PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18624, 4 August 1922, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM THE PRESS GALLERY. (From Oob Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 3. CHEAPER MONEY. Replying to an Auckland deputation that waited upon him to-day, tile Prime Minister stated that the present idea was to assist settlers who had' previously not been able to borrow, rather than to assist them to pay off the mortgages already existing. By this moans the Government would be able to help the greater number. He added that money was getting cheaper, and referred to a large institution that had recently reduced the rate of .interest from 7 to 6j[ per cent. He hoped to be able to make a more important statement shortly. GRADING OF WHEAT. Mr J. Edie (Bruoe) to-day read a letter from a farmer at Clydevale regarding the sale erf wheat. The writer stated that the millers in the district had stopped buying, and the banks would make no advances. He suggested that the Government should send a man to the district to test the wheat and advise the farmers what condition their wheat was in. The Hon. W. Nosworthy replied that the Government was carrying out its contract with tlie farmers to the letter. The hon. member would realise that it was a very difficult situation, seeing that at the present moment the Government was not aware of its liability, and would not be until the whole of the returns came in. If the hon. member would send him the letter he would have inquiries made. He would also bo pleased to facilitate, as far as possible, the sampling of all wheat in tiio country with a view to determining what was milling and what was undergrade wheat. Ho would also have inquiries made as regards the prospects of am outlet. COUNTY VALUATIONS. In the House of Representatives Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) brought under the notice of the Prime Minister a complaint from the Waipara County Council as to its unfair position, in conjunction with others that were revalued, when all products were at the very ' highest point. The council asked that a reduction be made over the whole county on a percentage basis, so as to bring it into lino with other districts. Mr Forbes asked if this was a matter that was dealt with, in the report of the committee. Mr Massey said the report of that committee was now being printed, but had boon delayed by press of work in the Government Printing Department. It was a lengthy report, but he was not certain if the point raised had been dealt with in it. He rather thought it had not been. He had been ,given to understand that some of the counties thought (hey had been overvalued, but it waa rather singular that in other parts of New Zealand, even in times of depression, counties were complaining that their lands had been under-valued and had been asking that the values might bo put up. That had happened in two oases reported to him. There would, however, be plenty ol opportunities of discussing the matter during the present session. BRITAIN AND WAR DEBTS. The British Government’s Note to the Allies on the subject of war debts and reparations was mentioned in the House to-day when the Loader of the Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland) asked whether the Prime Minister bad received any communication in regard /to these matters, and whether, if communications from the British Government had come to hand, the House would be given an opportunity of discussing the issues raised The British Government’s move was the greatest made since the conclusion of the War. The Prime Minister said that he had not yet received* any communications, but that he expected to do so within a day or two. In the meantime he had no intention of expressing opinions 'pn the Note. Members would realise that out of the proposals of the British Government there arose some very serious questions, not dealt with in the newspaper reports. INJURY TO CATTLE. A complaint that an unusually large number of fat cattle were being injured in, transit by rail, particularly in the Woirarapa, was made to the Minister of Railways to-day by Mr A. D. M’Leod (Wairarapa) in the House of Representatives. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) replied that the department

was not responsible for all the damage complained of, though it might be for some. Every care was taken to prevent damage, and if any railway official showed the least sign of carelessness that official was brought to hook very promptly. Ho was having the most searching inquiries made concerning the causes of injury to stock in transit. The trouble was not new. It was not alono the jolting undergone that harmed the animals, but the necessity for crowding them into the trucks. In every truck of fat cows, for instance, there was always a “boss” who churned the others. The railway was apt ter be blamed for damages it had not caused. Everything possible, herwevor, would be done to diminish the trouble complained .of. STRANDED IMMIGRANTS. Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) to-day mentioned in the House an immigrant who claimed to have had only eight weeks’ work since landing in the country in October last. According to correspondence read by the member the man in question was a worker in the engineering trade. Ho was willing to do anything, but was quite unable to find. employment of any sort. Mr Sullivan reminded the Minister of Immigration of a similar case he had referred to within the past fow days. He wished to know whether the Government —since in his view it was responsible for the predicament of the immigrants—would find employment for them. The Minister (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) said that he was having the first case investigated, and would have the second investigated also if the member would give him the necessary particulars. He suggested that Mr Sullivan should find out whether the men had been brought to New Zealand under the Government immigration scheme, or had come out independently. His department was intended to deal only with oases for which the Government was directly responsible. However, Ministers were as anxious as members to help, and he would see what could be done. A' SOLDIER’S DISMISSAL. A petition from the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association claiming that Staff-sergeant-major J. Spence had been unjustly treated bv the New Zealand Defence Department in being dismissed, and asking that he be reinstated and granted, compensation for losses suffered, wua presented to the House to-day by Mr W. A Veitch (Wanganui). The petition seta out that Staff-sergeant-major Spence joined the New Zealand Royal Artillery in 1897, and served until 1904. He joined the Permanent Staff in 1911, and remained till his dismissal last March. He left with the iviain Body, and soiled with the kxpeditionaiy Forces until discharged on account of wounds and sickness m September, 1916. It is shown in support of the claim for his efficiency that he was chosen as a camp quartermaster-sergeant ,for the General Headquarters Training School at Trentham, that he qualified as an instructor'in 1920,* and that since his return he has performed his duties efficiently and well in Wanganui. It also pointed out that approximately 20 quar-termaster-sergeants, holding similar positions to the one vacated by Sergeant-major Spence are being retained although junior to him, out of that number at least six bein’ without war experience.