SESSION BUSINESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24832, 2 March 1944, Page 4

SESSION BUSINESS

MANPOWER ISSUE MEETING CHIEFS OF STAFF (S.R.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday Contrary to expectations, the House of Representatives did not continue its secret sitting, adjourned last Thursday, when it resumed this afternoon. After formal business had been taken the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon, P fraser, said it would not be possible to hold the secret sitting for several days and suggested that the Invercargill Licensing Committee Bill be taken that afternoon. Mr. Fraser asked the opinion of the House on a proposal to have members meet the chiefs of staff and the Minister of Manpower, the Hon. A. McLagan, in the social hall to-morrow niorning to discuss manpower matters. If the Opposition desired to adhere to customary procedure and have the House adjourn to-night after the mover and seconder of the motion for the Address-in-Reply had spoken and resume the debate to-morrow night with the-speech of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, the meeting with the chiefs of staff could be continued to-morrow afternoon. The Prime Minister's suggested programme was agreed to. In reply to an interjection from the Opposition benches, Mr. Fraser said the adjourned secret sitting might be held on Friday. In the meantime it was desirable that all members should receive the fullest possible information from the staff chiefs. The meeting would be held in camera as formerly. TWO MAIDEN SPEECHES THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY START OF THE DEBATE (S.K.) WELLINGTON', Wednesday Two maiden speeches were made in the House of Representatives to-night when two new members, Mr. P. G. Conno! !v (Government —Dunedin West) and"Mr. A. E. Armstrong (Government • —Napier) opened the debate on the Address-in-Reply. Both speakers were granted extensions of time and spoke for just over an hour' They were applauded from all parts of the House when they resumed their seats and were the recipients of many personal congratulations after the House rose. The debate will be resumed to-morrow night when the first speaker will be the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland.'

PAY FOR NO WORK AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The report that the Waterfront Control Commission had agreed to the payment of Auckland waterside workers at a rate of 8s 4d an hour for work actually done by American servicemen was referred to in notice of questions given by Mr. K. J. Holvoake (Opposition —Pahiatua) and by Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Opposition—Marsden) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Holvoake's question, addressed to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, was, if this report was correct, would the Prime Minister state whether the payment was made under reciprocal lease-lend and came out of the New Zealand War Expenses Account? Mr. Murdoch's question was to the Minister in charge of Stabilisation, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and he asked the Minister whether, in view of the Waterfront Control Commission's decision, he would review the refusal of the Stabilisation Commission to agree to the request of the Whangarei Dairy Company for permission to par a bonus to all servants for extra services rendered during the year.

MEDICAL SCHOOL STAFF DOCTOR'S RELEASE OPPPOSED (P.A.) DUNEDIN. Wednesday "It seems incredible that such a decision should be given without the medical school being given an opportunity of making a statement," said Dr. Hercus, dean of the faculty of medicine at the Otago University, in giving evidence before the industrial appeal committee in an appeal by the Otago Hospital Board against the granting of Dr. Strang leave to terminate his services at the hospital to go to the Nelson Hospital. The committee reserved its decision. Dr. Hercus said that a year ago the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, and the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordineyer, had said there would be no interference with the school's staff. The staffing problem at the medical school was a crushing one, and the loss of Dr. Strang would be a bad blow. Dr. Strang agreed that the hospital would be short if lie left, but he felt he would have a wider field of work at Nelson.

THEFT BY AIR OFFICER DISMISSAL FROM SERVICE (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH. Wednesday Found guilty on a charge of stealing a pair of American polaroid day glasses from a comrade, Flying-Officer Oswald Ralph Smart, who was tried by general court-martial at a North Island Royal New Zealand Air Force station on January 17, was sentenced to bo dismissed from His Majesty's service. Tho sentence has been confirmed and promulgated to the accused. SIDE-ON LAUNCHING ALL-STEEL OIL BARGE <f>.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday An oil barge which was launched at Wellington to-day was the first all-steel vessel to be launched side-on in the history of New Zealand. The barge is 180 ft. long, 36ft. wide and 15ft. deep, and can carry 1400 tons of oil. It is all welded and took 21 miles of welding. Each of two cargo pumps can handle 100 tons of oil an hour. There are self-contained living quarters of three rooms for the caretaker and his wife. FIRE IN A MINE ANOTHER SECTION SEALED (P.A.) INVEROARGILL, Wednesday Another fire has broken out in the new section of the Birchwood mine and this has had to be sealed off. This section is in addition to one sealed after the recent explosion, aiul now only a limited working area is left for the production of coal. It is probable that a large proportion of the miners engaged at the Birchwood mine before the explosion will be unable to produce coal there in future, as the working places are now severely restricted. The Star mine at Ohai was idle today as the result of the breaking of the haulage rope early in the shift. TOBACCO FOR SOLDIERS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The tobacco-packing section of tho National Patriotic Fund Board yesterday received its 100,000 th order under the postal tobacco service, instituted two years ago for tho benefit of the Now Zealand forces overseas. Orders have increased as the advantages of this service have become known, and the packing is being done by night as well as day, with the assistance of spare-time helpers. PRISONER OF WAR

Advice that his son, Corporal M. E. Rawson, who has been a prisoner of war in Italy for over a year, has been transferred to Stalag 344, Germany, has been received by Air. J. Bawson, of Marino Gardens Hats, Mount Eden.