PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19269, 5 September 1924, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY. (From Opr Own correspondent, j WELLINGTON, September 4. EXCHANGE BATES. To-day the Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. *M. Wilford) called the attention of the Prime Minister to an interview in the , press quoting the case of Egypt, in which ‘ it was urged that the adoption of the system of. Empire currency bills would save | the producers of the dominion about half a | million a year, or the interest at 5 per cent, on £10,000,000 of our national debt. A direct illustration, the, person inter- j viewed, had stated, was to bo found in the j case of the Cheltenham Dairy Company, | which would pay, under an Empire currency scheme, 18s cd only instead of £2 per. cent, on demand drafts, and would thus save j £3OOO a year, ! The Prime Minister said that he had not seen the interview, but he was glad that the Leader of the Opposition had referred to the question because it gave him an opportunity of saying that he had received j an initmation from the High Commissionei j that ho had been able to arrange the exchange for the transfer of a very consider able sum to New Zealand at li per cent. Instead of the prevailing 2 per cent. The was, of course, a very considerable reduo tion. Mr Wilford: But that doesn’t affect the producers. The Prime Minister; No, but as a matter of fact a great deal of the money trans ferred does not pay exchange, but comes in the ordinary course of trade. I said < the other day. that exchange would come down. I. am glad to see that it is already coming down. OIL CONTRACTS. In the House of Representatives to-day the Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford) asked the Ministerial Chairman of the Public Service Stores Control Board if he would give information to the House showing the estimated value of the contracts entered into between the board and the British Imperial Oil Company, the Vacuum Oil Company, the Texas Company (Ltd.), and A. S. Paterson and Co. (Ltd.). The Hon. J. G. Coates said that the petrol contract with the British Imperial Oil Company was valued at £6OOO, and that for kerosene at £9OOO. For lubricating oil the contract with the Vacuum Oil Company was valued at £2IOO, that with the Texas Company (Ltd.) at £2499, and that with A. S. Paterson and Co. at £750 to £11)00. TEACHERS’ SUPERANNUATION " The Minister of Education made a statement in the House to-day regarding an answer 'given recently in regard to a point connected with teachers’ superannuation. particular reference was to the retired teachers who had again taken up, teaching during the war, and their right to superannuation. The Hon. C. J. Parr stated that the rights of such teachers would not be prejudiced in any way. Indeed, if a teacher continued in the service, his nosition in regard to superannuation would be improved. They would have not only the old superannuation, but that based upon their salary since they rejoined the service, tie thought the question which had been asked by the member far Buffer referred tp the case of a Mr Sterling, who had retired in 1902, four years before the first Superannuation Act came into effect. After 13 years he had returned to the service" and was still in it, and a very good teacher he was, too. He now wanted superannuation for the period in which he had been teaching before the Act came into force. It was; however, quite obvious that such a request could not he granted. There was also the question of women who had retired on getting married, and who for various reasons had since rejoined the service. If in all such cases applications were to be considered it would mean the reconstruction of the whole financial position of the fund. DISORDER IN PARLIAMENT. For some time after the appointment of the Speaker of the present House of Representatives excellent order was* maintained in the. - House, but lately members have been faffing back to their old habits. This afternoon the disorder became so pronounced that Mr Speaker was frequently calling “Order, Order!” The noise of loud conversation was particularly noticeable on the left, and one member in the Labour quarter with his back turned on Mr Speaker was interviewing members of the par l ty v ,,.Jt .was quite impossible in the press ’gallery'• to" hear ' all that members who addressed (he House were saying. At length the general hum of loud conversation became so prevalent that Mr Speaker interposed, and, interrupting a member in the course of his speech, rose and admoniimod members for indulging in such loud conversation. He complained that there was so much disorder that he himself had difficulty in following the proceedings. This well-merited rebuke had some effect, and during the rest of the afternoon the’ proceedings were more orderly. It will be interesting to see ■whether the Speaker’s admonition will have an- permanent effect. WOMEN ROAD WORKERS AT NIUE. “My information is that women prisoners are being employed on read-making in Niue Island,” stated Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labour Party) in the House of Representatives to-day, and he asked the Minister in Charge of the Cook Islands if that were the case, and if so would ho take steps to have the practice of employing women in. that class of work discontinued. • Sir Maui Pomare replied that he was not aware that the practice was in vogue, but he would have an inquiry made, and i£ it were in operation down there he would see that it was discontinued. CONSOLIDATING LAND BILL. The Consolidating Land Bill, which was referred by the House to the Lands Com-: mittee, was reported to-day with amendments. Part 3 of clause 17 has been struck out. This refers to open spaces set apart for recreation grounds in all towns laid off on Crown lands, and also to sites for the deposit of rubbish, gravel pits, etc. Clause 18, providing that reserves in existing boroughs, etc., may be made in certain cases, has also been struck out. Possibly a new clause will have to be drafted. TEACHERS’ SUPERANNUATION. Petitions were presented to-day from' George Whitelaw and others asking Parliament to insert an amending clause in the Teachers’ Superannuation Fund Act permitting them to transfer from the original scheme (1905) to the amended scheme (1910). The petitioners are some of the 31 contributors remaining under the provisions of the 1905 Act. They feel, that their pensions to which they have contributed are little better than old-age pensions, to which no contributions wore made.