MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 2, 30 November 1944, Page 3

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

INTERNAL AIR SERVICES. (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 29 Members of Parliament were in an inquiring frame of mind today, several giving notice of questions addressed to Ministers during the period for formal business.

Mr M. H. Oram (Nat., Manawatu) to ave notice to ask the Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation if, in view of the close liaison established betv-sen the Australian and New Zealand Governments, would the Minister state whether New Zealand could prepare herself for State ownership of the internal air services, as was proposed in the Commonwealth.

Mr F. Findlay (Nat., Hamilton) asked the Minister of Defence if he would take steps to see that life insur-% ance agents, 'when issuing policies to members of the Armed Forces against death, specifically notified the intending insurers that they were not covered against war risks unless a special additional premium was paid; and was it a fact that only State Life Insurance agents were allowed to solicit policies in military camps, and, if so, would the Minister see that other offices had the same privilege extended to them. Mr Findlay said a State Life Insurance agent had written a policy for a member of the Force without advising him that it did not cover war risk, with the result that the policy was valueless when the airman was killed.

SPECIAL BUTTER RATION. Mr E. B. Corbett (Nat., Egmont) asked the Minister of Supply if, in order to provide the ful.est safeguard for the health of mother and child, the Minister would immediately restore to expectant and nursing mothers the special allowance of eight ounces ot butter per week, similar to that allowed to bushworkers, miners, etc. Mr Corbett said it was reported that additional butter had been refused since the beginning of October, even when a medical certificate stated that the present M'ation was insufficient. 11l an urgent question Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Waitonio) asked the Minister of Lauds if he were aware that, in proceedings before some land sales courts, confidential reports were being placed before the committee by the Crown representative, and that the contents of such reports were withheld from the parties to the transaction. Lid the Minister not agree that such methods were an undesirable departure from the e.einentury principles which governed the procedure before judicial authorities, and would he take immediate steps to prevent such procedure in future?

The Minister (Mr Skinner) said he was not aware of confidential reports being placed before land sales committees by the Crown representatives. On the contrary. Crown representatives had been instructed that they were bound to produce valuations, whether they supported the consideration in the transaction or not. Instructions had also been issued that the Crown should disclose the nature of the evidence and the valuations to be submitted where the parties were prepared to do likewise. The Minister said that, if Sir Broadfoot would give particulars of the cases mentioned, he would have them investigated. Mr Broadloot: I will do that.