PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

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

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM THE PRESS GALLERY. (From odk Own Cohuespondent.) ’ WELLINGTON, September 29. REVALUATION BOARDS. The boards which are to consider the valuation of soldiers’ properties are not going to be hampered with restrictive instructions, according to the .Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands). The Minister was asked by Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South) in the House to-day whether he ■would give instructions that the board which was to make investigations in the Wairarapa district should visit the Tiraumea estate among the first. Tho Minister said that ho would not hamper the boards in any way, but would leave them to carry out their investigations in the manner which they thought best. They would be given their order of reference, and would then commence their work in what seemed to them the most expeditious manner. CASES OF HARDSHIP. The Prime Minister was asked in the House to-day by Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South) whether he would speed up the boards so that cases under tho hardship clause of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act would bo heard and disposed of without delay. Tho member also mentioned that ho had been advised that certain members of the public service had been compelled to take a holiday without pay on Monday last—Dominion Day—although there was work for them to do, and they did not desire the holiday. These men, he said, could, not afford ,to take unnecessary holidays. • Mr Massey said that he ..would be glad to make inquiries if specific cases were supplied (o him. On the question of compulsory holidays, the Prime Minister said that he was of opinion that on such occasions as that mentioned the employees should be given the opportunity to work, if there was work for them to do. He saw no objection to permission being given. THE ROSKILL SEAT. The. Prime Minister made a definite pronouncement to-day regarding the official Reform candidate for tho Roskill seat. At the general election. Mr Massey stated that in order to remove any doubt in the minds of the electors ho desired it to bo stated that tho sitting member (Mr V. H. Potter), who represented the constituency faithfully and well since he entered Parliament, would again carry the Reform banner at the next election-. Mr Massey added: “I hope that all friends of the Reform Party in the electorate —all those who recognise the necessity of stable Government, especially at a time of crisis such as tho dominion is passing through at present, will unite in supporting Mr Potter by putting aside local and sectional differences and avoid votesplitting.”