PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19764, 11 October 1927, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

SVORK OF THE HOUSE. THE CUSTOMS TARIFF. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. CLEARANCE OF IMPORTS. REGULATION ABANDONED. [BY TKLKGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Monday.' Good progress was made by the House of Representatives this evening in dealing with the new customs tariff and the Customs BilL The bin was pat through committee. The Minister of Customs, Hon. W. Downie Stewart, withdraw the clause providing for power to regulate excessive clearances of imports in anticipation of increased customs duties. The proposal had met with considerable opposition from importers. The clause making special provisions for computing the measurement of sawn and dressed timber was suspended, pending further inquiries by the customs officers. The House then proceeded with class one of the schedule—animals, agricultural products, goods and groceries. The class was passed at 11.45 p.m., when the House rose until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. DUTIES ON CHOCOLATES. APPROVAL OF NEW RATES. PLEA FOR LOCAL INDUSTRY. [by TELEGRAPH, —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Monday. ''Let the British manufacturers come out here and set up their factories if they want to compete," said Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell) in the House this evening when supporting tho raising of the duty on imported confectionery. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) said protests had been received from confectioners in every constituency, and the Minister was asked whether he considered the tariff would confer much benefit on ths local manufacturers. Did he think the imported confections would be curtailed ? Mr. Dickson said last year the value of the chocolates made in New Zealand was £1.000,000. Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill): That is not much, 15s a head. Anybody can eat 15s worth of chocolates. Mr. Dickson said the agitation against the increased duty had been organised by the English manufacturers' representatives as a larger profit was made on the English chocolates than on the colonial, the profit being at least from 15 to 20 per cent, on the English article. The number of employees in the confectionery industry in New Zealand was 2404 and the wages paid totalled £318,703 annually. The value gi* the land and buildings, etc., *sed was £711.169. Owing to the absence of orctection several factories had been closed. The new duty was approved. DETENTION OF VAGRANTS. MAGISTRATE'S SUGGESTION. QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Monday. Attention was directed in the House to-night to the comments made by Mi • F. K. Hunt, S.M.,rin Auckland last week concerning the advisability of using part of Roto Roa Island as a place of detention for, elderly destitute persons, concerning whom there is at present no alternative but prison, when they ar" convicted of vagrancy. Mr. H. G. R- Mason (Eden) gave notice of his intention to ask the Minister of Justice, Hon. F. J. Rolleston, if he had seen the comments, and if he would take steps to give effect to Mr Hurt's recommendation, so that the convicted persons would bs sent "to a less ridiculous place than prison.' The Speaker: I think you had better withdraw the word "ridiculous ; it is comment. Mi*. Mason agreed and amended his question accordingly. USE OF EXPLOSIVES. RECENT FATAL ACCIDENT. FULL INQUIRY ARRANGED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Monday The recent fatal accident at the relief works at Hope Junction was the subject of a question in the House this evening. In reply to Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) the Minister of Public Works, Hon. K. S. Williams, said the department was carrying out a full and searching inquiry into the cause of the accident. It was not yet completed, as the quality of the explosives used was still under investigation, and pending the result it was difficult to say what caused the accident, as tjie evidence at the inquest did not disclose any apparent reason for the premature explosion. The work was under the supervision of a foreman experienced in the use of explosives, and both the men killed had had previous experience in the use of gelignite. The Minister gave an assurance that no man would be permitted to handle or use explosives without having the necessary knowledge and experience. MEMBER FOR RAGLAN. OATH TAKEN IN HOUSE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] ' WELLINGTON, Monday. Mr W. L. Martin, the new member for Raglan, was sworn in as a member Of the House of Representatives this evening. Mr. Martin was presented to the Speaker by Mr. W. J. Jordan, her for Manukau, and Mr. D. G. Sullivan, Avon, and after taking the oatn find signing the roll took his seat beside Mr. J A Lee. Mr. T. K. Sidey, Mr Lee's benchmate, has taken another seat felongside Sir Apirana Ngata. MARRIAGE OF INFANTS. CONSENT OF MAGISTRATES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Monday. A proposal to confer on magistrates the power to give the necessary consent to tho marriage of infants is made in the Guardianship of Infants Amendment Bill, which has been read a first time in the House. It was intended to do this in last year's amending bill, but the intentions of the Legislature in ia respect were defeated by a prt, vious Clause, which restricted the jurisdiction Of magistrates with regard to applications Under the Act to cases where the children ra tmder 16 yeare of 1