POLITICAL NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11876, 9 July 1924, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

PRESS GALLERY NEWS THE RAILWAY WEEK. ANY TRUTH IN A RUMOUR P In th® House of Representatives y-esteiday afternoon Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) asked the Minister for Railways if there was any truth in the rumour which was being circulated amongst the members of the staff of the Addington workshops, to the effect that, as a result of the introduction of the 48-hour week it is intended to reduce the number of men employed by approximately 100, or by any number at. all? If this .vas so would it not b-> a breach of the assurance given ->y the Minister that there would be no such reduction? In reply, the Minister said he did not know why there should be such a rumour in circulation. The present position was that the 72 claims were before the board, and until the recommendations of the board weie received the Government was unable to say what hours or rates of pay would hold good In the meantime the men were working the 48-hour week. If the 43 hours was established there would be a surplus of approximately 1200 men. It was not the intention of tho Government to dispense with these men, and the ordinary flow of labour in and ont of the department should absorb that number in .about 12 months. The rumour was utterly unfounded, hut he would telegraph to Christchurch to endeavour to discover the source of the rumour and to give instructions that no such course was to bo followed. MAIN HIGHWAYS LEGISLATION PROBABLE. Mr J. C. Thomson (Wallace) asked if tho Finance Minister would intr„ duco legislation this session to enable counties to raise loans for work on maifi highways. There was, be said, an anxiety to prosecute the work and such legislation was necessary. The Prime Minister said that the matter was under consideration at present, and that in all probability there would be a Bill during the present HECKLING BARRED MR SPEAKER WARNS THE HOUSE.

With Friday might’s breeze fresh in his memory, Mr Speaker warned th? House yesterday afternoon before the resumption oh the Address-in-Replv debate that while pertinent intersection would be permitted, he would rule out heckling and persistent interjee tion. If there was a repetition of whet occurred on Friday night, there would be no alternative but to stop all interjection.

EMPIRE WIRELESS WHAT IS NEW ZEALAND DOING ? Mr J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) wanted to know the position with relation to the establishment of a scheme of wireless communication within the Empire. In Australia the matter baa received the earnest consideration oi the authorities. He thought the Prime Minister would agree that this was a mast urgent matter. The Prime Minister said that as far as this country was concerned the Government was simply waiting till the British Government had made up its mind as to what it was. going to do and) what system it was going to adopt. There was a tremendous difference: of opinion as to whether the Marconi system should he adopted or whe tber the British Government should go on its own. The New Zealand representative at the postal conference would make inquiries on the subject as it affected New Zealand. The difficulty seemed to be as he had_ stated; there seemed to he influence at work to prevent a decision being arrived •t. ~ SEVENTEEN REFORM MALCONTENTS THE ONE WHO DID BEST. Speaking in the House yesterday afternoon, Mr S. G. Smith (Taranaki) referred to what he described as the effort made by 17 malcontents in tho Reform Party a few years ago to infuse a little youth into the Cabinet. He was bound to say that of the three who joined the Cabinet the Hon O. J. Anderson came out better than the othere, in that he made a frank statement of his position. PAYABLE OIL

MR S. G. SMITH’S CONFIDENCE

I am convinced oil will be found in payable quantities in Taranaki,” said Mr S. G. Smith in the House yesterday when referring to the present attempt to work oil in the province mentioned, whilst the Minister for Mines to-div was enthusiastic about the profit, it was a fact that when asked to send the Government geologist up h© did not comply with the request. It was the Minister’s duty to do everything po33ible to help to develop the oil resources. Something the earn© might be said respecting the iron sand. "FOOLED BY THE GOVERNMENT” THE FARMING CLASS. If there has been a section of the community fooled by the Government, it is the farming class, according to Mr S G. Smith, the member for Taranaki. “IN PRIME MINISTER’S POCKET” NOT LIKELY TO GET OUT! A great deal of time had been wastin the course of the Address-in-Reply debate, said Mr Holland (Leader of the Labour Party), in the House of Representatives last night. Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames): Hear, hear! ■Ho noticed that tho hon. member for Thames said “Hear, hear,” after taking up his full hour. (Laughter.) They all knew, he declared, what was going to happen. They all knew the statement made by the hon. member for Christchurch North (Mr L. M. Isitt); and that he was still in the Prime Minister’s pocket, and not likely to get out. And they knew that there would be the eternal three majority. “NOT I” A TENNER. THAT DIDN’T GO BACK. Mr Massey told the House last night shat while he was in London the

“Manchester Guardian” bad asked him for a 2000-word artiolo on Imperial preference. “They put my photo on the top,” he said, “and sent me a cheque for ten guineas.” A Labour member: Did you send the tenner back ? Mr Massey: Not I. “FAMILY QUARRELS” “LABOUR PARTY CONCERNED AND PAINED.” “We on the Labour benches,’! declared Mr H. E. Holland (leader of the Labour Party), amid laughter, “view the family quarrel that has been taking place in the House with a good dew of concern, pain, and regret.” Perhaps the kindest comment he could make upon the unfortunate displays of passion which had come both from the Reform and Liberal Parties was to qiiote the following lines from the Rev. Dr. Watt : Birds in their little nests agree, And it is a shameful sight When children of one family Fall out and chide and fight. (Laughter.) Mr It. M. Isitt (Christchurch North): Satan reproving sin. (Laughter.) Mr Holland: Oh, the hon. gentleman knows all about Satan (laughte^); and Satan is only waiting to claim his own. (Laughter.) And Dr. Watts, added the Labour leader, uttered these grave words of warning, which the members of the Reform and the Liberal Parties should take to heart:—

Hard names at first and threatening words,

That are but moving breath. May grow to clubs and naked swords, To murder and to death. i.T.n.ughter.)