HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17132, 11 October 1917, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30 p.m. COST OF LIVING./ In xep.ly to Dr'Newman, the ; PRIME MINISTER said the report of the. Cost of Living Committee would be brought down on Monday,, and would be discussed on Monday night. ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES BILL. - Mr HORNSBY gave notice of his intention ;to-introduce the Electoral Boundaries • Act Amendment Bill. ' ' t , REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. , Thq following answers were given' by Ministers to questions:— . That the allocation of wool and skins to wool scourers and felhnongers for treatment on behalf of , t £he Government had been controlled by local committees specially .appointed for' the purpose; the Government regretted that owing to a general shortage of scouring wool and sheepskins throughout the dominion it had not been possible to keep all the wool scouring and fellmongering works fully employed < throughout the season; a scheme under which sheepskins were purchased and fellmongered was instituted, and was being continued at the special request of the Imperial Government. ' ' .* That thero were very elaborate arrangements at the front to ensure that the men had frequent changes and renewals of clothing. It was quite impossible to arrange for ideal conditions whilst a division was actually taking a turn in the trenches, but as soon as the men came out everything possible was done to ensure their cleanliness and comfort. This winter similar arrangements to those made last winter would be mado for the issue .of warm clothing. That every assistance would be given to the two existing flying schools to enable, candidates to qualify for the Royal Flying Corps. It was not considered advisable to enter upon a large expenditure on aviation until expert advisers who had had experience in the present war were available to advise the Government as.to the best policy to be adopted. - . , • That the district medical boards had been, instructed, on the recommendation of the Director-general of Medical Seroces, to classify all men who had their forty-tourth birthday, when drawn in the ballot, as C2, as experience (had shown that men of this age were not able to stand the strain of active service. These reservists wero thereupon granted indefinite _ leave without pay, and were freo to continue in their civil employment. * That there was no intention to relax the order recently made by the general officer commanding in France that no private moneys whatever should be paid to officers or nie'n while on service or in camp in Franco. This was because it had been xeporipd. that a large amount of the money remitrect to soldiers in the field was squandered by tho men, and in consequence, when they went to England on furlough, tliey had no cash to carry them over their furlough, and mado continued applications to the High ; Commissioner's Office and, to the War Contingent Association for grants to enable them to visit various parts of England. The order issued by the general officer commanding was principally in tho interests of 'the men. . That whilst tho Government recognised the good work done by tho territonal officers belonging to the Second Division ifr regretted that no guarantee' could bo given that all such officers would bo appointed to the Expeditionary Force with commissioned rank.