MILD STIR IN HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20333, 14 August 1929, Page 13

MILD STIR IN HOUSE.

ALLEGATION BY MEMBER.

WHEAT DUTIES INQUIRY.

"FINDING ALREADY REACHED."

[CY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL KErOKTEK. J WELLINGTON. Tuesday.

A rnikl stir followed an allegation in the House (his evening that it, was probable the finding of the Select Committee which is to inquire into wheal and flour duties was already agreed upon, and Mr. 11. M. Rushvorth (Country Party—Bay of Islands), who made tho suggestion, was ordered to withdraw a portion of his remarks, which the Speaker held reflected on the impartiality of the committee.

"It is rumoured that the Government has already made a deal with the wheat growers," said Mi - . Rush worth, -who contended ihcro was no reason why the personnel of the committee should not be increased from 10 to 14 by the addition of lour North Island members, as urged by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Independent— Egmont). " But the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, did not dare, to take the risk," said Mr. Rushwotth. I am satisfied the decision of that committee is already agreed upon, and its finding is accordingly already discredited." A point of order was raised by Mr. Forbes, who said Mr. Rushworth's remarks reflected on the impartiality of the committee, which had not yet met even to appoint its chairman. The Speaker asked .Mr. Rushworth to repeat his statement. The Speaker then said the member must not allege or infer that a committee was biasseci. He had done by saying its finding was already discredited, and that remark was ordered to bo withdrawn. A further point of order was raised by Mr. G. C. Black (Government —Motueka), who pointed out that Mr. Rushworth had said tho committee could easily bo increased to 14, whereas it was laid down that no committee should have less than five or more than ten members. Tho Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Coates: The House has it in its power to increase the strength to almost any number by suspending the Standing Orders. With that- the Speaker agreed. * Mr. Black: But if one member objects!' The Speaker: It is not a case of unanimous consent, but of a majority of the House.

STATE COALMINES. REDUCTiON IN OUTPUT. PRODUCTION COSTS HIGHER. [by telec; e a rii. —spec:ar, pjEi-or.Tr.n- ] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. A reduced output and an increase*! c f j.->t of production have hern 211 evidence m connection with the working of the State coal mines for the year ended March 31. according to the annual report presented to Parliament to-day. The output from both the Liverpool and James collieries was lower than in the previous year, owing to the number of working days being considerably less. The. average number of days last during tiio year at. the Liverpool Colliery, excluding "back" Saturdays, was 62. Taking the daily output at 730 tons a day. that represented a loss 211 the output of 45,260 tons and a serious loi.s in the miners' earnings. It bad been the aim of the management to keep down the cost of production, but in consequence of the frequent interruptions o£ work and the induced output the costs had been higher than if given a regular and greater output.

Details oi tho workings showed thai the pross totai output from thy Liverpool Colliery was 120,126 tons, a reduction of 14.763 tons on the previous year's figures. Tho total payments iu connection with coal mining for waives, stores, mine timber and compensation amounted to £90.520, a decrease, of £3454. The gross total output from the James Colliery was 59.104 tons, a decrease of 2240 tons. The total payments were £24,951, an increase of £47b. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. COMPLAINT BY MEMBER. [BY TELE'.jRATH.—SPECIAL RETOF-TEK. ] ■\VELLIN GTON. Tuesday. "I want to enter a vigorous protest against tho manner in which business is done in this House." said Mr. H. M. Rush worth {Country Party—Bay of Islands), speaking in the Budget debate in the House this evening. "It is apparently the custom for the Government to take questions 3nd notices of motion for returns and simply answer those that are convenient. If it is not convenient a member is impotent and apparently has no redress."

Mr. Rushworth complained that- a return he had sought, with reference to rclipf works in the Bay of Islands electorate had not vet been tabled.