HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12185, 9 July 1925, Page 7

HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

“I can also introduce him to some widows,” said Mr .T. O’Brien, in the House yesterday afternoon, when directing a few verbal missiles at the Hon. G. J. Anderson. The words preceding and following this statement may be important, but not half so important as what Mrs Anderson will say. * • • • • Sir W. A. Veiteh wishes to know whether the Government will endeavour to secure Sir George Buchanan, who is now in Australia, to report on the development of harbours in the Dominion. # • * # a If there is any shortage of nurses, Mr J. Linklater, the member for Manawatu has the recipe for increasing the supply. Ho intends to ask in the House if the,Government will take into consideration the question of issuing free railway passes for nurses working in public hospitals. Mr Linklater says this would not cost much. • * » * # Mr O’Brien remarked that Mr Hudson, in seconding the Addrese-in-Reply, introduced the jarring note of the goslow policy. Perhaps Mr Hudson, he added, could afford to do that now that he had Inst most of the miners from his electorate. ***** Mr J. A. Lee wants to know if there is any hope of an early increase- in the salaries of prison officials, so as to put them on a pay level with the police. • * # # * Whether the Government will once more approach the Australian Government to put into operation the provisions of the Pensions Reciprocity Act, 1914. is something Mr Fraser is anxious to know. ***** Mr H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) bae raised the subject of unemployment in Christchurch. He says that in view of the fact that hundreds are unemployed there he would like to know whether the Government immediately will put in hand such work as will give relief during the winter months. The Prime Minister says he will telegraph'to Christchurch to know what work, railway or other, can be gone on with in the event of unemployment becoming a hardship. • * * • • The flotation of Yi loan for housing purposes on a premium bonds principle is suggested by Mr A. Harris. •.a a a a Mr Parry (after listening awhile to M,- A. Harris, Waitemata): “You will not be an independent candidate next time?” Mr Harris: “I am not going to tell the.hon. gentleman what I will be. That is my business, not his.” It might also be the business of the electors. a a a • • The Hon. J. Barr Is the successor of the late Hon. O. Samuel as Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Council. H© was elected yesterday, and upon him descended a shower of congratulations. Due sense of the importance of the office of Chairman of Committees, which he newly- tills, is felt by the Hon. J. Barr. In the Legislative Council yesterday he told members that the task of filling it was a hard one after the example set by Sir Walter Camcross and the Hon. O. Samuel. He would do his beet. ••• • ; *

The Horn G. M. Thomson Ims' again introduced his Captive Birds’ Shooting Protection Act. In the Legislative Council yesterday, the bill was read a first time and the second reading was fixed for July 21st. It provides for the prohibition or the shooting of captive birds for sporting purposes. • * • * #

A left-handed compliment: “I have admired the Prime Minister: admired his capacity for bluff and his good nature.”—Mr I'. N. Bartram bows to Mr Coates.

The member for Gisborne has always reminded me of the river of the town whioh he represents—always silting up, generally full of mud and with very useful depth.”—Mr F. N. Bartram on Mr W. D. Lvsnar. * * * * * Too many people in this country are dependent on the State, according to Sir Maui Pomare. The Government has something to do with everyone in the land from birth to burial. • • * * • Mr A. Bell (Bay of Islands) rose last night to make a personal explanation. He said he had been misrepresented during his absence from the House by -the member for Westland, Mr O’Brien, who had charged him as an independent member with having broken his pledge in that ho had voter: for the Reform Government on noconiidence motions. Mr Bril quoted from his election speeches that he had clarly stated that if a noconfidence motion was moved in /regard to something the Prime Minister had done detrimental to the Dominion he would vote against him, but if the amendment was moved for political purposes he would support him by every means in his power. Ho had also stated that he would oppose any amendment made for party purposes by any combination to which was attached extreme Labour. **. • • • What Sir Maui Pomare pictures will happen if Labour gets on to the Treasury; benches: The lion, member for Wellington Central going along to a restaurant in Wellington with a wheelbarrow full of notes. That is about what in Germany. Mr Bartram works it out. The Reform Party and ite ancestors had delivered 2345 speeches against old age pensions, he declared last evening, and then had the impertinence to want to take the credit for them. • * # • • They almost tried to persuade the girl whom they were making love to that she was a sister of a lover.—Sir Maui Pomare oti a Labour invasion of his electorate. * » • • • / Calling himself a zoologist Thomas William Arthur has petitioned Parliament. Arthur came to the Dominion in October, 1922, hoping to obtain employment as an attendant at the Auckland Zoo. then on the point of being taken oyer by the Auckland City Council from one Boyd, its previous owner. He did not get the job, and though he was present when the zoo was opened in December, 1922. he had never been near the place since. Anxious to go to England he managed to cpme to Wellington and sign on the Remuera in July, 1924, but was taken off the 6teamer by detectives, and asked to admit having poisoned a zebra and some monkeys. He complains of rough treatment at the police station, and of having been kept without food. “You might have enough arsenic ’ left to lar line, and he asks for compensation, told. him. Though he was released Arthur complains that the Mayor of Auckland stated recently that though no arrest had been made a fairly clear idea had been gained as to the identity of the person responsible, and the publicity given afforded hope that there would be no repetition of the incident. This, he declares, has ruined his chance of getting employment in his particular line, and he asks for compensation for a searching investigation into the matter, declaring that he was in Hamilton at the time of the crime, and compensation for the unjust and unwarranted charge made against him, for his wrongful arrest, anoi ror the harm which his reputation has suffered. *****

Sir Maui Pomare kept the House amused for auite a while last night with a description of how a flying squadron rff half the Labour Party went into his constituency to woo the Maoris there. He pictured one of the Labour members on his bended knee wooing the buxom Maori man. To improve the picture he threw in. a few eatables, such as were generally found about a pah and having thrown in a grunter he said he could see Trevor Llovd all through the picture