SUBSIDY ON STEAMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20363, 18 September 1929, Page 13

SUBSIDY ON STEAMERS.

SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION.

MINISTER AVOIDS THE ISSUE

[nY TELUGUAriI. —PItESS ASSOCIATION.] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

What was the amount which tho Union Steam Ship Company was to receive from tho Government as a subsidy for the steamship service between tho South Island and Australia, was tho question asked by Mr. F. Waite (Reform —Glutha) during the dobato on tho Department of Industries and Commerce estimate in tho llouso to-day. There was suggestion, ho said, that (110 Government had " fallen into a hole" in its negotiations with tho Union Company. Tho Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. J. G. Cobbc, stated that tho Government would not fall into any hole. Later, Mr. A. W. Hall (Reform—Hauraki) asked what was tho subsidy paid by tho Government for the South IslandAustralia shipping service. Mr. Cobbo replied that tho subsidy for tho service was a matter for the Post-master-General.

MONEY MARKET MYSTERY.

EXPLANATION REQUESTED.

LABOUR MEMBER'S QUESTION.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

Persistent in his request that the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, should unravel the London money market mystery, Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Labour —Auckland Suburbs) gavo notice of another question on tho subject in tho House to-day. Mr. Mason's question was as follows: Whether, in view of tho statements made by him concerning tho conditions, on which tho London loan of January last was raised and the assertion that the action of his predecessor precluded him from going on the London market again for 18 months, and tho apparently inconsistent assertion that his predecessor had neglected to make any decision, the Prime Minister will make a statement resolving this apparent inconsistency and enabling the House to understand whether it was a plan on the part of his predecessor which precluded him from bor* rowing in London within 18 months ?

BUSINESS AND POLITICS.

LABOUR MEMBERS DIFFER

DECLARATION CONTRADICTED

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday.

One Labour member's declaration that chambers of commerce were partly political bodies was flatly contradicted by another Labour member during a dis cussion in the House to-day on the Estimates of the Department of Industries and Commerce.

Mr. C. L. Carr (Tiniaru) protested against an item of £ls for membership subscription to chambers of commcrco. Such bodies were political organisations and, what was more, party political organisations, lie declared. It had been said that the placing of representatives of the Railways and Post and Telegraph Departments on various chambers was of benefit to tho business community, and that suggested that chambers of commerce should rather pay such officers of the State, or at least grant honorary membership. "It is unfair to say that 'chambers of commerce are necessarily party political bodies," said Mr. W. E. Barnard (Napier), in dissenting from Mr. Carr's view. "In one year in which I fought an election campaign I was president of a chamber of commerce and I found no difficulty in holding the dual position. However, we made no charge for membership to a stationmaster and a postmaster who were members of the chamber."

"Chambers of commerce have nothing whatever to do with party politics," said the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Reform —Dunedin West), who added that one of the finest features of the civil service was that its officers did not indulge in party politics. If Labour gained office it would receive the same loyal support from the service as would be given the Reform or United Parties in office. Chambers of commerce discussed only broad national problems and the comprehensive nature of its membership was shown by the fact that the member for Napier had been president of a chamber of commerco. Mr. R. McKcen (Labour —Wellington South): It was only a pocket edition in the back blocks.

Mr. Stewart: And with a broad view of the situation the Labour Party would see that chambers of commerce, so far from being ostracised, should be supported in their important work. The Minister, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, stated that in his opinion there was no element of party politics in chambers of commerce.

rENSrONS FOR MINERS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

Pensions conferred under the Miners' Phthisis Act were enumerated in a return presented to the House to-day at the request of Mr. R. Semplc (Labour —Wellington East). The pensioners at the end of 1922 totalled 261, at the end of 1925, 310, and at the end of 1928, 379. There were 297 deaths of miners' phthisis pensioners between 1922 and 1928.