HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12196, 22 July 1925, Page 7

HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

So far as can be gathered no new political parties were formed during the week-end.-

Sir John Luke said in the Souse yesterday that more than one of liis constituents, who were in the coal trade had complained to him of a. shortage in weight of Taupiri coal received on truck. They had suffered financial loss and the wastage was a. source of anxiety to them. He wished to know if the Minister for Railways could take such action that this would be avoided in the future. The Hon. J. G. Coates said he would be pleased to take further action in this matter of the wastage of Taupiri coal, though he was surprised to hear from Sir John that the loss was up to 13cwt per truck.

BUDGET ON FRIDAY NIGHT The Prime Minister stated in the House yesterday afternoon that the budget would be brought down on Friday night. The debate „on the statement will not commenoe till the following Tuesday. * * * *

“It is useless to give lectures on morality to women and children unless we make these things possible. Lectures on morality to children who are ill-fed, ill-clothed, and live under housing conditions which are. a disgrace to civilisation, are not the way .out of the difficulty.—Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West),

When is decent sleeping accommodation to be provided on the main trunk? Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East), wants to know. He asked the Prime Minister yesterday whether it was true that the Railway Department intended exhibiting a_ modern -sleeping’ car at the Dunedin Exhibition* and whether it would not be better to put this car on the Auck-land-Wellington run rather than let it show New Zealanders what the Government was not doing on the main trunk, ■ • * ! * * ’

The Opunake railway line, now nearing completion, was the subject of a question in the House yesterday Afternoon. Mr Hawken gave notice of a question as to when the: Railway Department would take; over the line between Te Roti and To l'uni, arid if the public 1 would be given facilities for using the line between Te Roti and Opunake. * * * *

Mr A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) has given notice of his intention to introduce the Wellington City Empowering Bill. ) UNEMPLOYMENT IN WELLINGTON

Mr R. McKeen raised a question in the House yesterday afternoon regarding unemployment in Wellington. He asked the Prime Minister if in view of the large amount of unemployment in the city he would consider making a grant to the Wellington City Council or subsidising them to carry out certain works.. Unemployment was so acute in. Wellington that on Monday the Mayor had to commence relief wbrks. The Prime Minister asked the class of work which Mr McKeen-'had in mind when he asked for assistance. Mr McKeen: Road-making and levelling the ~ sand dunes at. Lyall Bay. 1 , ' Mr Coates.: Obviously city work. It should ,he work of national importance./ • ’. ’ • • .. .

Mr Wright: The money is provided for it.

Mr Coates: Then it is a question of subsidising the rates of the Wellington City Council. I think the work should do of wider importance. > Mr Coates said that one of the works that had been selected as suitable for relief work was the duplication of the line in the Hutt Valley. That was a national work. Mr Howard: Any hope for Christchurch? _ , _ Mr Coates: Every hope. To-day I have authorised about £3OO extra. Mr Parry: What about Auckland? Mr Coates: They are not asking for anything. ' , . Mr Parry: Plenty of unemployment there though. * * * *

Returned soldiers,, whose pensions were limited or refused because the

Pensions Department was unable to say whether or not the disabilities from which they wei'e suffering were due to war service were mentioned D> Mr A. Harris (Waiteriiata). It could not be said at this time, even by a medical man, that some of those iviio saw service overseas and had returned

suffering from tuberculosis had had the disease when they were passed aff fit. Was it not likely that the complaint would he aggravated by war service.

Was it humane that the law should be so administered that men whose history sheets showed that they had been suffering from venereal disease during the war period should be refused a pension. This man should at least get free medical treatment or if the Government would not recognise the right to a pension* a portion of the uanieen tunds should be set aside for relief.

They ,'iad improved the position of the \Vidow last year, said Mr H. E. Holland, yet they differentiated between war widows, epidemic widows, ancl widows of citizens who were killed while following their occupations. Epidemic widows received 25s per week and 10s for each child up to the age of 16 in the case of boys, and 18 with the girls. Yet the ordinary widow received only 10s per week for herself, drew for her children only up to the age of 14 years, and as soon as the youngest reached that age,, lost her own pension. They should bring all these pensions on to the same level. * * * *

War funds in New Zealand totalled £1,200,000, remarked Sir John Luke (Wellington North) yesterday. Under the war funds council was a total of £113,000. ♦ * * * PENSIONS

The question of pensions occupied the House for some time yesterday afternoon, when the Minister (Hon. G. 1 J. Anderson) moved that the annual report of the Pensions Department which he laid on the table of the House should be printed. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) opened the subject by urging that the present position, offered on opportunity to an energetic Minister to clear it up. The pension system of the country was like a patchwork quilt, and there was no uniformity. At present those who were in charge of the system had to abide by the Tetter of the statute. He urged that presiding magistrates and judges should be given discretionary powers, that the test of a pension should be the test of necessity, and that reciprocity should be granted, lie advocated that every part of the-British Empire should be given equal treatment. He would include the islands which the Dominion had taken under its jurisdiction. * * * *

According to Mr J. A. Lee, a pound of jam now-a-davs weishs only 14oz Evervone knows what Mr Lee meant but that is what he said^ • • * * Vj *

The number of stock condemned and slaughtered last vear was: Cattle 5867. horses 1. swine 4. The amount paid in cbmpensation was £15.079. . and the proceeds paid into the public account amounted to £1476. This information is contained in a return presented to Parliament vesterdav.

•** • * ' In ill-health and destitute, Mrs Beatrice Bray* of Wellington, has petitioned Parliament for a widows pension under the Miners Phthisis Ant. 1915. Her husband. John Bray, who died of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1914. had been a miner from 1882 to 1894, losing an arm in an explosion, and subsequently becoming a Government messenger. Virtually,* it is alleged, dismissed from his post under circumstances which left him no opportunity of meeting charges against hirn, William Saunderson Cooper, of Wellington, has petitioned Parliament asking for an inquiry into the incidents which led to his resignation of his r.j>pointment as Resident Commissioner of Savai’i. in Western Samoa. Cooper was charged with three tilings by Colonel It. W. Tate. Administrator of Western Samoa in March, 3923. and told that it would be better if ho resigned his appointment. Tho charges related to his handling of the native police, and of a tribal dispute in which some of the natives took up arms, and included an assertion of general tactlessness with the. natives. Cooper believes that inquiry would show liis conduct to be at most an error of judgment in circumstances of great difficulty. Colonel Tate left Samoa finally the day after he asked for Cooper’s resignation, and sir George Richardson, who succeeded tho Administrator, felt in duty bound to adhere to the decision of his predecessor. Subsequently Cooper; was told by the Minister for External Affairs that as he was out of the service an inquiry would serve no useful purpose. During ten years of service he had incurred no previous word of censure. and he asks for reinstatement. ,•« • * * The signatures of the Professors of English and Education at Victoria College, aud the principal of the Teachers’ Training College, are attached to a petition which was presented to Parliament yesterday. It expresses re grot .that a Religious Exercises in Schools Bill is now before Parliament, as in 1914 the Bible-in-Schools Party met with overwhelming defeat, and at the last election all tlie parties were committed to support the secular principle. The Bill, which provides for tho recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, the singing of a hymn, and the reading, of a Bible lesson, ‘ says the petition : ‘threatens the State school system with the introduction of religious distinctions and religious strife.” They wish to be heard in opposition to the Bill* Other signatures to the petition are those of prominent teachers, Misses W. G. Maitland, F. M. Hind, and O. Robertson, and Professor H. B. Kirk.

MR ISITT AND “THE SPOT” When the Weights and Measures Bill was before the House last night, members contended that full measures of goods should be insisted on. This brought Mr Isitt to his feet. He ; thought the Act should define the size of the “spot” of whisky and define whether a pint of beer was a pint flat or a pint froth. Mr Holland thought it interesting to see Mr Isitt so concerned that tho purchaser should get as big a spot as possible. This was th® minister in a new light. Mr Lysnar: Getting wisdom as he grows older.