PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20191, 31 August 1927, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Pbb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 30. TJie Legislative Council mot at 2.30 p.m. to-day. • LEAVE OF ABSENCE. One week’s leave of alsence was granted to Mr C. J. Carrington on account of family bereavement, and four days to Mr L. M. Isitt on account of illness. After formal business had been disposed of the Council adjourned at 2.35 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. THE TARIFF BILL. Replying to Mr Jordan, Mr W. Downie Stewart said it was not usual to announce the date on which a Tariff Bill was to come down. He might, however, say hat the report of the Tariff Commission was in the hands of the Government, and would shortly be laid before the House. There was no reason why delay in bringing down the Tariff Bill should upset the trade of the Dominion unless the traders were guessing what ..-as going to happen. A MISLEADING REPORT. In reply to Mr W. S. olenn (Raugitikei), the Prime ’’’mister sail that the published remarks of the chairman of the National Bank regarding New Zealand which had caused some uneasiness, comprised a condensed report of that gentleman’s remarks, and did not faitL'-lly represent what he had said. NO COMPENSATION. Replying to Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston North), the Minister of Agriculture (Mr O. J. Hawkcn) said he could hold out very little hope of compensation being paici to those persons who were compelled to cut down their hawthorn Ledges. SKILLED WORK ON RAILWAYS. Replying to Mr H. Holland (Christchurch North)., the Prime Minister said there was no deterioration of s ailed work on the New Zealand Railways, and it was most improper that remarks to that effect made by an irresponsible employee should bo published with scare headings in the New Zealand press. ELE-QTORAL BOUNDARIES. Mr A. D. M'Leod (Minister in Charge of the Electoral Department) laid on the table the report of the Electoral Boundaries’ Commission showing that the representation of the North Island had been fixed at 47 members, and the South Island at 29 members. . Mr T. W. Rhodes (Themes) complained that insufficient attention was paid to the community of interest. I Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East) objected to the secrecy with which the petitions against the proposed boundaries were dealt with by the commissioners. He instanced , the case of Auckland East, where the Ellerslie Racing Club bad succeeded in getting an hotel included in the district without the residents of the district knowing what was going on. Mr W. S. Glelm said he h-' to go through five electorates to get to pa- of bis district. This lack of regard for means of communication was a serious matter due to lamentable ignorance and want of common senseMr W. Nosworthy (Minister of External Affairs) said that the taking of the census and the alteration of the boundaries were being done too often. He was in favour of the census Icing taken only every ten years, and of the boundaries being altered shortly after. He thought Parliament should be elected for five years, and in this way useful economy could be affected. .... Mr W. J. Jordan (Manukau) said Ins electorate had in a few years grown from 12,000 to 15,000. If the elections were held only every five years it was quite evident that the member would be representing 20,000, and another perhaps only 4000. Mr M’Leod said he agreed that when objections were made to boundaries the public should have some information as to what the objections were before they were finally disposed of. He dr’ not agree that proportional representation would provide a remedy for the existing difficulties. What the commissioners had to do was first to preserve the proper proportion of representation, and secondly community of interests. This latter was a difficult subject, and for yea- they had f been widening the quota allowed to the commissioners to effect that, and the commissioners this year recommended that it should be still further widened. That, however, could be carried too far. and the population of neighbouring electorates might become disproportionate. Considering all the difficulties he thought the complaints were very mild indeed. Sir John Luke (Wellington North): It is no use objecting’.” Mr M’Leod said the tendency of members was to complain, whether it was any us© or not. He did not think the commiaeioners had done their work carelessly Every square mile of country was mapped off on their plans, and they worked very carefully, according to the .limits laid down for' them. The Government nad felt 7 that the present readjustment was necessary, as members had been asking what their districts were likely to be as soon as the results of the last census were known, and it would have been impossible to delay the matter any longer. The question of representation between the North and South Islands had been raised. Forty years ago the balance was the other way, and the North Island was suffering an injustice. He did not, however, think the situation was so acute that’ there was any need to take action this session. The report was laid on the tabic. finance bill. The House went into committee on the Finance Bill, which was passed without amendment or dissension. The Bill was read a third time and passed. IMPREST SUPPLY. The Imprest Supply Bill (No. 5) was introduced by Governor-General’s Message. Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East) complained of the inadequate lighting of the New Zealand coast. A light was needed at North Cape, which was often difficult to pick up. He suggested the appointment of a marine board, which would report on the lighting of the coast, which had not progressed in anything like the same ratio as trade. ' Mr K. J. Howard '(Christchurch South) complained that free access was not permitted to members of Parliament to the prison cells of the Dominion as visitors. This restraint was put on the representatives of the people by some regulation made by someone, but who lie could not find out. He also complained that the Broadcasting Company was charging license fees just as it pleased. There should be a board on which listeners-in were represented to fix the fees to be charged. Mr G. J. Anderson (Minister of Marine) said he would have the question of lighting the coast inquired into. He was prepared to accept the advice of Captain Bollons as to what lights were rentrirecl. _ , Mr F. F. Hockly (Rotorua) urged the necessity for giving school children an Ojjyortunitj’ of learning swimming.

Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) condemned the hospital administration. The cost, of building was far too high. In some cases buildings were costing thousands of pounds per bed. The result of this kind of thing was that the local body contributions had trebled. Hospital boards were contracting with friendly societies for their patients at 3s fid per day, while the average cost was 16s 2d per day. He favoured the preferential treatment of patients. Rich people should have private wards, and should be charged accordingly. Our school buildings were also costing too much, and great economy could be exercised by the abolition of education boards. The debate was proceeding when the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. till 7.30 p.m. EVENING SESSION. When the House resumed the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill was continued by Mr F. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn), who combated the contention advanced by Mr Lysnar that there should be differential treatment between the patients in hospitals. The poor man suffered the same diseases as the rich man, and should be given the same treatment. Mr Lysnar explained that ho did not mean difference in treatment, but difference in payment., Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) objected to the contract for the Tawa Flat tunnel being- let outside New Zealand. He said that the work should be carried out by New Zealand workmen on the co-operative principle. Mr A. Harris (Waitemata) complained that young relieving teachers ip the Auckland district had recently suffered a considerable reduction in salary because they were not paid for the time they were standing by waiting for other employment, and they received no payment for holidays. Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West) returned to the attack upon the proposal that there should be preferential treatment of hospital patients. He said that Mr Lysnar’s suggestion was resurrecting Dr M’Eachern’s proposal made last year, and backed up by the British Medical Association, so that doctors might draw fees where they did not draw them now. He warned people against weakening and wrecking the democratic system of hospital administration, which had served th# country so well. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Downie Stewart) to state why the financial arrangements made by him with the British Treasury regarding the New Zealand war debt were changed, and who it was who advised the Government to abolish sinking funds in connection with our public debt. He was certain it was no high financial authority who did so. The papers, which were not confidential in connection with these transactions, should be laid on the table of the House, and so clear away the mystery surrounding them. If we pursued the present system of paying out of the Consolidated Fund huge sums in reduction of our debt it would be quite impossible to reduce taxation to anything like the extent to which we should reduce it. Ho also wanted the Minister Of Finance to tell the House by how much he had reduced the old Maori war loan of £6,000,000 under the new system. He did not believe he could do it. Mr W. Nosworthy (Postmaster-general) said it was the same system as prevailed in Great Britain. Sir Joseph Ward said we had never modelled our financial legislation on the British system, and if the British system were bad there was no reason why wo should follow it. Mr R. A. Wright (Minister of Education) defended the treatment of teachers in , New Zealand, contending that they were the best paid of any country in the world. Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) said he had expected Mr Wright to tell the House whether or not it was proposed to abolish education boards. All over the country there was a feeling that something was going to happen, and this feeling should be allayed if there were nothing in it. He wanted some member of the Government to say what had become of Professor Prince’s report on our fisheries, and Dr ! M'Eachern’s report on our hospitals, upon which a considerable amount of public money had been expended. He declared that the recent increased railway freights and increased royalties were making -it impossible for New Zealand timber to compete with imported timber in many parts of the country. It would be better to increase the less on the railways than to destroy the local market for New Zealand timber. Mr Downie Stewart, replying, said that in abolishing sinking funds they had only adopted m 1925 what Australia did in 1923. There was no reflection on the former system, but they had simply adopted one that was considered better. This new system was supported by many high authorities. The system did not in any way interfere with the reduction of taxation. Under the old system sinking funds came out of revenue because there was no other source from which they could come. German reparations money went direct to the reduction of debt. He had no' objection to laying on the table of the House any papers that might exist in connection with the negotiation if they were not confidential. With regard to the repayment of the Maori War debt, he could not give details because that portion of the debt was not separated from any other, and what they strove to do was to pay off the aggregate debt that portion that at the moment was most expensive and therefore most profitable to pay off.. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Ways and Means, Mr D. Jones (Ellesmere) drew attention to the difference in treatment of consumptive sanatoria in the North and South Islands. In the north these sanatoria were maintained by the State, but in the south they were maintained by the ratepayers, subsidised by the Government. He wanted to know the reason for the difference and whether the South Island wa s suffering under this arrangement. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) brought up the recent increase in the wholesale price of coal, and desired to know why the State mine was working in concert with private companies in bringing about this increase. No satisfactory explanation of this combination had yet been given. Replying to Mr Jones, Mr J. A. Young (Minister of Health) said the whole system of sanatoria was now under review and was being considered with a view to arriving at some national system. His opinion was that the North Island should be placed on the same footing as the South Island. Mr G. J. Anderson (Minister of Mines) said that so far as State coal was concerned the increase in the wholesale price was due to the increased cost of production, which was considerable. The retail depots were run merely as a check on the coal prices and made no profit at all. They did make some profit on the wholesale* transactions, but not on the retail The Imprest Supply Bill (No. 3V approximating the sum of £1,952,400 in payment of salaries and other contingencies. was then introduced and passed through all its stages. TWO BILLS PASSED. The House then went into committee on the Egmont National Park Bill and the War Funds Amendment Bill, both of which were reported without amendment, read a third time and passed. LAND AND INCOME TAX BILLS. Bv Governor-General's message the Annual Land and Income Tax Bill was introdnee’d, and also the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill. Both were read a first time, and the House rose at 11.20 p.m. till 2.50 pm. to-morrow.