PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 283, 27 October 1934, Page 9

PARLIAMENT

THE SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. The House of ltep re sent a fives resumed at 2.30 p.m. Mr W. E. Parry continued to discuss the Police Estimates. He said there was a lack of efficiency in tlie Police Force, and quoted a number of unsolved murder cases in recent years. He thought there was great room for reform. More scientific knowledge and organisation were needed and money should be expended in that direction, instead of organising a force to deal with an imaginary crowd. The amendment moved by Mr M. J. Savage in the forenoon, to reduce the vote by £4200 as a protest against the proposed reserve force, was lost by 34 votes to 17.

Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, replying to further criticism, said the course adopted was one that would appeal to prudent men. The vote was passed. DOCTORS FOR MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Coming to the Mental Hospitals Department Vote, Mr W. E. Barnard asked why the Director-General should have to go to England to engage medical officers. The House had been told that the number of medical students at the Otago Medical School had been limited because there were not openings for those who desired to take the medical course. There was prima facie evidence against the action of the Otago University Council in limiting the number of students. Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates said they had been unable to get men to take mental hospital -work. Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, said suitable men were not available in New Zealand. Men had been advertised for throughout the Dominion. Students leaving the Medical School made use of the mental hospitals for only a short period. The department wanted trained men who had a flair for the work, which did not seem to be attractive to the type of man who was suitable for the job. The salaries had been increased in an endeavour to secure good pen. The salaries ranged from £650 to £9OO.

Mr A. E. Ansell said that greater inducement should be given to medical students to take work in mental hospitals. Mr Coates said it was imperative that the present staff must be increased, as at present the men were working overtime and could not keep it up; so it had been decided to secure six men from overseas.

The vote was passed. LOWER GRADING OF SCHOOLS. The down-grading of schools was referred to during the discussion on the Education Vote, the exclusion of five-year-old children from the schools being criticised. Mr Young said the Minister of Education was deeply concerned and the matter was under consideration. He thought something would be done to remedy it. Mr H. Atmore moved that the vote be reduced by £1 as a protest against the Minister’s failure to adopt the suggestion of the New Zealand Educational Institute to reduce by 10 per cent, the numbers deciding the grading of primary and sub-primary schools, in order to obviate the down-grading of schools and the transfer of teachers. The amendment was lost by 34 votes to 21. The vote was passed. THE UNEMPLOYMEIT FUND. On the Unemployment Fund Vote, the Minister was asked what increases in salaries had been given to members of the Unemployment Board. Mr Young, in reply, said that when a member of the board was appointed deputy-chairman his salary was not increased. Mr Bromley’s salary then was £455, and it was now proposed to increase it to £650. A second member of the board (Mr Pascoe) was doing valuable work and it was proposed to give him a fixed salary of £6OO. The third member received £270. Mr P. Fraser moved that the vote be reduced by £395 to leave the salaries as they were. Other Labour members protested against the increases while there were many persons dependent on the board receiving less than £SO a year. The ability of the members of the board was not questioned. The amendment was lost by 29 to 23. The remaining votes were passed. ft was decided to sit on Monday at 7.30 p.m. The House rose at 6.5.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MINING BILL PASSED.

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. Hon. 11. Masters moved an amendment to the Mining Amendment Bill, giving the right of appeal to arbitration against any assessment by the Minister ot Lands of damage by mining operations on Crown lands. The amendment was agreed to. The Bill was read the third time and passed. The Council rose at 2.50.