PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 3 July 1943, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

BUSINESS IN HOUSE WAR COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS SUGGESTION RECEIVED FAVOURABLY (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. An issue of war commemorative stamps by New Zealand was recommended by Mr F. W. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) speaking in the House of Representatives. They should, he said,' range from one penny to one chilling. There was an immense market, especially in the United States, for such stamps, and it would be not only a good advertisement, but a good investment. He also asked the Government to press for a resumption of overseas air mail services wherever possible.

The Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, assured Mr Doidge that resumption of air mail letter carriage was constantly under consideration. He was quite certain that at the very first opportunity mails would again be sent by air Some, he added, were coming in now, although the service was not very regular, but if it could be resumed it ought to be done. The Postmaster-General, Mr P. Webb: All air space is at present taken up. The Prime Minister added that some air mails were coming across the Pacific, but the route via Australia and India was blocked. However, it might be possible to resume on some other route. The whole matter was receiving attention and would be the subject of collaboration and discussion between the United States and British Governments. It might be possible after the war to have some better international system of air line communication. Mr Fraser said he regarded the suggestion for a war commemorative stamp as a very good one. SUPPLIES OF CARTRIDGES Some improvement in supplies of cartridges for sportsmen appears likely. This point was raised by Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Ind., Riccarton), who declared that the rabbit and hare nuisance was increasing enormously. Therefore the restrictions on sale of cartridges should be relaxed. Mr D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Supply, pointed out that some components of cartridges had to be imported and they were needed for defence purposes. Mr Kyle remarked that he realised the problem, but farmers without cartridges were annoyed when they saw parties arrive in their cars to shoot ducks. The Prime Minister said he thought it would be possible to deal with the question now that the ammunition production had reached a large volume. WOOL BONDS FOR FARMERS Wool bonds received by farmers will be made payable back to the appraisal dates, according to a statement made by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr J. G. Barclay, when replying to several points concerning wool prices. The Minister also made a declaration that the Government would not raise the price of wool to local consumers. The Government had been urged to raise the price of wool to local consumers by £220,000, but it would not do so. The farmers were receiving every penny coming to New Zealand from Britain.

Amidst a chorus of dissent from the Opposition, the Minister declared that people who had received 20 per cent more than they said they wanted desired an increase in the price of wool to poor people, returned soldiers and children.

Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago), asked the Prime Minister if the Government would be prepared to give consideration to the acceptance by the Lands Department of wool bonds in payment for rent. There was no section of the community labouring under greater difficulties than men farming in high country areas. NO TYRES FOR JOYRIDING It was most definitely and emphatically incorrect that people were getting tyres for joyriding, stated the Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr D. G. Sullivan, when Mr Kyle said he had had a letter from a farmer who complained of difficulty in obtaining tyres or retreads for his trucks and yet, the farmer said, it appeared that there were other people in his locality who were able to get tyres for their motor cars, which they used to go to races, dances and so on. Mr Sullivan said there were no tyres for joyriding or pleasure. Mr Kyle: All right, I shall hand the letter to the Minister and he can make further inquiries. COMMISSIONS RELINQUISHED A suggestion that a large number of the young officers who were recently asked to relinquish their commissions and go overseas as mc.o.’s should be given an opportunity to join the Indian Army was put forward by Mr J. A. McL. Roy (Nat., Clutha) during the discussion on the Estimates. Mr Roy said there were close on 1000 young men who had earned their commissions and in the majority of cases had been held back against their will. They were put in a very humiliating position and he knew of one man who had been held back as an instructor, but on going overseas he would be very much junior to the men he had trained. He did not say that those men should go overseas into the New Zealand Division, but he understood there would be openings in the Indian Army, where New Zealanders had already given a good account of themselves.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, said it was physically impossible to use all the men who had qualified as officers. He understood the number affected was 740. New Zealand had certain commitments in certain places and arrangements had been made that a certain proportion should be trained as officers. From the men in the field everyone would agree with that. That meant that only a small proportion must go forward from New Zealand and it was therefore impossible to find places for all the officers who had been trained here. Not only lieutenants and second lieutenants were affected, but he also knew of majors and captains going away as sergeants.

Referring to Mr Roy’s suggestion of the possible use of young officers in India, Mr Nash said they had to take into account New Zealand’s own commitments which had been readjusted considerably. He did not think they should let any qualified person go anywhere else when this might affect New Zealand being able to meet its commitments. If these young officers had the competency they would in a very short time regain the positions they had occupied here.