TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10122, 1 November 1917, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

THE CLOSING SCENES OF THE SESSION. (Pun Pniisg association.) WELLINGTON; NuV - '• The Legislative Council met at L 0.30 a.m., and passed the Appropriation i' J ' L The House met at 10.30, 1 Alter the despatch of Formal business; Sir Joseph AYurd stated thai the Government were .in. cable communication with the British Government on the subject of peiniittin|f' parcel* of to pass through the Tost Oihcc !-<> our troops. The grounds on which the application was made were that sugar was a. commodity about which wo in no difficulty, having an ample supply and at a. moderate price. In the event of the British Government not agreeing to the .-('quest, the High Commissioner had been asked to press for the delivery of parcels en route. Sir Joseph Ward said lie desired, to clear up tho inference raised as a reMilt of the proceedings before the Meat Trust Committee, as certain members wore evidently endeavouring to connect him. with the American Stent Trust through his association with the Ocean Bench Freezing Co. He read a telegram from the solicitors of the .company to show these freezing works were transferred to the Federal Shipping Co. on the <lth February, 1903, and were.still owned by that company. Ho read Itirther documents to show that the American Meat Trust liml nothing to do with the. works, and reaffirmed hi.s assurance that he was not, and never had ibeen, iiEany way associated with the Trust. This tlie'eonimitteo. could have. discovered for themselves, had they taken the. trouble to do so, Mr Nosworthy said that when the member for Patea raised the question, ho based hi.s enquiries entirely on advertisements appearing in the newspapers. Sir .Joseph "Ward said the advertisements wore eighteen vears old. - "Dr. Newman and '.\!r Field (Otaki) assured Sir Joseph Ward that the committee was fully satisfied he was in no way connected wit lithe Trust. At 11 o'clock a message was received from the Legislative Council that they had passed the Appropriation Bill, and the Speaker at once proceeded to Government House to obtain the O'overuor(jicneral's [signature.