POLITICAL NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11302, 30 August 1922, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

PRESS GALLERY NEWS TRADE WITH CANADA. OUR RELATIONS “VERY GOOD.” ‘I notice that the Parliament of Australia is contemplating establishing » reciprocal tariff wth Canada,’’ tile Hon. J. A. Hanan remarked in the House yesterday afternoon. He Trent on to ask if the Minister had considered taking steps to increase our trade with Canada. The Hon. W. Dotrnie Stewart replied that our trade relatione with Canada were very good. The volume ran into hundred's of thousands a year, while with Australia Canada’s trade was quite a nominal amount. He thought that Australia had to go a long way before they caught tip with New Zealand’s volume. It was probable, however, that the volume could bo increased, and that matter would ■not he lost sight of. "MOTOR HOGGING.” COSTS A NEW ZEALAND LIFE A DAY. The question of the better control of the traffic on the streets in New Zealand was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr H. Poland, who thought that there was a life lost almost every day in this country through motor accidents. Could anything be done, he asked, to minimise this motor hog traffic ? In many cases it was not so much motor hogging as carelessness. It is not safe to let children out on the streets such as they were in Wellington. It almost jeemed that the poor pedestrian had no right on the street. The Prime Minister said that tho matter was one that had been mentioned in Parliament on several occasions. He thought that what was complained of was not so much a matter of carelessness as of recklessness, and perhaps there was some carelessness on the part of the pedestrians. Mr Poland: And the by-laws are not being enforced. Mr Massey: “Yes, I was going to •ay that the matter raised could he dealt with by the by-laws being enforced.” However, that did not justify members of Parliament doing nothing in the matter. He would consult the Crown Law officers and see If something effective could be done. ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES. AND THE NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) drew the ittentkm of the Minister for Railways 5o a newspaper article respecting the advance of electric locomotives, and asked if the Minister would carefully watch the movement before buying any more railway engines for the New Zealand Railways. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said that the Railway Department was watching the matter very carefully in ease these engines should be required for use on New Zealand lines. "WILL KEEP MATTER IN VIEW." A MINISTERIAL ANSWER. Mr J. Edie (Bruce) informed the House that in Australia they bad a machine for converting ■mu tty wheat into wheat of a marketable quality. "I would like the Minister to keep the matter in view, and, if possible, get a machine for dealing with smutty wheat here.” he said. The Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Noswarthy) said that he would keep the matter in view. OLD IRON. AND WELLINGTON’S NEW RAIL, WAY STATION. “What is the reason for the Railway Department refusing to sell second and third-class used Tads, now lying rusting, which sawmilling and other establishments would be glad to purchase?” asked Mr H. E. Holland. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said that they were held for use at gravel pits and that kind of thing. Sir John Luke: You are not keeping them for Wellington’s new railway station. (Laughter.) MINES STATEMENT. WHEN WILL IT BE READY? Could the Minißter-in-charge give the House of Representatives any idea when the Mines Statement would be taken P asked Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames) yesterday afternoon. The Hon. G. J. Anderson' said that he hoped to table it as soon as the noconfidence motion was disposed of. THINGS WORTH WATCHING. RENT AND THE PRICE OF BREAD. -'lt is time the Government stepped in and said that excessive rents most cease,” said Mr G. Witty in the House of Representatives yesterday. The working man was supposed to have house rent equal to one day’s pay, but that was not procurable in Wellington. Perhaps a house was not procurable in Wellington for three days of a workingman’s pay. Rent was not sufficiently taken into consideration in the reckoning of tho cost of living. Another thing which the Government should watch was the price of bread, which, it seemed from what had occurred in Feilding, could be sold at less than it was being sold for generally. PASSED OVER. FOR SEATS IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. “To my mind there are too man, outsiders put into the Legislative Council,” said Mr G. Witty in the House of Representatives yesterday. Men who had served in the House of Representatives or on local bodies were passed over. More consideration ought to be given to members who had served for some years in the representative ohamber.