ell quite agreed that no limitation should be placed on deposits entitled to interest, but any attempt to convert the savings bank into a commercial bank would be disastrous.

St Joseph Ward, in reply, said that limitation was necessary, otherwise they would find that large sums would bo deposited for a short term, then they would be suddenly called on to pay out, perhnps millions. Th:'s would necessitate the retention in the bank of large balances and therebv restrict its usefulness. ' The Post Office Savings Bank was never intended to be used as a commercial bank, but as a depository for sm<dl savings of the people. The" reasons dictating the imp"sition of the limitation in question were so strong that no Government could disregard them. (A debate on the statements of the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward on their visit to Britain is reported in another column.)