PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19583, 12 September 1925, Page 12

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Abridged from Proas Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON, September 11. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. RILLS DEALT WITH. Tho National Provident Fund Amendment Rill and Land for Settlements Rill wore reported from the Statutes Revision Committee without amendment. Tho Auckland Harbour Hoard Empowering BUI and Manawatu-Oroua River District Amendment Bill were passed without being amended. The Land and Income Tax (annual) Rill was subjected to some discussion, lint was not opposed, and the measure was put through all its stages and passed. DUNEDIN DISTRICT DRAINAGE BILL. The amendment made by the Local Bill4 Committee to the Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Amendment Bill was upheld by several members of the Council on the ground that it. was wrong in principle for any local body to have authority to raise loan moneys without taking a poll of ratepayers, but the second reading was passed. The Council adjourned at 4.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. MONDAY SITTINGS. On the motion of tho Prime .Minister the House agreed to meet for the remainder of the session at 7.30 p.m. on Mondays for 'the transaction of Government business. MEASURES TO RE DEALT WITH. In tho course, of a reply to the Leader of the Opposition, the PRIME MINISTER outlined the measures which he hoped to puss this session. THE ESTIMATES. The House (hen went into Committee of Supply further to consider (he general estimates. Tho first department taken was mental hospitals—£2Bo.,Sit.. Mr T. K. SIUUY asked the Minister (Sir Maui Poxnarc) why the department had not. adopted tho principle. allowed in the prisons of paying patients in mental hospitals for work done in these institutions. Mr G. WITTY congratulated the. Minister on tho good work lie had done in connection with menial hospitals. Mr P. FRASER said that from a cursory glance over the departmental report ho thought a lot of wonderfully good work had been done in this department. One of its greatest diUicultics was its building problems, but he thought the House would heartily support the Minister in any applicaion lie might make for funds to solve this problem. He noted that Kir Truby King bad pronounced against what was called the “half-way house” for loss serious eases. Personally he was not convinced by Sir Truby King’s arguments, but doubtless there was much (o lie said for Sir Truby King's point of view. Mr W. 11. FIELD paid a tribute to the work done by the late Dr Day, whose great services to the department would be difficult to replace. Several members spoke upon the need of improved building conditions iji several centres, and Mr W. D. LYSNAU complained of tho present method under which patients were committed. The MINISTER, in reply, paid a feeling tribute to tho public service rendered by tho late Dr Hay. Ho did not agree with Mr Sidnv that patients doing work in mental hospitals should lie paid as prisoners wore, as there wore many points of difieronce lietwoen mental hospitals arid prisons, not Hie least of which was that tho work done in mental hospitals was part of tho euro. dim department hail an extensive jyrogranime in hand, arid wiion completed fjo thought (hey would bo proud of the mental hosnitals, which would he second to none in tfie world. Tho programme included purchase of land for new buildings and farms. One of tho moat pressing cases for new buildings was in Auckland. City farms were necessary so that paiienl.s might have fresh vegetables, milk, eta., all of which was part of tho-cure. Only about 2 per cent, of the patients who entered mental hospitals were ho]>efnl eases, and they proposed to concentrate on these. For this reason they were establishing sanatoria which would take the place of tho so-called “halfway houses,” which, he thought, were not desirable. In future buildings close attention would be paid to ventilation and hygienic conditions generally to which overmuch attention had not been given in the past. Replying to tho suggestion hv Mr D. G. SULLIVAN that a Royal Commission should be appointed to go into many serious complaints made regarding tho administration of the mental hospitals and the treatment of patients, the Minister said that patients were protected hy official visitors, doctors, and a humane staff of nurses and warders. Tn no people was humanity more highly developed than in the mem hers of these staffs. If there were any just cause for complaint It would be sifted to the bottom. Mr Sullivan asked what method of inquiry would be adopted. Tho Minister said he would investigate them uimself beeanoe ho found personal investigation more satisfactory. Genuine eases of complaint, would lie sifted to the bottom even if the official responsible bad ‘to lx? sacked. It was the duty of the department to get the patients well and get them hack to their homes, They did not want to keep them. The vote was then passed. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. The committee (hen proceeded to consider the vote of £127,948 for the Department of Public Health. Mr fSIDUV commented on the lack of accommodation at. Otaki Sanatorium. 'Hie MINISTER admitted thin shortage, but said provision was hoi rig made for 20 additional beds. Generally sneaking, the death rate from tnoercnlosis in New Zealand was the lowest in the world, so that the department was doing- g-ood work along those lines Members generally commended (he system of dental treatment of school children carried on by the department, tho only complaint made being that it did not go far enough. Discussion was proceeding when tho committee adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SESSION. The House resumed in Committee on tho Estimates. On tho vote for tho Health Department Mr HOLLAND urged that greater support should be given to the work of thePJunkot Society. The MINISTER agreed that the Plunket nurses were doing excellent work. (n addition io the £20,000 on the present Estimates another £IO,OOO would appear on the Supplementary Estimates, so that tho total would be £9OOO more than last car. '1 ouching- on tho dental inspection -of school children, the MINISTER said ho v, ould hie to be able to send nurses to every part of tho Dominion, but they could only do this for the larger centres at the present time. It was necessary to train the nurses. Mr W. E. LARRY said he hoped tho King George Hospital at Rotorua, would be maintained for the treatment of children, in which branch of medical work great good was already being done. Mr I any asked v,nether anytnmg was bem ,T done to deal with goitre, quotin'* details given in an address by Dr Garrick Robertson. The MINISTER replied that all the figures quoted by Dr Robertson had boon supplied to him by officers of the Health Department. Professor IlercuK, of Dunedin, had been doing valuable research work. Sir Maui Pomaro said that the public should understand that tho salt mentioned by Dr Robertson as a valuable anti-goitre agent on account of its iodine content was not the ordinary table saU known in New Zealand. This was a refined salt, from which iodine had been eliminated. Hie salt indicated by Dr Robertson was _ a kind found in parts of Europe. Investigation had disclosed that a lack of iodine in the soil was conducing to the spread of goitre in New Zealand'. School children were being given iodine in the schools to-day hv the Health authorises. Tn fact, the New Zealand Health Department was well ahead in dealing with goitre. to other qne-tinns, Sir Maui Pom am said that, the department was cooperating with oilier coin tries ; n geitlng overv possible information regarding cancer that insulin was not a specific fr,i diabetes, Tho real treatment of (his disease was still along dietetic lines. The veto wuh passed unaltered.

PUBLIC TRUSTEES ACCOUNT. Tho Public Trustees Account vote — £217.931—was passed without comment. POLICE DEPARTMENT. The Police Department vote —£415,939 — was put through unaltered. On the vote for tho State Forests Account—£2l2,Bß7—Mr O. W. FORBES asked how the increase in the last year’s expenditure (£114,298) was made up. Tho MINISTER replied that the extension of tree-planting involving an exoendituro of about £25,000 for the purchase of laud was largely responsible for the increase. It was proposed to make a thoroughly representative and educative display by this and other departments at the Exhibition at Dunedin. Tho vote was passed unaltered. STATE ADVANCES. On the vote- —£50,042 —for the State Advances Account, the MINISTER said lie thought it would assist if it_ were mentioned what the Government intended to do in the matter of advances. Now capital had boon made available to tho department, and with a reasonable supiy _of capital there was no reason why applic.v tions for advances aho'dd not. he cleared up by March 31 next. The department was now dealing with applications received_ m March or April, 1924. Iho new capital already available was £2,000,000, out oi -the latest loan. In addition tho department had its own resources in tho shape of repayments amounting to about £1.500,000 per annum, and beyond this the Minister proposed to raise a further loan of £4,000.000 or £5,000,000, estimated to he needed. Ho believed there would be no difficulty in getting tho money, but it might cost rather higher interest, and as a result those securing advances might ho required to pay slightly increased interest when this loan was obtained and the arrears cleared up. The applications oucht to be dealt with within six months. Several members complained that many people had been kept waiting too long for advances. The MINISTER raid he believed tho money could be obtained, and he would keep all the promises that had been made by himself and his predecessor (Mr Massey) as Minister of Finance. REMAINING TOTES PASSED. Shortly after the supper adjournment the vote was passed. The Mines Department vote—£4s,s62 was also passed. Replying to Mr Holland, the Hon. J. G. COATES said the report on the use of New Zealand coal on the railways was nearly complete, and would be presented to the House this session. Discussing the vote of £07,110 for tho Electoral Department, Mr M'COMBS said lie considered the present main roll the best yet preparoij In Now Zealand, but he thought there should be another canvass by postal officials before the roll was closed He also asked that a polling booth be established on Pitt Island, where there were some 10 electors. Mr COATES promised to look into the position of tho Pitt Islanders. The vote was passed. The Audit Department rote —£27,987 —was passed without comment. Tho vote for the Public Sendee Commissioner's office—£763l—was also passed without discussion. On the Department of External Affairs vote—£24,B6s—Mr JORDAN asked if the Prime Minister was in a position to say what was (he position of the New Hebrides Islands, Mr COATES said he would give the information as soon ns he was able to say what the position was as revealed by the correspondence. In reply to Mr Fraser, he said he would lay on the tabic the correspondence on the subject of the Protocol and the Peace Pact this session. Replying to Mr M'Comhs, Mr COATES said the mandated property in Samoa showed a profit of £22,000 lust year, and it was expected this year would also show a substantial profit. This completed the Estimates, obviating the necessity for a Monday ' sitting, and the Prime Minister moved that the House rise till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. This was agreed to, and tho House , rose at .10.55 p.m.