PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19252, 16 August 1924, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

ESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS

[OUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(P>a United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, August 15. The House met at 2.30 p.m. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

1 Mr J. A. MAGPIiERSON (Oamani) gairo [Otice to ask the Minister of Education tshother, in view of the diversity of opinion in tjha subject of junior high schools, ho could suspend further proceedings in tho ijrection of establishing' such schools until I searching investigation had boon made

k a special committee) ropsesenting primary, econdary, aixl technical schools, education fcqards, and university councils. PKISaWKRS' RECORDS.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. ILFORD) asked the Minister of Justice whether it had been brought to his notice it any time that a judge in criminal trials lad been informed of the police report Upon prisoners prior to the trial, and whether ho would ascertain if that were ;ho usual practice; and if so, whether he would stop it on the ground that the history >f the prisoner should bo furnished to the udge after a verdict and not before it. The Minister {the Hon. G. J. PARR) said te could not answer the question off hand. Re was not aware that such was the practice, and bo would make inquiries. THE ESTIMATES. At 2.50 the House went into Committee of Supply to consider tho Estimates, the jrst item being the vote of £60,494 for the Legislative Department. Mr W ILFORD proceeded to analyse tho estimates of •evenuo and expenditure, contending that hero was on tho Government figurs ample margin for increased expenditure. He also asked the Prime Minister to do something

which would bring tho price of timber within reach of those desiring to build homos. Ho quoted from a. lotter in which tho writer Stated ha was able to purchase timber from the mil's and outbid the ring at from 10s to l4s per 100 less than was charged by tho combine. It had been said that the big factor in houso-building was labour, but, if his correspondent's statement wore correct labour was not tho only factor. Flo was willing to hand tho letter over to the Government. If tho statements in it were not truo then they could bo exposed. If thoy wore true then legislation should bo brought down to deal with this monopoly which waa exploiting the peopls. Mr jVIASSEY said tho Government, was out after exploiting combines aa much as anyone, and ho would bo glad to look into tho case quoted by tho Leader of the Opposition. So far aa tho State sawmills were concerned, ho had .pint been looking into the position and he found that the big sawmill at Frankton, which wna under the Railway Department, wm able to build n five-roomed house for £7OO which, ho thought, was most satisfactory. Coming to Mr Wilford's contention that thoro was room in the Estimates for further expenditure, he said that New Zealand was ono of tho best countries in the world, but ho regretted tho evident tendency on tho part of the people to mortgage the future because sooner or later ijhe prices of our produce would fall, and wo must bo prepared for that fall. Ho fully anticipated that next season would be -a good one, but we must look further ahoa.ll than one season. Ho wm extremely pleased to aeo that the industry of tho people had not diminished, and he fully expected next session that the report would show a substantial increase, but they must be careful. Mr T. K. SIDE? contended that tho Prime Minister's figures of revenue and expenditure were altogether unreliable. Mr J. A. NASH (Rilmerston North) Btjid that information had roceiitlv been given to a Parliamentary committee, that the Governmont sawmills were supplying timber for Government houses at 5s per 100 ft below the tariff rates. The Hon. W. DOWNIE STEWART s aid there was a danger in fixing the price.? of timber that they would create a still stronger combino in trying to intervene where there appeared to be exploitation. One had to take care not tr> intensify the position. When the prices were fixed in Australia tho result had been ft general rise in (he cost. In a report of the timber position in New Zealand his department had pointed out that during the war years prices control was effective, tn was demonstrated by the fact that the exported timber over which there was ro control was quoted 7s higher. It had to bo remembered that where several mills were in competition, some efficient ttrid some inefficient, the tendenc was fo fix the price at swell a rate as would give a reosonablo profit to the inefficient mill, which would bo a high profit in the efficient mi 11 Mr WILFORD remarked that he had apt suggested fixing the price. What he wanted was an inquiry to seo whether the timber, combino should or should not bo prosecuted. .~'*AJr Stewart: Wo are prosecuting one combine—nnmolv, the flourmillers, and we prosecuted the coal owners. > Mr Wilford: But there is no penalty.

Continuing, Mr Stewart said that one of his difficulties was that there were so manv Rontlomen's ' agreements in existence, anil it was impossible to get the proof necessary to secure a conviction. The difficulty was Kreat, and the only effective means to overcome to was Stato competition. He did not care to ask the Government to start brick works and other such things, but it was the only way to hold down the prices effectively without (roinjj through extensive lejr<*d proceedings to prove that monopoly existed. Personally, he favoured State competition, as was the case with' fire insurance, Tat-her than po through a futile efforts of trying to establish a case csrainst combines in a, court of law. Mr G. W. FORBIIS (Hurumii) said it •was quite evident that the Minister despaired of dealing with monopolies and trusts except by Stato competition Thai 'development would no doubt bo warmly "welcomed by members of_ the Labour partv, as it meant State socialism. Labour Members: Hear, boar.

The discussion on tho Estimates was proceeding when tho House roso at 5.30 p.m. The Houao resumed at 7.30 p.m. In committee on tho Estimates >Tr KIDEY, criticising tho method of preparing the estimates of revenue, said the Prime Minister had forecasted a reduction of £1.000,000 in taxation, but had given no indication how that reduction \vas poinjr to ha allocated. The uncertainly on the point was- cansin? much iconcern to many business and other interests. . , Tho Hon. D. BUDDO rirjred that every precaution be taken to prevent the introduction of rindor pet, _ foot-nnd-nioiitb or similar cattle diseases into Neu- Zealand, either throurrh the medium of stock, or fodder, or other agricultural imports. JTe quoted tho position in Argentina, where the disease was carried in fodder imports arid was extremely difficult to eradicate. Mr U. W. FORBES oskerl if the Minister of Agriculture could explain how it, was proposed to expend the additional £63,000 placed on tho Estimates this vear. • The Hon. J. G. COATES said the Government did not want to hinder any oitv enterprise, but so far as tho Cnleride,e liydro-electrio scheme was concerned it must see that tho receipts mpfc the.costs while guipplyin? power to all requiring it at a« reasonable a rate as possible. So far as any compolitive enterprise was concerned it rested with Parliament to decide whethp' it would allow competition to come in to the detriment of the Colcridcre scheme ■which was backed by the country's mnnoy. That scheme should supply not onlv Christchurch, but tho whole district, and if u> tho past tho citv had enioyod specially favourable treatment in the matter of charges he thought; it would recognise lht> necessity of meotin<r its proportion of additional cost of the extended scheme. He pointed out that the Christcuroh City Council had built up a reserve of £200.000. while. Coleridge was*still £45,000 in arrears. Mr 11. POLAND drew attention to the delay in'completing tho documents relating tO lands taken up by intending settlers j-iie cited the case of an immigrant who Ksd to wait fivo months before ho reamvad his lease Mr Poland com.-plninef 7 a'so of the delay in granting the relief promised to sufferers hy floods in the Hau'rajri plains area. The position of many Rattler") as a consequence was serious. . Mr J. A. LEE hoped that tho Minister of Public Works would hold out against HUT specially favoured treatment cf Olirist'cfeuirch in connection with the electricity supply. No ono district should have adWntaffe over another through the medium of differential rates. The Hon. W. NOWORTHY. replying to Mr Forbes, said there had been considerable recoveries last year for the Asrricujtaral Department's operations. This yepr he was providing for assistance in Opnnoction with apple export trade and for the establishment of apfncultural colleges Replying to Mr Fraser Mr Nos"wrarthy said tbtt complaints had been made that cartain eip»lfl»e«i had not been fairly

treated in tho matter of payment, but an inquiry showed instances of claims for moro than the employees were entitled to. He wished to treat everyone fairly, but fonud that attempts were made to traclo on hit good nature. He, however, would not so lon<r as ho waa Minister allow himself to be imposed uopn in such a fashion. Mr MASSrIY, referring to the £25,000 promisee! for the assistance of sufferers by the Hauraki floods, said Iho money had been handed to the Valuation Department. Instructions had been ffiven that unnecessary delay was to be avoided, and he had not known of any hitch having occurred. Mr F. LANGSTONTS pleaded for moro sympathetic treatment for the settlers, especially ex-soldiers, by the Lands Department.

Tho Hon. A. D. M'LEOD. replying to the complaint regarding the delay in.granting- relief to tho Hauralu settlers, agreed that tho essence of the matter in such cases was tho quickness of giving assistance. Speaking of tho land* administration irenerally, he considered tho various land boards throughout the countrv had very wide powers so far as soldiers' settlement was concerned. It must bo romemborod that the country had ontered upon a h : s; trading concern with a capital of £30,0C0,000 odd, and he holioved the administration was, under the circumstances, vary satisfactory. Tho losses, he wa s convinced, worTJiT be "smaller than would havo been suffered by ordinnrv trading conerns if called upon to undertake a similar task .at tho snrno short notice. Mr P. A. do la PERRELLE considered the item £II,OOO for members of the Legislative Council too much. At this point the Chairman of Committees intervened, and Mr Perrelle turned his attention to the Government subsidies to county councils, which, ho declared, weia altogether inadequate. Mr J. T„. COKRIGAN commended tho work of the Advances and Insurance Departments, and advocated tho inclusion of accident f-nd mnrino business in tho rcopo of the latter department's work. Mr E. A. RANSOM drew attention to the n'ood for a larger amount of assistance to the dependents of prison inmates. He citod a case where charitable aid beards denied liability ancl a woman with soveral children was thrown on tho charity of the people in a district where she was a 3tranger. Continuing the discussion on tho first item, Mr WILFORD said the Liberal Parly had fully considered tho question of promoting agricultural education, and he was in a position to say that ino Liberals would heartily co-operate with the Government in doing everything possible to advance this branch of education. Replying to Mr Sidey, Mr MASSEY said he was not going to disclose hou» taxation would bu reduced until the Bills camo down.

After midnight Mr FRASER moved to reduce the vote by £5 as an indication that the Legislative Council should ho abolished. This was rejected practically without discussion hy 51 votes to 19. At 1.30 a.m. the first item cf the Estimates \va3 read without division. The House rose- at 1.35 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. c-n Tuesday.