PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21326, 29 October 1932, Page 11

PARLIAMENT

DEBATE ON THE BUDGET NOT YET COMPLETED / MORE SPEAKERS REMAIN ENDING ON TUESDAY FEW VALUABLE SPEECHES [hy 'telegraph— special reporter] WELLINGTON. Friday Fifty-one members of Parliament have prescribed their remedies for the financ'al ills of the Dominion and still the Budget debate has not concluded. When the week began, it was expected that two days would suffice to dispose of the debate, but the whole of the week has been devoted to that exclusive subject and there are still sufficient speakers to carry on the discussion for another day or so. However, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, intimated this evening thAt the end would definitely be readied on Tuesday. It is significant that of seven speeches to-day, six were made by Government members, so that on this occasion at least, Labour can be exonerated from the charge that it is needlessly delaying business. It is true that Labour's silence is due almost golely to the fact that there remain very few of its members who have not spoken, but at least the Government might reasonably have arranged that its own speeches would not exceed in number those from the Opposition. The deplorable aspect of the matter is that many of the speakers have made very little worth-while contribution to the debate, and in the last day or two there has developed a fondness for indulging in personalities as if it were vital to the country's welfare to know what the member for Waikato thinks of the member for Eden, or vice versa. As soon as the Budget debate is over, the House will go into committee to consider the Estimates, and it is likely that two days weekly will be devoted to that task until all the departmental votes are approved. In spite of the fact that there are only two Government bills on the Order Paper, there is an accumulation of routine work to occupy the House for some time. Private members have to be given their opportunity, there are questions to answer and numerous papers and reports to consider. Fortunately the legislative programme will not be very formidable this session, otherwise there would not be a chance of the end being reached by Christmas, as is still hoped by the Prime Minister.

THE CUSTOMS BILL APPEARANCE ON WEDNESDAY QUICK PASSAGE EXPECTED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday It was intimated by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, this evening, that the Customs Amendment Bill would be introduced on Wednesday. The bill is designed to give effect to the tariff concessions given to Britain in terms of the Ottawa agreement, and it will be in charge of the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. In view of the long discussions which have already taken place in connection with the passing of the customs resolutions, and later in connection with the ratifying of the agreement, it is not thought that much delay will be experienced in putting the bui through ali its Stages. ATTORNEY-GENERALSHIP UNWILLING OCCUPANT A TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday " It has been said that I am not a fit person to hold the job of AttorneyGeneral, and if that means I am not comSetent, I agree entirely," said Sir Apirana 'gata, when referring in his Budget speecji in the House to day to criticism voiced by Mr. W. P. Endean (Government—Parnell) yesterday. "In the absence of Mr. Downie Stewart, the Prime Minister required someone to act in his place," said Sir Apirana Ngata. " No one *.vill be better pleased than myself to see Mr. Stewart resume his job."

RENT REDUCTIONS LOCAL BODY LEASES REMOVAL OF LIMITATION .[by telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Friday A clause providing that there should be 110 reduction of ground rent below 5 per cent per annum of the unimproved value of land, as shown on the district valuation rolls as at last April, was inserted in the National Expenditure Adjustment Act during jthe closing stages of its passage through Parliament in the emergency session of this year, but an indication was given by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, that the position in that respect was to be reviewed. Amending legislation will be introduced this session and the bill will be referred to a Select Committee so that both local bodies interested and lessees may have the opportunity to state their case. The subject was raised in an urgent question by "Mr. F. Jones (Labour —Dunedin South), who sought an assurance that the section of the Act would not be repealed, as the removal of the limitation would bring hardship to two Otago local bodies, which had made their valuations in 1907 and 1920. The Prime Minister replied that the question had been raised by a number of members who had received communications from local bodies in their constiaiencies, and, in addition, the Government had received a good many protests and representations from lessees. 'lt is the intention of the Government this session to furnish an opportunity o.f having the matter cleared up," added Mr. Forbes. "It is proposed to introduce an amendment to the Act and refer the bill to a Select Committee to enable evidence to be heard both for and against the proposed alteration of the law." When the clause was inserted in the bill originally, it was incorporated on the representations of some of the local bodies likely to be affected by the provisions of the legislation. They made out quite a strong case in that connection, but since the passage ef the legislation a number of representations has be«sn received from (he other side—lessees who claim that hardship has resulted for <h"m. The amending bill will give an opportunity for both sides to state their case in full."