PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 13

PARLIAMENT.

[[WORK OF THE HOUSE. THE LICENSING BILL. DEBATE TO RE RESUMED. 7.A RBITRATION AMENDMENT. ESTIMATES DISCUSSED. >[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday A statement that the Licensing Bill ■would again come before the House of Representatives was made l>y the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates. in the House tonight. The discussion on the bill will be resumed to-morrow. Mrj/' Coates also stated it was intended to pass the Arbitration Bill this session, and there would also be a Finance Bill. The House will sit in the morning on Thursday. Friday and Saturday. The presentation of the final reports of the select committees occupied the attention of the House this afternoon. Then the Supplementary Estimates were discussed, members following the usual practice to discourse on a wide variety of topics. Progress was reported and the House rose ;it 12.-'lO a.m. until 2.30 p.m. ]n the Legislative Council today the Education Reserves Amendment Bill, the Government Railways Amendment Bill, the Native Land Amendment and the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill, the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill and the Public Works Amendment Bill were passed unamended. The Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill was ,read a second time. ABOLITION OF HANSARD. / SPEECHES BY WIRELESS. IPLAN OF HON. W. NOSWORTHY. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER. J WELL! NO TON, Tuesday. Soifie amusement was caused in the House to-night when the Minister in charge of the Legislative Department. Hon. W. Nosworthy, replying to Labour suggestions that the stall* of Hansard should bo increased, said he intended to tako into serious consideration the aboli tion of Hansard and having the speeches of members broadcast by wireless instead. A great reform was possible is this n» Kfect. The Minister said it would save a groat deal of timo in looking up what membeis had said in past debates, and it would enable the people everywhere to hear members as they really spoke and not have to wait for their revised speeches in Hansard. Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill): I hope To-i are not serious, Tlm Minister: Oh, T am nnito serious about the matter Sir Josenh Ward : It will be ton much of ift infliction r>n the people to have members' speeches broadcast CONTROL OF EDTTATTON. POLICY OF CENTRALISATION. OBJECTION TO EXTENSION. fTV ► TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Advantage was taken of certain provisions in the Education Reserves Amendmen Bill by members of the Legislative Ctnmi! to-day to criticise the centralisation policy of the Educaton Department. Strong objection was raised by the Hon. D. T. Fleming to> the clause making the leasing powers of trustees of high schools subject to the approval of the Minister of Education. He moved that the clause Le struck out. Sir Thomas Mackenzie supported Mr. Fleming. The Leader of the Council, Sir Francis Bell, said no one was more interested in high school boards than he was, and he did not think there was anything unreasonable in the clause. Those boards who had managed their endowments well had not the slightest reason to fear interference by the Minister. He asked the Council to accept the provision as a reasonable measure of precaution for the country. It contained nothing detrimental to high school boards. On a division the amendment was defeated by 18 votes to 11. Speaking on the third reading, Mr. Flerrfing said the bill as a whole was a very good measure. He regarded some of its provisions, however, as another instance of the usurpation of power by the department. In no fewer than four clauses the powers of trustees or boards in regard to the leasing of endowments were subject to the approval of the Minister. The Hon. H. L. MicheL said the provisions complained of provided another example of the department divesting local people, who had clone such splendid work, of control of their own affairs. Departmental officers were once more being given the. right to interfere in matters on which they.could form no sound opinion. The Hon. G. M Thomson, who said he had been activelv connected with educational work for half a century, strongly supported the protests against the increas ing interference bv the department in purely local matters. Departmental officers were too often men of limited vision, yet thev were continually seeking power to whittle away the powers of the local boards and the public. Sir Thomas Mackenzie said the time was coming when the voice of the people would be heard in regard to the cutting away,of their powers by inefficient officers in the central office of the Education Department. The bill was passed. COALMINES BILL. DISAGREEMENT OF HOUSES. [BY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL REPORTER. J WELLING TON. Tuesday On the motion of the Minister of Mines, Hon. G. J. Andersen, the House to-night disagreed with the amendments made to the Coalmines Amendment liul by trie Legislative Council. . The Minister said he had discussed tho question with legal men and had found that if the amended clause went through i! might retard the payment of the wages of coalminers for a considerable penod in cases where debentures were issued, and in some cases it might even prevent then payment. NATIONALITY OF ALIENS. PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WE LL t N GTON. t'u est) ay In the House this afternoon Mr. P. Eraser ( Wellington Central) moved for leave to introduce the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Bill. Mr. Eraser said the purpose of the bill was to allow Butish women who were married to aliens to retain their nationality. The bill was read a first tima.