OPENING DAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 26 June 1931, Page 5

OPENING DAY

SHORT SITTINGS OF BOTH HOUSES UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF BILL TO TAKE PRECEDENCE (From "The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, 25th June. The business of Parliament on the openiiig day is always more or less of a formal nature and to-day the actual sittings in the Legislative Council and House of Representatives, after the departure of the Governor-General were of less interest than usual. 'Pile Upper House sat for three minutes, the Hon. Sir Edwin Mitehelson giving notice that he intends to move the Address-in-Rcply motion. The Council then adjourned until next Tuesday. The House sat for about half an hour. As usual there was a large accumulation of Notices of Questions mostly from the Labour benches, but there was by no means the bombardment which has occurred at the beginning of some recent sessions. The greater proportion of questions related to the economic condition of the country.

LOCAL BODIES AND UNEMPLOYMENT

In response to direct inquiries the Prime Minister intimated that one of the first measures to be introduced would be the Local Authorities Empowering (Relief of Unemployment) Extension Bill, permitting local bodies to proceed with relief works during the remainder of the year. This will be brought down to-morrow and there will also be the Imprest Bill voting supply to Departments of State and the Unemployment Amendment Bill, proposing financial means for carrying on unemployment relief schemes. Mr Forbes said the Unemployment Bill would be merely read a first time, the second reading being deferred until Tuesday in order to enable members to consider it.

Notice was given by Mr F. Lye (United, Waikato) that he will move the Address-in-Reply motion. This will not be reached until after the unemployment legislation is disposed of. The House adjourned at 3.35 p.m. until to-morrow afternoon. PAYMENT OF RENT After drawing attention to the acuteness of the unemployment position, Mr W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central) asked the Prime Minister in the House to-day whether he would make provision in future subsidies to Hospital Boards for payment of rent in cases where families are threatened with evacuation.

Mr Forbes replied that the matter would be taken into consideration when the Budget was being framed.

SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES OF JUDGES

A series of questions relating to salaries (ind allowances of Judges of the Supreme Court was given notice of in the House to-day by Mr R. Semple (Labour, Wellington East). All the questions were addressed to the Prime Minister. In the first he asked if the Government would revise the present excessive rates of travelling allowances paid to Judges of the Supreme Court and Arbitration Court of £2 2s a day and bring.them into line with those now paid to Ministers of the Crown.

Mr Semple also asked if tlie Prime Minister would lay on the table (1) A copy of his letter to the Judges of the Supreme Court asking them toi voluntarily share in the general cut ol salaries; (2) Their reply showing how the Primo Minister’s request was evaded, and (3) The Prime Minister’s letter in reply. The third question was as follows: “Is it a fact that the Reform Party appointed an ex-Judge of the Supreme Court as chairman of the War Pensions Appeal Board so that he drew (a) a pension of approximately £9OO per annum; (b) a salary of £9OO per annum in addition; (c) also board fees of £2 2s for each sitting; (d) also a travelling allowance of £2 2s a day plus expenses for each day he was absent from headquarters, which were fixed as being at Christchurch, whereas he always lived at Auckland; (e) railway passes for himself and wife for four seats in a train. (2) What alteration has been made by the present Government ?”