HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 248, 21 October 1914, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. GRANTS TO LOCAL BODIES. The Hon. Mr BUDDO (Kaiapoi) asked the Prime Minister whether the report of Mr W. S. Short on the system of grants to local bodies in New South, Wales could be made available to members. The Right Hon. Mr MASSES' replied that the report was ready and would be laid on the table. PUBLIC HEALTH. Mr VEITCH (Wanganui) introduced the Public Health Amendment Biflj which- was read a first time, horticulture; :, .Mr WILFORD (Hutt) asked leave to introduce, the Horticultural Industries Bill. ■-■: . Th© PRIME MINISTER stated I that the. Government had an almost ! identical Bill on the Order Paper, \ which would be almost certainly passed this year. Leave to introduce the Bill was re- i fused. • DEALING WITH ALIENS. lii reply to Mr Bradney, The MINISTER for DEFENCE said that it was rather a large order to ask the Government to compel, ail foreigners in the Dominion to report themselves at regular intervals. Careful watch, was being pi-eserved, but it was not considered wise to take steps that might seem [harsh1 where there was no reason for suspicion. Reports were constantly coming in to him, and any suspicious cases would be dealt with. The PRIME MINISTER, discussing the question, said that if any suspicious circumstances were discovered suspects would fa'o handed over to the military authorities, and if found guilty Tjy court-martial everyone knew what the consequences would be. PRICES OF WHEAT AND FLOUR. The PRIME MINISTER -made a statement as to the prices of wheat and flour v in the Dominion. He said that the chairman of the Commission reported that there would be a shortage of wheat in the Dominion. It was difficult to say just what the shortage would be whore wheat was in so many hands. In view of the fact he had communicated with Australia and asked if we could be supplied with at least a quarter of a million bushels even if only by of a loan till next season. He ha<l not yet received any reply. He had also communicated with Canada and America, but had only received a | quotation for flour. If we had to import foodstuffs it would be better to import wheat/ so that we could keep the mills going and so prevent, unemployment. He had asked for applications from those millers who were short of supplies, and so far had received twenty-one, but the quantity asked for was six times in excess of the quantity available from Australia. This wheat would be given out to those small millers most urgently "in need of it. Ho had learned that no North Island farmers were holding wheat, and ouly aboiit a hundred in the South Island. Tins would probably be available between now and Christmas. Speaking on the market price of wheat he said that flour wheat was being sold in . Wellington at 6s rcer bushel, an<i. j maize at os 9d. He then proceeded to say that the chairman of the Commission had reported to' him since I the meeting in Wellington a. week • ago that in .fixing the price of flour at £11 15s per ton they had not fully considered the position, of the seller, j and were now- of opinion that the-Order-in-Council fixing that as the j price should be revoked. The Com- j -mission was not able to agree as to | what the price should be, and was therefore not able to make any recommendation. The- Government had, therefore/, decided to go back to the original decision of the Commission and fix the price of wheat at os 3d per bushel and flour at £13 per ton.

Mr WITTY (Riccarton) asked Vvhr the Government had failed to grapple with the shortage of wheat. In reply,

The Right Hon. Mr MASSEY said that the Government had successfully grappled with the wheat supply. He repeated that there would be a shortage of 12,000 tons of flour or its equivalent in wheat between now and February. He accused Mr Witty 'of raising the question for party purnoses. Honestly he believed that Mr Witty would not care if the people of the_ Dominion were starving so long as it would serve- party interests. No Government in the British Domin-

ions had so many difficulties to n.«K as his Government, but it met them all successfully. If prirat-e pe<vplt^ would import the 12.000 toes required the Government would remit iho duty. private p^i^oiis wo;:M not import c!»o (-■■Y(:mn:2V.z was propr.r^l to do sc. WT.«i»t could be supplied to the small millers most in need of WORKERS' DWELLINGS. The debate on the Workers' Dwell- '' ings Amendment Bill was resumed by Mr Glover and others, after which the Prime Minister briefly replied. The Bill was read a second time. LAND LAWS. The PRIME MINISTER moved the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill, which he explained was mainly of a machinery nature, designed to facilitate .the tarrying out of the land policy of til" iiovern"Mr" MacDONALD (Bay or Ptenty) contended ihat, the giving; r.f rh* treehold to certain classes of switters^ditt not increase settlement. The Government ous;ht to have jnv-*= :-loiv attention to small dairyiu- l:in<N and the poorer classes of our -.--toral lajnds. ■Mr NEWMAN (Rangiiike^ ;:r~t-:: tliat great attention be c^er^ to afforestation as a means r: <?. v*:-lcp-ing the pooi*er pumice lanus. Mr ELL (Christcnurch Soutn> claimed that the old torses that brought about the increase iv settlement were in foreo wh^^ th»> pn'^eci: Government caire i:ito o'rlce. _ It was dimply reaping the Lonot: • '" ■'"-■ rrt%" deoessor's work. . T!ie House rose at 5.30 p :■•