LABOUR LEADER WARMLY ATTACKS ORDER-IN-COUNCIL

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6677, 2 August 1928, Page 8

LABOUR LEADER WARMLY ATTACKS ORDER-IN-COUNCIL

Ministerial Replies To Various Questions YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS IN PARLIAMENT Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The House met at 2.30 and the following were among the Bills which were read a first time: —Licensing Amendment Bill (Mr Mason, Eden), Education Amendment Bill (Mr, Holland, Bullet). Explaining his Licensing Amendment Bill Mr. Mason (Eden) said the measure was intended to remove certain anomalies in connection with the sale of New Zealand wines. He believed the clauses of his bill were of a noncontentious nature seeing that they proposed ■ to remove the embargo against co-operation on thhe part of wine-growers with respect to the sale of New Zealand wines. The Prime Minister: We’ll try and help the hon. gentleman." (Laughter). Order-in-Council. In introducing his bill, the Leader of the Opposition explained that it aimed to abolish the provision in the Act of 1919 gving power to the Minister to make regulations over-riding the provisions of the principal Education Act. He declared the principle of making regulations was one largely taken advantage of by the Government. Matters were determined under Order-in-Council which should only be done by Act of Parliament. The provisions which he sought to repeal slipped through in 1919 without much protest, although he had objected at the time pointing out the danger which - might arise. They recently had protest from the Government benches against the > Government legislating by Order-in-Council. He hoped the Government would allow his amendment to go through. No regulation should be made which would override the statute law. , Mr. G. Forbes said time was when the opposition of that day complained bitterly of the use made of the Order-in-Council by a former Liberal Government. Even the Liberal Party itself did not like 1 the practice and protested to their ow'n. Government about it. Personally ho very much disliked it and it seemed to be growing worse and worse. Government by Order-in-Council was something which the Opposition should on every occasion protest against as powers taken in that way were far too wide. 6 Cook Islands Trade,

Replying to the discussion on the Cook Islands report Sir Maui Ppmaro said the steamer Maui Po'mare was proving highly satisfactory hut so soon as private enterprise was prepared to take up the Island trade on proper Hues the' GoYernment' would retire' from it. Mr. Howard: “Now .you arc spoiling a good thing. " Sir Maui'Pomare replied that there was so much criticism of petty details that he sometimes wondered whether the Government should mix itself up with'the trade, but as matters stood they felt:they had a duty to do.and .they were, doing it. " r ' ; . .Answers Xo Questions. , The House then proceeded 1 to discuss the--answers given by Ministers to questions,; Amongst others the’: Government' gave, the following answers:— : That' the matter of running a night express - between New Plymouth , and Welhngtoh has received sympathetic consideration, but the additional traffic likely to result would bo quite insufficient to warrant the heavy expenditure entailed ip. providing additional engine power, sleeping cars and staff. That the railway classification list for 1928 will be distributed about the second week in August.

' That having regard to the necessities of farmers in the South Island to get cheap superphosphates the Government will institute inquiries into the disparity between prices charged in the North and South Islands. , That .the . question of renewing l the subsidy: of £BOOO towards Herd Testing Associations next year is at present rechiving consideration. That the,'School Journal is a general reading book used by the pupils of standard classes of most of our primary schools and must therefore contain articles on a great variety of topics; Most of the pupils have in addition historical readers which contain chapters on the early history of New Zealand. It is not therefore necessary or expedient to include an article on the early history of New Zealand in every issue of the Journal though a due proportion of articles of the kind may be inserted froiq time to time. A Consolidating Bill relating to the Post and Telegraph Department was introduced and read a first time. The House adjournuu at 5.30.