PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 256, 28 September 1932, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

ADDEESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE

HOUSE SETTLES DOWN TO BUSINESS

The real business of the present session of Parliament began yesterday, when the Address-in-Iteply motion was moved by Mr J. N. Massey and seconded by Mr P. McSkimming. These members were the only speakers in the debate yesterday.

Having failed to reach an agreement with the Leader of the Opposition as to a limit on the speeches in the Address-in-Reply debate, in order to expedite the business of the House, the Prime Minister gave notice of his intention to move that for the remainder of the session the hours of sitting be from 2.30 p.m. to midnight from Tuesdays to Fridays inclusive. ,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REGULATION OF HOURS. PREMIER’S INTENTION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. The Prime Minister gave notice of his intention to move that for the remainder of the session the hours of sitting be from 2.30 to midnight from Tuesdays to Fridays inclusive. Mr J. N. Massey moved the formal Address-in-Reply motion. He paid a tribute to the manner in which Their Excellencies, Lord and the Lady Bledisloe had endeared themselves to the people of the Dominion and added that the breadth and depth of knowledge which His Excellency had displayed in the agricultural life of the country, had won especial admiration. The gift of the Waitangi site was one which would be appreciated by Maori and pakeha alike and he felt confident the present and later Governments would see that the monument associated with such an historic event would be properly protected for all time.

Continuing, Mr Massey said that while there had been improvement in the outlook of the Dominion, it was evident we were not yet completely out of our difficulties but there was reason to hope the improvement would continue. He referred to the Government’s efforts in the direction of assisting the fanning community and expressed the view that a further careful invesigation into the position regarding fertilisers would render it possible for farmers to receive yet more supplies of cheap fertilisers. It was necessary, also, to go further than merely increase the Dominion’s production. Attention must be directed to improved marketing. We must improve the quality of our products and at the same time submit an article that would lie acceptable to overseas markets.

was wanted was a better understanding between manufacturers and workers.

Mr Massey expressed the opinion that New Zealand had been particularly ably represented at Ottawa and he believed the Dominion, in common with the rest of the Empire, would receive benefits of considerable magnitude in consequence of the Conference.

i Referring to unemployment, Mr McSkimming said money was being found but in many cases it was wasted. Men complained that they were not getting enough money, but in many cases they were getting more than the work was worth. Lots of the work offered to the men was certainly demoralising, hut when the men refused to earn money paid to them they were not helping the position. Part of the trouble in tho country was that the Government 'was expected to do everything, Mr McSkimming continued. If individuals would put their shoulders to the wheel, something might be done. Mr McSkimming commended the efforts to reduce expenditure on education, but suggested that the Government should give further consideration to the matter before closing the Dunedin Training College. He criticised the payment of very large individual amounts in superannuation and urged the Government to make a saving in this direction. There might also be scope for economy by further reductions in some of tho higher salaries. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Leader of the Opposition and the House rose at 8.40. LICENSING OF BOOKMAKERS.

PROPOSED IN GAMING BILL. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. “The main object is tq license bookmakers with the view to controlling a pretty bad business which is going on in New Zealand at the present time,” declared Mr H. T. Armstrong in the House when introducing a Gaming Amendment Bill.

People who were not licensed were getting the lion’s share of the betting and the State was losing revenue, he added. The Bill only asked that New Zealand be brought into line with other countries. When bookmakers had been licensed previously, New Zealand had had an undesirable experience, but the fault had been in control which had been in the hands of tlie racing clubs. The Bill proposed that a licensing committee should be set up with the chief stipendiary magistrate of Wellington as chairman. That committee would have complete control of bookmakers. New Zealand had relatively _ more bookmakers than any other country in the world, yet it was one of the few countries in which they were not licensed. While totalisator receipts were dwindling, bookmakers were looking just as prosperous as ever and it was difficult to understand why they were allowed to operate without paying something for the privilege, he concluded.

LAND DEVELOPMENT. The mover of the Address went on to refer to the development of Crown and private lands and paid a. tribute to the work of the Native Affairs Department in developing Maori lands. So far as the Auckland province was concerned, he said, it seemed that instead of the pakeha giving the lead to the Maori, the latter was giving the lead to the pakeha. The Lands Department appeared to be lagging sadly behind. There had been considerable waste and in this connection he desired to refer particularly to unemployment relief. Everyone knew the unemployment problem was acute but it should be recognised that money should he spent along the right line’s and more valuable work could be done in outlying areas than in metropolitan areas. He regretted that there had been a departure in the Auckland province from the sound policy which lia.d been laid down some months ago. He emphasised the necessity for devoting expenditure largely to reproductive work. MANUFACTURERS AND OTTAWA. The motion was seconded by Mr P. McSkimming, who said he had never been very optimistic about the Ottawa Conference, but lie thought something might accrue from it. Some of the manufacturers were up in arms about it, but they should wait until they knew what was going to he done. The mere fact that Empire representatives had met at Ottawa must do some good. “I am a secondary manufacturer myself,” he said, “but I am not in favour of tariffs that make things too dear for the purchaser.” He was in favour of a moderate tariff and he considered manufacturers should be able to do better than they were. What

MENTAL HOSPITALS. DIFFICULTIES OF FINANCE. WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. Replying in a discussion in tlio House on the report of the Mental Hospitals Department, Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, said the administration system in New Zealand compared favourably with anything else in the world, but, like other countries, New Zealand was faced with difficulties in the way of finance. There were many cases which, it might be considered, could be more satisfactorily dealt with in institutions other than mental hospitals. Legislation had been passed for the provision of rest homes, but this would require a great deal of money. Ho had no doubt the Government would bo only too happy to provide rest homes when the money was available. Tin Minister said it was a matter for gratification that there was no longer any stigma attached to treatment in a mental hospital. Relatives of people in institutions need no longer have any misgivings on that score.

MILITARY SYSTEM. EDUCATION OF OFFICERS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. Discussing, in the House of Representatives, the report of the General Officer Commanding the Defence Forces, Air J. Hargest said it was deplorable that nothing was being done to give Dominion officers the opportunity to secure the latest knowledge in military affairs. He was of opinion that New Zealand should have at least one representative in a military college overseas. The Government had sent Colonel N. W. Thoms (now commanding the Shanghai Defence Force) to England at an expense of £2OOO and had then dispensed with his services. That money had been lost to the Dominion, but he hoped the Minister of Defence would make an effort to send another officer at an early date so that new ideas could be brought to New Zealand. The department was to be congratulated on the success of the voluntary scheme but the status of the volunteer forces should be raised.