Many Questions And Answers In House

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1945, Page 4

Many Questions And Answers In House

(P A.) WELLINGTON. This Day Questions occupied attention of members of the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, a number being presented and a large number of others earlier receiving written answers, which were discussed. The usual wide variety of subjects was covered. A denial that the' Waikato carbonisation works, which supplied char to the greater part of the North Island, were to be closed as an emergency measure was given by the Minister for Supply (Hon. D. G. Sullivan). The suggestion had been made in a question by Mr. G. F. Sim (Opposition—Rotorua). “Discussions did take place between the Mining Controller and the company some time ago to see if any material improvement in the general coal supply position would result from the closing down of the works for about six weeks,” said the Minister. “However, while the discussions were taking place the plant broke down owing to a mechanical defect, but it has how been repaired and operations have -.been resumed. Sufficient stocks of char were held to meet requirements during the period the carbonising unit was out of production. Training- For Sea “The Government is keenly interested in the provision of the fullest facilities for training New Zealand boys for the seafaring profession," said the Minister for Marine (Hon. J. O’Brien), when replying to a suggestion that greater facilities might be provided. The Minister added that the school of navigation at Auckland previously operated by Captain W. J. Keane, was taken over and had been carried on for some time by the Marine Department, and the number of students offering already had necessitated the appointment of an additional tutor. Consideration was being given to the extension to correspondence courses, evening classes and prevocational training as opportunity offered. The curriculum of the school was’ designed mainly for seamen who desired to pass into officered rank or lowgrade officers who desired to improve their status. With regard to younger lads who were desirous of going to sea, said Mr. O’Brien. consideration was being given to the provision of a certain amount of nautical training in technical colleges, provision of land camps for prevocational training and also some means of training these boys in actual seafaring experience. In this connection 12 youths were continuously employed as apprentices in the barque Pamir, where they received very beneficial training. The Minister for Lands (Hon. C. F. Skinner) said that the penal provisions of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act would be invoked in every case where evidence was sufficient to warrant* prosecution against a land agent or any other person who defeated the purjDoses of the Act. In the event of a land agent being convicted of such an offence the Government would no doubt consider the of the agent’s licence. Party Funds Replying to Mr. H. E. Combs (Government-Wellington Suburbs) the Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) said that the question of introducing legislation making it mandatory for all political parties to disclose the source of all contributions to party funds and the way in which the funds were disbursed was receiving favourable consideration.

The acting-Minister for Labour (Hon. J. O’Brien), replying to Mr. F. Hackett (Government —Grey Lynn), said that the question of charges for rooms was being considered, with a view to affording protection in cases similar to the one mentioned by Mr. Hackett of a person paying £3 weekly for one room containing only two beds and a duchess. The man paying this rent had informed a magistrate that he received a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits in the morning. The magistrate commented: “This is just sufficient to put the case outside the Fair Rents Act.” The Minister for Industries and Commerce (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) replying to Mr. L. G. Lowry (Government—Otaki), who asked whether in view of the alleged practice of auctioneers buying on their own behalf he would consider setting up a commission to inquire into what way justice could be done to those who had been wronged over a period of years, said that as a result of a Wellington case an inquiry had been instituted. When it was completed consideration would be given to the course of action which might be necessary to protect growers against such buying-in of produce. The Minister for Health (Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) said that an inauiry had been initiated into a recent Christchurch case in which it was alleged that a midwife had administered chloroform to a woman in confinement who later died.