PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1860, 9 July 1920, Page 7

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

Per Prow Association. WELLINGTON. July 8. The Legislative Council met at 230 p.m. ' Have of absence for a week was granted to the Hon. Mr Simpson. Tho JJon. Dr Cobms, in accordance with notice of motion, moved that this Council affirm that it is desirable that the Social Hygiene Act, 1017, should bo uintended to provide for- ihe compulsory notification by doctors and oliiers to the Health Dcpiutmei t, of eases of vdiere.il disease, and that this should be by numbers or symbols, not by name, except in cases whore by failure to take precautions it, may be desirable in the interests of public health that the identity of the individual should be disclosed. The motion add. d that the officers of (ho Health Departm'mt should bn under an obligation of secrecy in respect tci tho information an to individuals given tueni. Dr Collins summarised tho opinion of the Mother Country and others, and argued that it was imperative that the Health Department should be able to k ep fuily informed of the progress of venereal diseases. Tlio Hon. Mr Moore seconded the motion, urging that in the interests of the innocent notification should bo compulsory. Si, Francis Hell said ns far as lie knew the Governin''!)! was in accord with the id-a. There would most likely be mi opportunity of achieving the desired end this session, for there would be before Parliament a consolidation and a largo amend niont of (!)■> Public Heailh Act. It would bo easier P< put the clause in that Act than in the Social Hygiene Act. The motion was adopted and the Council rose at 3.33 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House nut at 2.30 Replying to Mr MeCallum the Hon. Mr Guthrie said it was not customary for the department to publish reasons way the applications of certain soldiers for a loan were rejected, because if they did so they might be making public information detrimental to tho soldier himself. Replying to Mr Witty, the Premier said as soon as the no-confidence motion was out of the way thou Mr Leo would make a full ’statement regarding the agreement that had recently been reach'd with the Colonial Sugar Company. In ihe meantime New Zealand was enjoying the cheapest sugar in the world. R allying' to Mr Malcolm the Premier raid inquiries made by the Boaid of J .ratio hail shown there was practically no sugar hi stock in New Zetland on the 30th June, consequently there was little prosp ct of pioßleeving on sugar bought prior to tno recent rise in price. He was satisfied no hording had been going on in the Dominion. .... Replying to Mr Sullivan. Sir William fferries said he could scarcely remit the duties on sporting goods when there were so many demands for remission on the necessaries of life. Replying to Dr Thacker, Mr Massey said ho would be pleased to do anything bo could do to obtain from tlie Commonwealth .Government a permit for the importation of New Zealand potatoes into Australia. Sd far bis efforts had not met with much success. Leave was given Mr MeCallum to introduce the State Control of Licenses Rill He explained that the Rill proposed to set up a State Department, under the Minister, to control licenses, in the hope teat licensees could be indue d to provide better accommodation for the public. In ‘ho event of licenses being reduced, a compensation fund was provided, but he believed if tho hotels were properly conduct'd a largo majority of the people would vote Continuance. He urged the Government to set up a Royal Commission to go into the whole question, with a view to iceonciling the views of the extremists. Our licensing law was 30 years behind llio times. Mr 1.-ilt thomrbt, in view of (he shortage of paper, the Rill ought not to be printed, except at tho cost of itic? mover. Dr Thacker, Mr Wright, Mr Lysnar, Mr Witty, Mr McCombs and the Hon. Mr Hunan- having spoken, tlie Bill was rend a first tinm. The remainder of the afternoon and evening sessions was taken nn with t!v th bale on tun no-conlidenco motion.