PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 12

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS (Abridged from Press Association telegrams.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WELLINGTON, September 29. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. VARIOUS BILLS. The Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill and the Canterbury College and Can ten-miry Agricultural College Amendment Bills were ruled to be local Bills, and the Standing Orders were suspended to allow them to proceed. They are set down for committal on Tuesday. Tho Auckland City and Hospital Board Empowering Bill and the Invercargill Corporation Empowering Bill were read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Local Bills Committee. The debate on the State Advances Amendment Bill was adjourned until Tuesday. The Council rose at 4.40. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30 p.m. WAGES OF CARPENTERS. In replying to Mr M. J. Savage, who stated that carpenters employed by tho Government were paid at less than the award rates, which was not fair to private employers, tho MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS said the Government ; was not bound by an award of the Arbitration Court, but it paid according to the regulations which were reviewed by Parliament. He would inquire into the matter complained of, however, and give a detailed reply later. TAX FREE BONDS. The MINISTER OF FINANCE informed tho Hon. J. A. Hanan that applications were coming in steadily for the conversions of free cf income tax bonds. i REPRESENTATION AT EASTERN CONFERENCE. " Replying to Mr R. A. Wright, the PRIME MINISTER said no arrangements had been made for New Zealand to be represented at the pending Conference on th Near East nuostion, but ns there was at present in Europe as a New Zealand Minister of the Crown (Sir Francis Bell) as well as an ex-Minister (Sir James Allen), he thought New Zealand should be represented. Mr T. M. WILFORD (Leader of the Opposition) thought the matter should be left to Great Britain to decide. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS VOTE. The House went into Committee of Supply on a vote for the External Affairs Department of £18,756. Mr H. E. HOLLAND protested against taking it before the report on the banioan Administration was nresented to Parliament. Ho urged that consideration be held over. Tho Hon. E. P. LEE explained that no report was available for presentation. At present New Zealand had to make a report to the League of Nations, and had done so. He had expected 'to receive word from Geneva that fhe renort could be presented to the House, but had not done so. However. if no word came soon he intended to take the matter into his own hands and lay .the report on the table of the House. THE APIA OBSERVATORY. Mr R. M'CALLUM moved a reduction of £1 on the item, £I6OO for the Apia Qbsorvatorv, on the ground that Australia and Canada should participate. He contended that in the present condition of tho dominion’s finances it was not fair that New Zealand should bear the whole cost of what, was an international service. Mr E. HOWARD protested against so much talk of poverty in New Zealand. This was a service to benefit mankind, and New Zealand was quite able to do great work in this connection. The MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS explained that arrangements were made for carrying on the observatory, which was established during the German occupation. Britain contributed half the cost and tho Carneeie Institute had offered assistance, though this was not accepted. The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION (Mr Wilford) hoped the Government would do all possible for the maintenance of this important observatory.

Mr H. HOLLAND supported the maintenance of this observatory in view of the value of its work to all the nations. He regretted-the Government had not seen its way to retain the ; services of the German scientist formerly in charge, whose research Work had promised results of outstanding international value. The amendment was negatived on the Y01C63. . . - SAMOAN DISCONTENT, ; , Mr.^T - M. .WILFORD,. referring, to! discontent inSamoa, said that apparently this was due to a leek of representation in the New Zealand Parliament. 1 He thought a scheme should be evolved and adopted by the League of • Nations giving the. mandated countries - representation in the- councils of the mandatory Powers. Mr Wilford also aslted if the Minister authorised a 50s hospital- a 4s school tax. The Samoan pedple'/objeoted l strongly to these imposts. Replying to criticisms, the Minister (Hon. E. P. LEE said lie had visited Samoa, inquiring into matters. He had, invited the people to submit their grievances and discuss them at a meeting. None replied to that, but just as he was sailing a bundle of complaints was handed him which ho had to I'eply to by correspondence. After he had gone meetings were held. He considered that, if tho grievances were not sufficiently urgent to be placed before th 6 Minister personally, they could, not be very serious. There was some desire for a more democratic form of local authority, and stops wero being taken to give effect to these, but the principal difficulty was over the matter of franchise. The question of representation in the New Zealand Parliament was a more difficult one and would require special legislation. Referring to the hospital tax the Minister said that local authorities were anxious for extended medical services and the tax was necessary to provide this. The health of the people generally was showing an improvement. The natives in Savoii were also becoming seized of the advantages of medical services. One of tho great difficulties was the fluctuation and general low prices at present obtainable for coconut and copra. If improved prffies were obtainable Samoan troubles would be very small indeed. Mr HOLLAND pointed out that hospital statistics indicated that the Chinese were more liable to ailments than the Europeans or natives. Criminal records also showed the Chinese in an unsatisfactory light. Mr WILFORD quoted editorial comment in the Fiji Times reflecting on New Zealand’s administration of the mandate and alleged the existence of a censorship over the press in Samoa. The MINISTER, in reply, said the foundation of the complaint was the prohibition of the sale of liquor, and the responsibility rested on the House, not the Minister. Referring to the allegation of a censorship of tho press, he said that the Fiji Times had since withdrawn this. The Minister said that no censorship existed in Samoa. Tho vote was passed unaltered. A PENSION VOTE. On a vote for the Pensions Department of £119,801, Mr WILFORD urged the readjustment of'the pension, bringing all into lino. He pointed out that widows in differ, ent categories received varying amounts, yet the cost of living pressed equally upon all. The pension vote should be increased so (hat the high rate of pension would be paid to all. Mr W. E. PARRY moved a reduction of £1 on the item of the Commissioner’s salary, as an indication that tho Government should provide pensions for the blind. The Chairman ruled it out of order, for the member to give the reason quoted, as it was a matter of policy. . Mr PARRY then moved without com ; ment tho reduction mentioned. This was defeated by 34 to 14, and the pension vote was passed unchanged. Tho House adjourned at 5.30. ADVERTISING THE DOMINION. The House discussed the Estimates for the Internal Affairs Department of £268.904. Several members complained that New Zealand was not sufficiently advertised. Wo had magnificent national assets in our scenery, which should be made more widely known to the world to encourage tourists to visit the dominion. Sir WILLIAM HERRIES, who wa s acting in tho absence of the Hon. W. Downio Stewart, replying to criticism, said that a publicity department had recently been established, and much more was being done in this connection than formerly, as a definite scheme of publicity had been laid down in Great Britain, America, and foreign countries. The effect of this would lx> more apparent next year than this, but he understood that the dominion was receiving a great deal of notice from Home and foreign papers. Mr W. A, VEITCH complained of tho inadequate information supplied by tho Statistical Department, particularly harbour statistics, in connection with which a change recently had been made to the detriment of smaller harbours. He also

contended that some better system should be adopted for compiling figures to determine the cost c£ living. Figures were given to the department by merchants, but there was no guarantee that these figures represented actual selling prices, and he thought that they should do so. Mr WILFORD said the trouble with the Statistical Department was that, its chief was overloaded, Mr Malcolm Fraser was one of the ablest statisticians in the Empire, but he had too much to do. Regarding advertising the dominion, he said the Government did not know the first thing about this side of their business. Tlni best way to advertise New Zealand was by means of films. But they must be good films, taken by (he best artists, he proceeded. People of every nation could understand such pictures, and there was no better method of advertising. Commenting on the public service generally, he said he considered that New Zealand was fortunate in her ,heads of departments. After being in other countries, one realised we had public officers second to none. Mr H. E. HOLLAND complained of the censorship of the literature which, ho said, still existed. He had heard that there was a proposal to ban some of Henry Lawson’s books because much of his poetry was of a revolutionary character. This would make New Zealand the laughing; stock of the world, and he would be glad to know that it was proposed to considerably relax the censorship. The Hon. Sir WILLIAM HERRIES, replying, said that the Internal Affairs Be partment had nothing to do with the censorship. He thought that lay between the Customs mid the Post Office Departments. Ho 'would ask the Minister o£ Customs whether he was prepared to make any recommendation to the Cabinet on the subject of relaxing jho censorship. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S EXPENDITURE. ■ Mr K. MASTERS raised the question of the vole for the High Commissioner’s Office. Mr MASSEY, in reply, said that there was nothing in the way of extravagance at the High Commissioner's Office, but things had greatly altered as a result of the war. Tlie cost of salaries, upkeep, and entertaining had increased very much since the war. more so than in New Zealand, but he had instructed the High Commissioner that some economies must be observed in his office as had been introduced in the public service in New Zealand. In a subsequent explanation Mr Massey stated that since the armistice 11 New Zealanders had gone Home to take up positions in the High Commissioner’s Office. The vote was passed. THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT. In connection with the Audit Departmentvote of £24,795, Mr MASTERS complained that the accounts of the Taranaki local body had not been audited for four years. He thought such delay unjustified. Several members protested against the increased charges which were being made bv the Audit Department. It was contended that the accounts were kept better now than in former years and the work of the auditors thereby was lessened. - The MINISTER, in reply, said the department had to nay its way, and when they tried to do that then there were complaints. Arrangements were being made for more frequent audits. The vote was passed. PUBLIC SERVICE VOTE.

Regarding the Public Service Commissioned. Office rote, £8312, Mr WILFORD asked whether the Minister did not think this office a too expensive superfluity whicn was costing the country £BOOO. There weie only 7000 civil servants under its controlover £l per njan per year. If commissioners were a good ihmg then thev should control 'he whole 51,000 piiblic servants in the doinihion. They should: either all be in or ail out. Mr M -VSBEY acinutted that the position of the public =ervkv was not satisfactory, but it was impossible to put it right m the dying hours of the session. Ho hoped, however, next session to put the service on a more satisfactory footing, but hg would not tolerate, anything in the nature, of, pphll ThnTlon.' j. A. HANAN condemned the cystcin of the Public Service Commissioners on*the ground that it was too expensive and did not make for efficiency. In the present circumstances of the nonunion it could not be justified. The vote wag passed' _ Printing and Stationery Department of £218344 was next discussed. (Left Sitting.)