PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18465, 28 January 1922, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS (Abridged from Press Association telegram.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ' WELLINGTON, January 27. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. GERALDINE COUNTY BILL The Geraldine Oouniy Rivero District Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Council, rose at 4.50 p.m., and resumed at 8 p.m. SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL The Council decided to insist on the amendments made by it to the Shops and Offices Bill, and prepared reasons for submission to the House of Representatives. The Council rose at 9.45 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at" 2.30 p.m. RETRENCHMENT SCHEME Replying to Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington) South), Mr MASSEY said he knew of no case of any public servant who had not received any increase in salary or bonus since 1919. If such a case existed he would like time to consider how such officer would bo affected by the Retrenchment Bill passed by the House. HIGHWAYS BILL Replying to Mr C. N. Mackenzie (Auckland East), Mr MASSEY said that Cabinet would consider whether the Government should bring down! tho main Highways Bill this session. CATTLE TICK. Replying to Mr W. D. Lysnar, the Eton. Mr NO9 WORTHY said that regulations in connection with cattle tick were being prepared; and would bo issued shortly. ARMS AMENDMENT BILL The Hon. E. P. LEE introduced the Anns Amendment Bill. « Mr T. M. WILPORD asked if some provision bo made to allow British soldiers to retain arms which they had brought with them to New Zealand,' and which for sentimental reasons they desired to retain. The MINISTER said that such oases were provided for. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT AND ESTIMATES. , The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS (the Hon. J. G. Coates) laid upon the table of the House tho Publio Works Statement and Estimates. The House then want into Committee-of-Supply to consider the Public 'Works Estimates. The first vote discussed was Public Works Departmental, £165,000. Mr T. M. WILFORD said that members had only a few minutes in which to consider either the Statement or the Estimates, and ho thought the time must come when some bettor method must be adopted. Members should be pissed in a position in which they could get a >qady and complete survey of the financial position and history of all public works loans. Referring to hydroelectric development, he asked whether the Minister know that it was rumoured that there _ was a combination of five great electrical firms in Great Britain for tho of taking advantage of the preference which we were giving to British manufacturers. He understood that knowing wo were giving this preference they immediately put up their prices 25 per cent. He favoured preference to Great Britain, but wo should not allow ourselves to bo walked all over. Ho considered tho development of hydro-eleotrio power was the first great, necessity. Messrs G. W. FORBES and L M. ISITT wanted to know what tho Minister intended to do towards carrying out the recommendations of the Rivers Commission with regard to Canterbury rivera. Tho MINISTER said ho would not recommend the Government to take over the responsibility in connection with any river in New Zealand. There was a system under widely a local body could control in its own and ho would not take the matter out of its hands. Tho control of tho Canterbury rivers was purely a local matter. Messrs D. G. SULLIVAN, L M. ISITT, G. WITTY, and D. JONES appealed to the Minister to pass legislation which would enable local authorities to overcome the local difficulties in controlling tho Wnimakariri River. The MINISTER said he had no objectionto do that, and legislation would be prepared and submitted to Parliament! rioext session. . , Mr HUDSON'suggested that'the Government should have some general policy on the subject of river control, which would be a guide to the settlers. Messrs H. K HOLLAND and T. E. SEDDON supported this view. River erosion was a matter of national importance. The vote was then passed. Railways construction and addition, £5,250,000, was the next vote discussed, members taking advantage to bring under the notice of the Minister tho claims of their local linos, The item was under discussion at 5-30. The Committee reflimed at 7.30. In the course of his reply to the various suggestions that work on different new linos should be undertaken or proceeded with the Minister said that greater care should be taken before any lines were authorised in future to obtain the fullest details of the cost and earning capacity. In some cases ha thought it better to delay the work till prices and materials fell. Giving attention in tho meantime to the improvement of road communication benefiting tho localities concerned, such as for example the Gisborne-Napier lino. By this means also something would be done to relieve unemployment. He hoped that tho Stratford mam trunk would be opened at the Okahukura end to Matiero so that settlers would be able to got their produce out to the market. At 9.15 p.m. the railways vote was passed and the committee proceeded to discuss the publio buildings vote, £379,550. * . [Left sitting.]