PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18051, 27 September 1920, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

(Feom Oub Own Cobbespondent.) WELLJNGTON, September 25. AVONDALE RACE TRAINS. . What at first hearing appeared a serious indictment against tho Government in regard to the running of the railways at the present time of difueulty, was made in the House of Representatives by Mr J. M-Combs CLyttelton) during the course of the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill The Prime Minister, in his reply, disposed of the allegations with good hiimour Sd SSrtf U f, eas& - Mr M'Combs had said that while there -was a great scarcity of coal all over the dominion, the Government ■was running 21 excursion trains for tho Avondale races Mr Massoy said that people hearing that sort of allegation would imagine ■ that it was wholly a provision of trams for tho Avondale races. H^had inrt« W * Very T^ 01 ' and had looked into tho matter, and had perused tho advortasements m the Auckland papers. What woe happening >vas that all thVtrains run" ning pn the northern line for that day were l£Td g n a< ; AVOn t d K de C l UrhlE WrnoTn Ho did not say that there were no special trams Probably there wero. P throt Q < Parnell ) : n>ere are Mr Massey said that there was a very great deal of difference between three S trains twice, those which wont out aTwell as those which returned in the evening. Mr while the - 0 ?* ° f th ° wniie the Prime Minister was makinsr this explanation and returned just at this !tage TARANAia OIL. centiy giver, to that industry, which he believed would result in the doveloDmpnt- «f o P erS. SUCOeSS U °° nneCti ° n ™* th^ HOUSING PROBLEM, Mr Edie, speaking in the early hours of £n t£H? g ' ""£ h ° af?reed witt th^critfe! way, and made a brief reference £> The In his constituency a lady had said to him s "M r Edie come and M ? a hou *-"-(LaugHter.r Ate e > : zam very fond ° f the i**--Member: And tb °y aw fond of "Well," continued Mr Edie, "it was a I*?,, Sl °all house. It had just a butind t^i^V 1 "" * hat «»nethhs should be done for the better housing of the coal miners in hi s district. a ° UHng ot THE LYTTELTON TUNNEL. D ?_ Vanl ? ee of the opportunity preisland members made a series of pleas to ge Government .for tho prosecution o lP u£ m fchel , r res Pective districts. The Canterbury members were particularly emU^ ln ? T ., that ** scheme pro- »' *? £ he im P r ovement ?i f^SHt ,1 £? nel shoQld b e «ndertntication of the tunnel m order to save the traveflmg public from the unpleasant con£aF% & also asked for a closer coordination between the train and ferry serMγ Massey gave thorn ar> assurance that the matter Jiad not been forgotten He that Mr Hiley had advocated not the electrification, but tho duplication of the tunnel. He seemed to suggest that it would not bo a difficult matter. The reason why uJIS had --*> ce 1 n of course, was the shortage of labour and material consequent upon the war. What was being done at present was that several officers of the department were engaged in collecting data rhey were comparing the position now with that of some • years back, and were estimating the requirements of these two important.railway stations at present and. in the future, for the future must be taken into account. Not only were they collecting data,- but they were preparing plnns. A number of men were employed in building a goods ehed at the Christchurch Railway Station, so that a commencement was really being made with the Hiley plan.