HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 215, 10 September 1908, Page 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m!; ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Ministers, replying to questions^ stated: That, the Classification Board being unable to complete some classification of the Civil. Service for this session, all increases of pay will be dealt with on the Supplementary Estimates; That the Admiralty report on the proposed site for a harbour at Point Elizabeth is unfavourable—the cost of building a breakwater would probably exceed one and three-quarter nfillions, and from a naval point of vie wthe proposed harbour, would be useless; That it would be inadvisable at present to make any alteration in tho arrangements under which Cook Island fruits are carried over- New Zealand railways; That in connection with the anomalous position in which manufacturers in this country are placed in relation to the Commonwealth; Customs tariff, whereby we are regarded as a foreign country in the matter of duty> no steps have been taken by the Commonwealth authorities to make an exception in favour of the Dominion. The matter will be qna for consideration in connection^ with a reciprocal agreement for mutual concessions; That it is not intended to amend the law so that the Government will be responsible to local bodies for general rates on unlet sections of land bought by them for the purpose of land for settlement or workers' homes.

The House rose at 5.30 p.m