PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17066, 26 July 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM THE PRESS GALLERY. (From Odb Own Correspondent.* WELLINGTON, July 24. On the motion of Mr Guthrie, the House this afternoon granted \ the Hon. R. H. Rhodes two days' leave of absence on the , ground of illness. THE SOLDIERS' TEA. In the House to-day Mt Jennings voiced complaints concerning the quality of the tea supplied to the soldiers at Trentham and Featherston,.it being alleged that it was undrinkablo. _ The Hon. A. Myers (Minister of Munitions) stated that in the purchase of tea and other articles ,for the soldiers quality was always the first consideration, and there were experts who inspected every sample. This was the first complaint he had heard concerning the quality of the tea, which he had always understood was very acceptable to _ the men in camp. Of course, it was quite, possible that in making the tea the men had spoilt it. Mr Myers stated that the camp 'commandant at Featherston used the tea. So far as the last tenders were concerned the two lowest were passed over, not being up to 1 quality, and a slightly higher tender accepted. At one camp the medical officers had condemned the vessel that the tea was made in. It was quite apparent that it was not the quality of the tea but the vessel that it was made in that was not satisfactory. Mr Jennings said the men stated that the tea at Trentham was not nice. Were those who inspected the samples expert tea tasters? PRICE OF WHEAT; In reply to the Hon. D. Buddo, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald (Minister' of Agriculture) stated to-day that the Government had agreed to purchase the whole of the 1917-18 wheat crop, and he did not think there was anything to be afraid of. ''The next day instructions would be issued to have the price gazetted. Mr Nosworthy: Will that bo f.0.b.? Mr Mac Donald made no reply. A COMPARISON. Speaking on the Address-in-reply to-day, Mr Reed complained that the returned soldier problem in the north was not receiving the attention it deserved. To settle a soldier in the Auckland district, he said, cost £920, as cornpared with £4870 in Canterbury. To place 15,000 soldiers on the land in CantexSury would cost. £73.000.000. whereas it would take £13.000,000 to settle a similar ; number in Auckland. It was not good business to neglect the bush areas of the north, and it would be more profitable to settle men on these areas than on highly improved land.