DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 6

DAY IN PARLIAMENT

TWO BILLS INTRODUCED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. The first of the legislative work of | the present session of Parliament com--1 menced yesterday when two Bills were | introduced by Governor-General’s mesj sage. The afternoon sitting of the House I was occupied with consideration of Ministerial replies to questions, the most noteworthy of these being the reply of the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) fo a question by Mr F. W. Doidge (National. Tauranga) regarding the training of troops in the use of the rifles, and a question by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (National, Waitomo) regarding the non-imposition of the sentence of flogging on the four prisoners who escaped from Auckland Gaol and assaulted warders while doing so. When the latter question was being discussed the Minister of Justice (Mr Mason) made the important statement that steps would be taken to amend the law relating to floggings. After the national Development Loans Bill and the Finance Bill had been introduced and read a first time at the commencement of the evening sitting, the House went into committee to consider departmental estimates. The rest of the sitting was occupied with the first item, matters of interest discussed including the treatment of conscientious objectors and the school teaching and examination systems. The House adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.