PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 199, 24 July 1931, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. STATUTE OF WESTMINSTER. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 23. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. Sir Thomas Sidey moved the adoption of an address on the Statute of Westminster. Ho said that, so far as New Zealand was concerned, there was no desire for a change in the constitution, and all that Parliament was being asked, to do was to place no obstacles in the way of the other Dominions which did seek changes. The representatives of New Zealand at the conference had been inspired with the need for imperial unity.

In seconding the motion Sir Francis Bell said that, although he hoped the effect of the statute would not be to disunite the Empire, he had the gravest doubts on that score. He hoped that New Zealand would never agree to come under the charter for which the statute stood.

Sir James Allen agreed that it was better for New Zealand to keep in close association with the British Government than attempt to live a 'ife of their own before they were ready. Attempts should be made to strengthen the trade relations of the Empire, otherwise there would be friction. Hon. D. Buddo expressed satisfaction that the right of New. Zealand litigants to appeal to the privv council had been retained. The debate was adjourned and the council rose at 4.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. HIGHWAYS FINANCE. ' The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. . . Notice was given of intention to introduce the following Bills: —War Minister’s Profits Bill (Mr McCombs); Wellington Citv Empowering Bill. (Mr Chapman, on behalf of Hon.; W. B. Taverner). • . Hon. E. A. Ransom gave notice of his intention to move for the setting up of a select committee to investigate highivays finance, particularly the allocation of tire petrol tax proceeds to local bodies, the committee to consist of Hons. W. B Taverner and E. A. Ransom, Messrs Armstrong. Broadfoot. Campbell, Clinkard, Hamilton, Healy, Macmillan and Lee Martin. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr Harris, Hon. A. J. Murdoch said that the question of the introduction this session of the Orchard and Garden Diseases Amendment Bill was at present under consideration by the Government. •Mr J. S. Fletcher asked the Prime Minister whether he was aware that the Auckland Savings Bank had decided to reduce its rate of interest on loans and whether the Government, would instruct the State Advances Department to take similar steps. Mr Forbes said that the Auckland Savings Bank was in a different position from the State Advances Department which was lending money out at almost cost. However, the State Advances Board was meeting cases of hardship by extending the term of the loan and thus lightening the periodical amount of repayment. SUGGESTED ART UNIONS. In introducing the Public Hospitals Assisting Bill, Mr G. C. C. Black said it provided for authority for any two or more hospital boards to conduct an art union or sweepstake for the purpose of raising finance. He referred to two factors which he said were very much in evidence at the present time. The first was that it was becoming increasingly difficult for hospitals to obtain adequate finance to carry on as the result of the reduction in subsidies, and, secondly, fpr years past much money had been sent out of New Zealand 1 by those anxious to take part in sweepstakes in other countries, for instance, Tasmania, and latterly the Irish Free State. fie considered the time was now opportune to provide that if money must be invested in sweepstakes it should be possible to invest it in New Zealand and there were no better channels for investment than those connected with charity. The Bill contained; certain safeguards. Any scheme put-forward would be subject to approval by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Bill was read a first time. IMPERIAL AFFAmS. The Imperial affairs debate was continued when the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr D. Jones expressed the' opinion that the Empire Marketing Board was doing remarkably good work for New Zealand. As a result of its activities we were actually receiving preference from Britain because it was continually bringing under the notice of the people in the United Kingdom the necessity for buying Empire goods. It had been said that the British Government favoured bulk purchase, but Mr Jones denied this, declaring that no definite scheme of bulk purchase had been submitted to the Imperial Conference. Supp'ort for this 1 scheme was confined to the Socialistic wing of the British Parliamentary Labour Party. It was a purely socialistic venture.

Mr P. Fraser declared that there was not the slightest foundation for the statement that bulk purchase was not included in the policy of the British Labour Government or the Labour Party. He quoted from Labour and the Nation, which he said contained the official platform ■ on which the British Labour Party had faced the electors. It definitely established, Mr Fraser contended, that bulk purchase formed part of Labour’s agricultural policy. Mr Fraser asked whether Mr Jones thought it likely the British Government would have submitted a cut and dried scheme of bulk purchase to the conference intimating that those were its proposals and the Dominions could take them or leave them. He stated that the British Government had taken the traditional course of including in the agenda sufficient to open up the question of bulk purchase and a committee had actually considered the proposal, ultimately deciding that there was not enough time to deal with it and leaving it to the Ottawa ConferenC6' UNITY OF THE EMPIRE. Replying to the debate, Mr Forbes said that he had been asked what was his attitude' towards the questions raised at the Imperial Conference. He had explained before leaving New Zealand, that he stood for unity of the Empire. He fully recognised it was not for him to dictate to the people of Great Britain'in respect •to their fiscal policy, hut at the same time lie recognised that one of the main, questions to be discussed was the stimulation of Empire trade and the best means of achieving that end. He had while in Britain pointed out the measure of preference New Zealand gave to Britain, the extent of our trade with the Motherland and how steps were being taken to increase : it wherever possible. While he had not asked for anything in return, he felt that if the question of Empire trade were to be discussed it was better to discuss it frankly, and he had pointed out that if .Britain adopted a system I of preference similar to that adopted

by New Zealand it would stimulate trade between the two countries. Mr Forbes said there had never been any definite suggestion made in respect to bulk purchase. He wanted some practical details before he was prepared to commit the Dominion to any scheme. He had never heard while in the Old Country any suggestions as to how a scheme of bulk purchase and import boards could be brought into effect. All that Messrs MacDonald, Snowden and Graham had said was that they had an open mind on the matter. He found that the scheme had never got beyond the election pledge stage and no practical details had been arranged. That was the position and Labour members had blamed him because he had not been able to bring from these airy nothings a scheme that was going to benefit the farmers of this country. RELATIONS WITH CANADA. The Prime Minister then dealt with trade relationships with Canada. He said the New Zealand Government had tried its best to come to an agreement regarding the duty on butter. It was not to be expected that New Zealand would find the same market for butter in Canada in the future as it had done far the past because Canada was not now able to send large quantities of milk and cream across the border to the United States as she had formerly done, with the result that she was able to supply her own requirements and even export butter. Continuing, Mr Forbes said: “We are at present giving Canada greater preference than she is giving us. We should consider the matter very closely before deciding to buy manufactured goods from Canada in preference to those of Britain as the Mother Country takes so much of our exports.”

MARKETING OF PRODUCE. Dealing with the marketing of out produce in Britain, Mr Forbes said he had found that the management was carried out on sound business lines. Our organisations were doing their work in a very effective way. There had been a good deal of criticism regarding the quality of our cheese and some criticism with regard to our butter. There had also been some comment with regard to the length of time it was held in store, but on the whole he considered that our meat, butter, cheese, ai>ples and honey were being handled along sound lines. He did not suggest that there was no room for improvement and that the markets could not be extended, but the Dominion was being well served. The Prime Minister then moved a resolution embodying approval of the Statute of Westminster and it was adopted unanimously. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS.' Tho House then proceeded to deal with private members’ bills. The Distress and Replevin Amendment Bill (Mr Fraser), the Deaths by Accident Compensation Amendment, No. 2 Bill (Mr Stewart), the Deaths by Accident Compensation Amendment Bill (Mr Mason) and the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill (Mr Mason) were all read a second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. MEAT EXPORT CONTROL BILL.

Mr Lysnar was greeted with applause when he rose to move the second reading of the Meat Export Control Amendment Bill. He said he did not intend to deal with the substance of the Bill very fully because members were by now aware of its purpose. He hoped it would be given a rapid passage through the House. He considered that it should have been placed on the Statute Book during an earlier session of the present Parliament. The Bill would alter the method of electing the Control Board. It would cancel the appointment of Government nominees who under tho present law were appointed for all time. The Bill would also remove the commercial representative. There was no justification for a commercial representative on the board.

Mr Lysnar was interrupted by the rising of the House at 10.30, p.m.