MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 241, 8 September 1944, Page 5

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

THE PRODUCE AGREEMENTS. INFORMATION SOUGHT. (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. An unusual fact about the questions asked when the House of Reprcsentathes met this afternoon was that half of them came -from members of the Government. Mr W. J. Broadfnot (Nat., Waitomo), in an urgent question, asked for presentation to the House of full information concerning the primary produce agreements with Britain. The Prime Minister said that as much information on the negotiations, as by arrangement with the British Government was available for publication at this juncture, had already been given. The position concerning- the increase in prices for meat had been explained fully to the Meat Producers' Board. At present lie bad no further information, but,the same publicity would be given regarding meat prices as had been given regarding other produce. Mr Eraser said that, in addition to the information he had given the House yesterday concerning the agreement with the dairy industry, the Dairy Board and Meat Board had set up a joint committee to discuss with the Stabilisation Commission what subsidies or other items should be debited against the respective industry stabilisation accounts, to which would be credited the increases in the payment*, for butter, cheese, and meat by the British Ministry of Eood.

Mr 1'; G. Connolly (Lab., Ihinediii West) gave notice to ask tho Minister in charge of Civil Aviation what steps were contemplated to increase the number of flying boats or planes operating in the trans-Tasman service. Mr Connolly said that post-war development of this route would employ many officers and men trained in the R.N.Z.A.F. Mr Connolly also gave notice to ask the Minister of Railways if he would approve of half-fare on the railways for all personnel serving in the merchant navy when their ships operated between New Zealand and Britain. Mr Connolly said that, as the fourth fighting service, tho merchant navy should receive treatment in line with the other throe Services. SURVEY OF LAND.

Mr J. Hodgens (Lab., Palmerston North), in a notice of question to the Minister of Lands, suggested that a survey be made of individual and family holdings of land in New Zealand as at September, 1939, and at the present. Mr Hodgens asked the Minister if, where aggregation was proved, he would claim the land at the 1939 rateable values for the settlement of discharged servicemen. Mr Hodgens said he had been advised that some wealthy farmers had bought up land because of other farmers, or their sons, having entered the Fighting Services in the early years of the war. Mr T. H. McCombs (Lab., Lyttelton) gave notice to ask the Minister of Customs if he would deny further licenses to importers of undergrade footwear, so protecting the New Zealand manufacturers, who were, at the Government's request, producing standard quality shoes. Mr T. L. Macdonald (Nat., Mataura) asked the Minister of Justice if he would extend the Fair Rents Act to enable a serviceman's wife to obtain possession of her husband's house where lier circumstances had changed since the serviceman entered camp. Mr Macdonald said this privilege was granted servicemen.

. Answering an urgent question bv Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Otago Central) as to the reason why a passenger train on the Otago Central line between Middlemarch and Dunedin was permitted to get out of control, the Minister of Railways (Mr Somple) said the Inquiry Board found that the speed of the train, prior to entering and when passing through a certain tunnel, was approximately 40 miles an hour, and this speed was excessive on that particular portion of tho line. The guard and enginedriver had been suitably punished for their neglect. The Minister said the train was not out of control and the rolling-stock was not defective. The cause of the irouble was failure of the Westinghouso brake pump on the engine at Ngapttna, which could not bo repaired. After an unsuccessful attempt to repair the. brake pump at Middlcmarch, arrangements were made for the train to proceed on the hand brake, which was quite sufficient for the safe passage of the train. Before the train left Middlemarch there was a perfect understanding of the position between the driver, the guard, and the guard's assistant, and had the guard been alert and regulated the brake control an excessive speed would not have been reached.