PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 13

PARLIAMENT.

jWOKK OF THE HOUSE. ; DEBATE ON THE BUDGET. i 1 ! EARLY END ANTICIPATED. CARDS AND GAMING LAW. [RT IXLEGKArn.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Friday. Proceedings in Hie House of -Iteprcrentatives to-day were again quiet. The resumption of the financial debate produced little that Mas new on the main subjects under discussion, but there were sufficient participants to prevent tho debate from being concluded. It is now rxpeclcd the end will be reached on Tuesday. During the afternoon an interesting reference was made by the AttorneyGeneral, Hon. F. J. Rolleston, to police prosecutions for technical breaches of tho Gaming Act arising out of card tournaments. The Minister expressed a clear opinion that a reasonable and not an oppressive administration of the law was necessary. Tho House rose at 11.15 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. CRIITLED CHILDREN.

STATE HELP URGED.

INSTITUTION AT ROTORUA.

[BV TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL HErOETER.] WELLINGTON, Friday.

.An appeal to tlie Government on behalf of the crippled children of New Zealand was made by Mr. F. F. Hoekly (Rotornn) in the to-day. Tlya case of the backward child had been met by the State, and it should be possible to say the samo with respect to> the crippled child.

Mr. Hockly said admirable facilities were provided at King George V. Hospital, Rotorua, where the education as veil as the treatment of the juvenile cripples was attended to, and Mr. Hockly suggested expenditure could he saved if all children so afflicted were concentrated in the institution at Rotorua. The care of the crippled child was a responsibility the Government could not afford to shoulder lightly, and he appealed to the [Minister to adopt hi? suggestion. "If there is one class of the community for whom we have a light to do our very best it is those children who are crippled and whose outlook on life is so narrow, added Mr. Hockly.

LABOUR AND WAGES. ASPECT OF UNEMPLOYMENT. ' REFORM MEMBER'S CHARGES. [BY TELEGEAPB.—SPECIAL REPORTER. ] •WELLINGTON, Friday. An interesting commentary on the present conditions of employment and unemployment in New Zealand was made in the House of Representatives to-night by Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerstonb Incidentally it indicated how the ranks of the unemployed are unnecessarily increased in numbers. t Mr. Nash referred particularly to tne fiaxmillinc industry, which has had to dose down because the men would not accept 13s 6d a day to enable the mills Ir> keep going ab the reduced price of fibre. Under an award of the Arbitration Court, he said, the rate of wage for a labourer was 15s a day. "When this award was made the price of fibre was £26 to £26 10s a ton, but to-day it was £22 10s. It was not possible to carryon tinder these circumstances, and the millers suggested to the men that thev should carry on afc 13s 6d a day temporarily until the price <f flax rose again, when the wages would be again raised to the award rates. The men, however, would not accept that. They insisted that the full award rate should stdl be paid. In consequence of that 700 men, many of them with families, were thrown out of work and several had to bo assisted. Some were working on rslief works ab 1-s a daw They preferred to take that rather than work at the mills at 13s 6d. " There is no sense in that, added Mr. Nasi). " Many of the men would have willingly taken the 15s 6d at the mills, but they were not allowed to do so because the agitators came info the picture and would not allow them to take it. If the men were left to themselves a reasonable working arrangement could have been made, but they could not do it so long as the agitators were at the head of affairs. Now the Government was being asked to find work for these men." Mr. Nash said he had been informed by one of the Nursing Guild that several of the children of these men were suffering front want of proper nourishment. J hau was no credit to the Labour movement, he added. NEW BANK PROPOSAL. BILL BACK FROM COMMITTEE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The London and .New Zealand Bank, Limited, Bill was returned to the House to-day by' the special committee set up to consider it, with the recommendation that it be allowed to proceed. WAR ON If ABB ITS. AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL. I.PY TELEG EAr ft. • SPECIAL EE PORTER. J WELLINGTON. Friday. The Rabbit Nuisance Bill was reported with amendments front the Stock Committee to the House to-dav. 'lhere is an amendment to clause 36, which excludes boroughs and town districts from labhit districts, a proviso being added that the board of the district shall have the same powers under part 1 of the Act lor enforcing the destruction of rabbits on land within any such borough or town distuct as it has with respect to other lands within its district. ' New clauses have been added providing that boards shall retain property in and ownership of its . rabbit-proof fences. Another clause makes special provision a» to the liability of contiguous owners or occupiers to contribute to the cost ot erecting and repairing fences, as between land within the district and land contiguous to the district. The board shall be deemed to be the occupier of all land within the district.