PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21929, 12 October 1934, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

GAMING BILL i' RACECOURSE BETTING (MEASURE " TALKED OUT " ORGANISED OPPOSITION STONEWALL SUCCESSFUL fur TELEGRAPH; —SPECIAL REPORTER*] WELLINGTON. Thursday After a wearying sitting on the Estimates lasting until 3.15 this morning, / the latest hour to which the House has sat this session, members of Parliament were compensated this afternoon and evening when the Gaming Amendment Bill was debated at the second reading; stage. This measure originated in the Legislative Council, where it had. a comparatively easy passage. It differs from previous bills on the gubject in that it has only two ojxratrre clauses, one seeking to remove the prohibition on the use of the double totalisator, which the Council passed hv 19 votes to 2, and the other designed to allow the publication of dividends in newspapers, which was carried by IB votes to 3. The bill was in the charge of Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Marsden) in the House of Representatives, but, although he is a Government 'Whip, the bill was in no sense a Government measure. A Probable Majority There i» probably a substantial majority in the Hou&o in favour of the bill in present form, particularly as no attempt is being made this vear to indndd provision for telegraphing bete to xaoecourses, an issue which proved i»rticolarly controversial previously. . . Organised opposition bad been arranged to impede the progress of the bill, liml the strange nature of tliiat alliance was commented on by Mr. P. C. Webb (Labour —Buller), who vigorously criticised several oi' his Labour colleague, and particularly Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchureh East), who is generally regarded as the strongest i opponent of the bill. As it became evident that previous / history was being rejieated, and that the bill was being stonewalled with the object of its being "talked out" without a. vote being taken, many members lost interest in the proceedings, and on the resumption after supper the bells had to be set ringing to summon a quorum. Those supporting the bill were unable to speed progress, and after his defeat lust year, the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, not unnaturally did not claim urgency for the bill. / • Old Argument!! Produced This the sitting continued hour after hour, all the old arguments for ami against the proposed changes beiing produced and the dullness being; relieved only occasionally by some comment m lighter vein. Little interest was engendered when Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Labour —Auckland Suburbs) moved an amendment expressing the opinion that tho House should refujje to give second residing to a bill which sought to increase rather than to control gambling facilities. ' An attempt to apply the closure with a view to securing a division on. the bill! failed, and,, as was anticipated tit the outseb of proceedings, the measure was "talked out" by the arrival of the midnight adjournment. It is un! ikely that a further opportunity will b€t given to debate the bill again this .'session. Consideration, of the Estimates! will be given to-morrow. RANGITAIKI PLAINS PAYING DRAINAGE RATES NEARLY HALF OUTSTANDING [BT TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL '{{'ELLINGTON. Thuriiday ' Although tbsi drainage rates struck last year under the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act totalled £13,189, only £6937 was collected. This is revealed by the annual report on the scheme tabled in-the House to-day. Mr. Ri /G. Macmorran, chief drainage engineer, states that the work earned out in the area during the year was confined to the maintenance of existing works, and expenditure had been kept as low as had been safely possible. Although steady improvement continued to be made with partly-im-proved areas on the Plains, lack of capital for large-scale development was more noticeable than in previous years. Another substantial increase in butterfat production was recorded. The Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company manufactured 337 tons more butter than in the previous vear. Development in areas held for flax cultivation had been practically at a standstill. KAURI GUM INDUSTRY LOW PRICES REALISED LIMITED DEMAND MADE £BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER! /; WELLINGTON. Thursday "Market conditions on the whole lave not been very satisfactory," states the annual report on the kauri gum industry,, presented to Parliament todav. The amount exported during the year ended March 31 last was 3378 tons, valued at £83,940, an average price of -£25 a ton. A table covering exports in previous years shows that the average price last year was the lowest in that period. The peak was reached in 1922, when the average price was £9B. The price in 1923 was £Bci, and it rose to £92 in the following year, since when there has been a progressive decline, which became more accentuated from 1931 omVard. . For medium grade (vanush) guma, although at times there liias been axi intermittent demand, the prices year were low and orders were small. For lower grades (linoleum), a fairly good demand existed during the year, but prices were low and buyers weiro in a position to dictnte ias to As a result, large quantities of better grades had to be crushed and mixed with linoleum gums to meet the qualities demanded. . . t Rome improvement in the American demand was noted during the year, but, as hitherto, Great Britain is still trie chief customer. A good proportion or the gum exported to Great Britain, however, is re-exported to the Continent, where a fair demand exists. With, the return of prosperity, thorn is no doubt that uome demand will exist for better varnish grades, but there seems little doubt that the new synthetic gums. have partly »uj>planted natural guma, including kauri, and that at least a considerable pnrt nf the former trade has been definitely lost. As was anticipated in last year s report, remaining stocks of the department's chip gradingi! in the hands of the Kauri Gum Control Board were i] able to be disposed of during the year without depressing market prices.