PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18215, 7 October 1922, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

ES3TMATES REVIEWED. A L.ENGTHY DISCUSSION. ALL THE ITEMS PASSED. THE PLAGUE PRECAUTIONS. [:si TELEGRAPH. —31'EClAJj REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Frioay. The House of Representatives spent the greater part of tho afternoon and the whole of the ' evening discussing the Estimates. When the House met this ■ afternoon, tho Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Health, made a statement in answer to 'the allegations made in Sydney respecting the medical examination of Australian passengers at New Zealand ports, and announced that the practice of taking t!ie temperatures of passengers was to be discontinued forthwith. Tho departmental ertimatea taken in the afternoon were thojie relating to customs, lands and survey, valuation and electoral. The estimates of the Department of Agriculture wore under consideration when tho Houso adjourned at 5.30 p.m. In tho evening tfio discussion occupied a further two hours. After a lengthy sitting all tho items on the Estimates were disposed of and the House rose at 12.55 a.m.

Aipong . the Bills considered by the legislative Council was the Auckland Oi.ty and Auckland Hospital Board Empowering Bill, which was passed without amendment.

SOCKBUM AERODROME.

QUESTION OF PURCHASE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S ALTITUDE. [BY TXLEGRATH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday.

It was suggested by Dr. H. T. J. Thaeker to day that the should take over the Sockburn aerodrome, in Canterbury, for defence purposes. He thought it was the duty of the Government to see that our pilots were represented in the Near East if there was to be war there

Sic R. Heaton Rhodes said that up to tbii present the matter of the taking over of this aerodrome hrid not been considered by the Government. The question had not been put up to them. He had noticed that quite a number of associations had been taking the matter up, but so far representations had not been marie. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) asked if the Government would consider the question of taking over the'aerodrome. !3ir R. Heaton Rhodes: That, of course, It not for mo to say. I could make a recommendation to the Government. The Government, however, has ample space for an aerodrome at Barnham. We have bult a hang ax oursalves at Sockburn, and thors are hangars there belonging to tho company, as we 1 as accommodation for those undergoing refresher courses. He added that the Government could not give a verjr high price for the land where the pnisent aerodrome was situated when it had cheaper land at Burnham. It would be chewier for the Government to rem ore the hangars to Bumham than to give a big price for the grounds and the hangars as they stood. The cost, of transporting wocid not bo anything like the price the company was likely to ask for the present aerodrome. SOLDIERS' MORTGAGES. SECURITY FOR LENDERS, COMPLAINT OF HARDSHIP. JBI -UXECBATH. —SPECIAL BBPOBTER.] V - WELLINGTON. Friday. The difficult position in wliich some of those who sold farms to returned soldiers have found themselves wag mentioned in tho House of Representatives to-day by Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki). Some of the vendors, said Mr. Field, sold at prices exceeding the amount advanced to the pure hail ens under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement; Act, and for tho balance ccceptcd a second mortgage. The soldiers were,' not- always successful farmers, and somjtimeii their farms so declined in valuis that there was, no security left for i&e second mortgagee. The Governrnehli, of course, as fhst mortgagee, was fully protected. The member wished to knovir whether the Government could do something for the unfortunate secondi mortgagee. The Minister for Hon. D. H. Guthrie, said he was quite well aware that matters had sometimes turned out aj the. member had stated. Occasionally soldiisrs had contracted second mortgages without the knowledge of the department. Had .the department known of tho liabilities that some were assuming, in addition to the liability for the Government advance, it would have warned the men that they could not hopo to make a success. A law had already been passed which gave some relief to the vendor when the N solder failed and had to give up his farm. It provided that the vendor might take back the farm and assume liability for the amount of the advance originally given to tho soldier. A Momber: What about tho poor sol'diei 1 who goes off the farm? Mr. Guthrie : The soldier has had every possible chance of making good, and if he cimhot mjiko good to tho Government or the second mortgagee it is not the fault of the one or the other.

COMPLETING THE ROLLS. SUPPLEMENTARY LISTS. [BY TELEGRATH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The state of the rolls wa3 tho subject of some comment in the House again to-day, when several members drew the attention of the Prime Minister to the fact, that the names of many people who had been on the rolls for years, and had voted at the last election, had been deleted without the knowledge of the electors concerned. Mr. Massev said he thought the publicity given to the matter in the House during the psisfc few weeks had awakened the public to the necessity of seeing that their names were on the rolls. He.had already made arrangements for two supplementary rolls, and he expected when the first came out, about the end of the present month, there would be a rush of electors to see whether their names had been replaced. Thooe who were not on this roll would no doubt see that thev were included in the second list. He promised that nothing would be left undone bp the Electoral Department to nee that all eligible to vote were placed on the roll.

FISH ON THE RAILWAY.

LOWER FREIGHTS URGED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday.

The advisability of ■- cheapening tho freight on fish caught at Napier and sent from there to the country and the centres of population by the railways was mentioned in the House to-day, and in reply the Minister for Railways, Hon. . H. Guthrie, said this was already undor consideration." _ The department would do everything it could do to expedite the carnage of fish. Ii anything more could be done, the department would ba very glad to do it;,

THE ESTIMATES. DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. MANY MATTERS DISCUSSED. THE TARIFF AGREEMENT. [BY TEIEGRAFH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The Houso went into Committee of Supply this afternoon to further consider the Estimates. The first item taken was that of the Customs Department, £108,507. In reply to Mr. T. M. Wilford, Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. W. Dowmo Stewart said it was too early yet' to say what effect the new reciprocal tariff with Australia was going to have on the re* venue, but so far as the export of goods to Australia, was concerned, there was evidence that the effect was going to bo very beneficial. Ho was endeavouring to clear up several matters that had been loft in abeyance, between Australia and New Zealand, and he hoped to get a reply to his cablegram early next week. The vote was passed. i Land and Surveys, £193,666, wk next taken. Replying to Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui), the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said the j boards to inquire into the question of ,> soldiers' settlements would have been appointed some time ago but for tine fact that some of the gentlemen who were asked to act had subsequently found they were unable to devote timo to the work and others had to bo found. He was desirous of getting thoroughly practical , men to act, and when these were found, j and the order of reference had been published, he felt confident th£. House would agro°i that the whole ground had been covered. ! The subsequent discussion ranged over ■ such topics as National Endowment, settlers' grievances of various kinds, tho destruction of rabbits, wild pigs, and keas. The item was passed. Tho vote of £42,353 for the Valuation . Department was not discussed. j Electoral Department, £84,548, raised a discussion on the condition of the rolls before the item was agreed to. i The discussion on tho Department _of j £253,312, was proceeding when the dinner adjournment was taken. Agricultural Instruction. Replying to criticism in the evening, the Hon. W. Nosworthy said he agreed that tho Agricultural College work should be extended even if it meant selling some of tho North Island Stato farm .property, but until the financial conditions improved he would not mako any definite promise to expend more money. Mr. W. A. Veifcch (Wanganui) suggested that scientific assistance might bo obtained from the Cawthron Institute so that the farmer might obtain the best possible returns from the land. Tho Minister, referring to the Wisraroa State Farm, said this, under practic.il and scientific lines, was now showing a profit, and he believed that with a change in methods Moumahaki would also Ibeforo long show a profit on. working. He did not believe in a. lot of theory that could not produce profitable resultsReplying further to suggestions for aid to State farms, he emphasised tho point that on all hands tho Government, whs urged to practise economy and retrench expenditure, ahd in th&. light of that lie would not be driven by farmers' unions or any othefr unions ifito expenditure on ; anything that could not produce practical and profitable results. The vote was pas&ed without amendment. Mount Cook Hermitage.

7 On the item, Tourist Department, £71,792,- in reply to general discussion, the Hon. W. Noes worthy said that the. Mount Cook Hermitage had beoß let for five years at £200 per year. A Bill was to be introduced setting up a board to govern the Tongariro National Park. It would give representation to the natives on the Doard. The vote was passed. At State Forest Department, £1(6,590, Mr. Wilford criticised this department contending that too ,mueh money was being spent on it. Eveiyono knew that the. department was the favourite child of a particular Minister, and he was very enthusiastic over it, but ho thought tho money spent on it was out of all proportion to the benefit being derived. Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) said h© hoped the Government would go on spending more money cm the department and achieve results similar to those achieved in France out of the timber planted 40 years ago. Sir R.„ Heaton Rhodes said the Government fully its responsibility in the matter of reafforestation and only sheer necessity would compel them to economise in tliis department; Mr. Massey: And we are going on economising. Make no mistake about that. The vote was passed. Hospital Supplies.

Mental hospitals, £301,736, was passed after a brief discussion. At Public Health Department, £221,473. Mr. G. Mitchell stated he had beon informed that some of the stores for the department had been purchased by the firm of Sir Duncan Elliott, and that Some of. them were purchased in retail shops in London: • , The Hon. C. J. Parr said he did not know that what Mr. Mitchell said was a fact, but ho could scarcely credit it. He would, however, inquire into it. It might be that the High Commissioner had cmployed Sir Duncan Elliott's firm to make purchases. Mr. Wilford said Sir Duncan Elliott was a consulting engineer, and it looked as if his "wings should bo clipped." The vote was passed. The remainder of the items on the Estimates were passed without much donate, and the House rose. EXCESSIVE VALUATIONS. QUESTION OF REDUCTION. SPECIAL BILL PROBABLE. ' [BX TELEGRAPH-—SPECIAL itKPORTIIR.] WELLINGTON. Friday. "It is likely that I shall have to ask Parliament to agree to a short Bill during the present session to enable aomething of the sort to be arranged," said the Prime Minister, when it was suggested to him that the valuations of many counties were excessive and should bo reduced. The suggestion came from Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui), who thought that arrangements ought to bo made for the reduction by a certain percentage of all the valuations in a particular county once it was established that the present valuations were unjustifiably high in view of the ruling prices for produce. The Prime Minister admitted that in some districts valuations were unfairly high owing to the fact that they had been made when produce was bringing hi ah prices. He had been communicating with the Valuer-General with a view to having something done for such districts. He understood that legislation would probably be necessary. DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL. WORK OF THE COMMITTEE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. FridayThe committee appointed to hear evidence in connection with the Daity Produce Export Control Bill will commence proceedings on Thursday, October 12. The evidence of North Isknd objectors will be heard on Friday, October 13, and irt the case of tho South Island on Tuesday, October 17.