PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

MBIOULTURE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT TALKED OUT ,; MANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED ';WORKERS' COMPENSATION. [by telegraph.-—special REPORTER.] " : : ;' : ' , WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Various agricultural questions were discuSsed in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The Minister for Agriculture the Hon. W. Nosworthy, moved that the annual report of the department be laid on the table. One member after another rose to ventilate matters affecting their, particular districts, and they had net finished when the tea adjournment arrived. The consequence was that the motion was talked out and the report could not be presented. In the evening a private Bill, the Workers' Compensation Act Amendment Bill (Mr. E. J. Howard, Christchurch South), was read a second time.. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Wilford, intimated that he would support the Bill. A large batch of Ministerial answers to questions was presented during the day; also the annual report of the State Advances Office and various departmental reports. . Mr. J, S. Dickson (Parnell) gave notice to introduce the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Amendment Bill. The Rent Restriction Continuance Bill (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) was read a . first time. After passing the second reading of Mr. Howard's Bill, tho House rose at 11.10 j p.m. In the Legislative Council the Samoa Amendment Bill was passed and the Baptist Union Incorporation Bill was read a first time.

NEXT .SEASON'S WHEAT.

SHORTAGE FORECASTED.

.WINTER CURTAILS SOWING.

[Sir TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The effect of the bad winter upon next season's .wheat crop was mentioned in the House of Representatives. to-day. Southern members wanted to know what the. Government proposed to do in the way of preventing a heavy decrease in the wheat yield. Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said a very much smaller area would be planted | ~ in wheat this year than last. He wished J .to know what the Government was prepared to do to urge farmers to plant spring wheat. The winter had been lost for sowing, and if requirements were to be. met a large amount of sowing would 1 have- to be done in the spring. The prev Bent shortage of bran and pollard ... promised to be much more acute next year if larger quantities of wheat were .not-grown, and high prices for wheat "offals" would prevail. "; It looked as '■'. if ; the Dominion would not produce this season anything like the quantity of, wheat if required The Hen. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) spoke with some apprehension about, the pros- ' pects of wheat-growing' in the South Island this year. He said that a large part of the ploughed lands were practically- waterlogged. Even 'if-'tljS "sun shone continuously for a f month "it/- would be i impossible to plant wheat on these lands. ! The position was nearly hopeless. Prob- ; ably not 50 per cent.- of last season's acreage would be planted in -wheat' this year. He would be surprised if so much as 75 per cent, were planted. He: sug- " gested that the Government should do - all : it could "to .entourage farmers on dry lands to plant wheat in" the interests of the Dominion as ft whole. - v -- v Mr. P. A. de la •Perrelle - (Awarua) also ; advocated encouragement to farmers '•-•' capable of growing wheat, but remarked that Southland farmers would need considerable encouragement before they entered upon it. Mr. J. A. Macpherson (Oamaru) said the trouble was that Government assistance and advice were not given early enough to be of use to the farmer. <It was not possible to begin wheat-growing at short notice. Mr. "Macpherson was rather apprehensive of the removal of control. He said that resolutions in favour of a free market had been"' passed I .at a number of Farmers' Union meetings, ."' but tho attendances had been small and the men present were, largely farmers who. were giving up whealgroiving. There was a prospect that the country would have to import large quantities qf wheat - to meet its own needs. It was regrettable that the Government had not looked • ahead : far enough and recognised that wheatgrowing required special encouragement. He would ask the Government to give the matter its most serious consideration.

CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES.

NO REDUCTION INTENDED.

[by i telegraph.— SPEClAL reporter.] — ' ■•■ - WELLINGTON. Wednesday.'

"The Government has no intention of asking Parliament for any reduction in the wages and salaries of State employees, either before or after the proposed reduction in land and income tax." -This reply was given by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives to-day to Mr. 11. Holland (Bullet), who recently asked a. question on. the subject.

SWIMMING IN SCHOOLS.

NO CAPITATION GRANT.

[by . TELEGRAPH:— reporter.] .' , • WELLINGTON. Wednesday.

The reinstatement of the capit-iiipn. previously paid to primary schools for tfwimming classes was recently advocated in the House of Representatives by Mr. R, Motors (Stratford). In.. replying to-day, the Hon. C. J. Parr stated that -in .many largo "schools with swimming baths attached., and in connection .■■. with which swimming capitation had been paid for years, not more than 25 per cent, of thechildren in standard classes could swim. Though the department was anxious to promote swimming in schools, it was safcis. fled the withdrawal of the grant, had had vr.ry little material effect on the number of children learning to swim, and that the restoration of the payment of capitation vantage" reimlfc . in any appreciable ad-

THE AMUSEMENT TAX.

"GRADUAL REDUCTION."

[BY TELEGRAPH.— REPORTER.] : WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The claims of sporting bodies for exemption from the amusements tax wore Jidvnnced an the House of Representatives by Mr. R. Masters (Stratford). Mr. Massey, replying to-day, said: "As I have already, promised, the amusement ". lax. will be gradually reduced. It will be remembered that a commencement in thiß respect was made last year." UNIFORM BANKNOTES. MATTER WELL IN HAND. * -'.'■'..'".. . * [BY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A suggestion was made in the House of ' Representatives by Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) that the 10s and £1 notes issued by the banks should each be of uniform -—VsjzeV and that, as far as possible, only clear, notes should be in circulation. " ''■■>"■ Mr.' Massey replied to-day : "I am ad- •'- ~ vised that r the banks have this woll in '" •■'"■ hapd,' and ; I expect the proposal will : bo. im long U given effect &**