PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19072, 17 July 1925, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

{LIGHT DAY IN HOUSE.

GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

SEVERAL BILLS APPEAR.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL RETORTER. ] WELLINGTON, Thursday

Tho House of Representatives had a light day. In tho afternoon a number of Government bills made their appearance. They comprised the Kauri Gum .Amendment, Repayment c»f Public Debt Amendment, Registration of Nurses and Midwives Amendment, Stone Quarries Amendment, Iron and Steel Industry Amendment, Coalmines Amendment, Fire Boards Amendment, Child Welfare Amendment, and Weights and Measures Bill.

*n tho case of one or two of these measures the Minister concerned gave a brief outline of their purport. Official papers and reports of departments occupied tho remainder of tho afternoon. In the evening Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) moved the second reading of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The Minister for Labour said if the mover would agree to tho bill going to the Labour Bills Commit teo ho would not object to it being !read a second time. This was accepted by Mr. Monteith. Mr. T. Iv. S>dey then moved the second reading of the Summer Tme Bill, and after tho measure had passed this stage tho llouso roso at 9.55 p.m.

[WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED.

CHRIST CHURCH REQUEST.

SUGGESTION OF EXAGGERATION

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL XU3POUXEU.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. In the House of Representatives to-day Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) asked the Prime Minister if he had seen the reports in the Christchurch papers regarding the great amount of unemployment in that city. Recently 100 persons had answered an advertisement for two positions to clean cars. He also asked if the Prime Minister was in a position to state whether ho would reply to the request that if money were raised in Christchurch to carry out river bank improvements the amount would be subsidised by the Gov--1 ernment so that the unemployment could be coped with. Mr. Coates said the position in Christchurch had been reported to him and he had telegraphed to the department there. The first reply had been to the effect that there were 41 people out of work. He telegraphed again and the reply was that there were 50. It looked to him as though the trouble were exaggerated. Mr. Sullivan: Eighty registered at the Trades Hall yesterday. Mr. Coates: Why did they not register at the Labour Department ? Mr. Sullivan: They have no faith in it. ' ■ The Prime Minister said it looked as though the position were being used to carry out some city improvement scheme. However, he had authorised a small amount to the Heathcote County Council. The question regarding the river bank improvement would be investigated.' He i had asked the Public Works engineer to start some work for a number of men it the position became serious.

Dominion fire boards.

A CONSOLIDATING BILL.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. Amendments to the present law governing. fire boards and fire brigades are I contained in a consolidating bill which I was introduced in the House of Repreiscntatives this afternoon. Provision is made for the dissolution |of a fire district and the vesting by j Order-in-Council of its property and liabilities in any other fire board then j exercising jurVsdietoon over the area formerly comprised in the fire district or, if there is no board, in the local authority in the district where the area is situated.

The following persons are Included among those not eligible for election on fire boards: —Anyone holding any office lor place of profit under the gift of tho board. Those interested or concerned in contracts made by the board (other than interests in loans raised by the board). Absence without leave from four consecutive meetings renders the member liable to lose his seat, With the consent of the Minister a board may establish a capital expenditure fund" for which three commissioners shall bo appointed who will deal with nil moneys that may be appropriated bv 1 the board for the fiind. The expenditure o-y of this fund will be approved by tho Minister.

The board may, with the consent of tho Minister, for the purposes of paying gratuities or pensions to firemen establish a deferred payment fund.

No servant or agent of any insurance company can be appointed secretary of a fire board.

SAVING THE DAYLIGHT.

MR. SIDEY TRIES AGAIN. MEASURE'S MIXED RECEPTION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECTAL REPORTER. ] WELLINGTON. Thursday. The Summer Time Bill, once again introduced by Mr. T. K. Sidey (I)unedin I South), had the usual mixed reception : when its sponsor moved the second reading in tho; House of Representatives toi night. There were some hostile comi merits on the measure, but it was warmly i supported by several members on different ' sides of the House.

Speaking in support of his bill, Mr. Sidey quoted the position in England. His suggestion was that the summer time proposal should be tried out for a short period and then an exhaustive inquiry into the whole position could be made throughout tho whole industrial life of the country. Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei) strongly opposed the bill. He declared that Mr. Sidey was anxious !o foist upon the country something that the country did not want. It would mean making the farmers' day an hour longer. Mr. J Horn (Wakatipu) strongly supported the bill, and speeches in support vere also made by the Hon. D. Buddo (jXaiapoi) and Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerstr.n North).

Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, said if the bill did not go through tho Reform members who had spoken in favour of it could achieve more leisure daylight hours for the people if they supported the Labour Party in its efforts to secure a shorter working week for the workers. Ho could not promise to support the bill, but ho thought it should go through the second reading and be sent to a committee.

The second wadinc was carried or. the Voice?