PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20448, 30 June 1928, Page 19

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

. NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, June 29. MR TAPLEY’S ABSENCE. Yesterday the chief Government Whip moved and it was agreed, that Mr H. L. Taplev should obtain four weeks leave of absence on account of public business. To-day the resolution was rescinded, and the absent member was granted leave on account of illness. BROADCASTING. The expectation that something more would be heard this session of the affairs of the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand was fulfilled in the House of Representatives to-day. The company s business -was freely traversed last year. Mr W. J. Jordan (Manukau) advised the Postmaster-general (Mr Nosworthy) in the House of Representatives to-day that he intended to ask if the company s balance sheet would be laid before the House this year. MAIN HIGHWAYS. That there is no appeal from a decision of the Main Highways Board was established in the House of Representatives to-, day by the Minister of Public Works (Mr K S. Williams) when replying to a question by Mr W. Lee Martin (Raglan) stating that the board had declined to declare the Town Hill road in Raglan a * main highway in spite of a recommendation from the Raglan Town Board and file Raglan County Council, and in face of. the wishes oi the residents. Mr Martin asked the Minister if there was any method of appealing, from the decision. “There is no. appeal/* the Minister replied. “ but the application can be renewed through the ordinary channels and . the board will have to give it further consideration,” COMPANY ASSETS. The prerogative of the Crown in claiming priority in the distribution of the assets of a company that is in process of liquidation was mentioned in the House of Representatives to-day. Quoting a judgment given by the late Mr Justice Alpers, Mr H. G. R- Mason (Eden) asked the Attorney-general (Mr F. J. Rolleston) .whether it was intended to introduce amending legislation this session to place the Crown on the same basis as other creditors. He quoted the late Judge as expressing a wish that the Legislature would take notice of this particular statute. DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD. - The suggested reduction in the number of the personnel of the Dairy Produce Board found an' echo in the House of Representatives to-day, when Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston North)' gave notice oi his intention to ask the Minister of Agriculture (Mr O. J. Hawken) whether it was intended to introduce legislation this session to that end. . COUNTRY SCHOOLS. A plea for more lenient treatment of the country schools in the matter of staffjpg was entered in. the House of Representatives to-day by Mr J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo). He gave notice to ask the Minister of Education (Mr R. A. Wright) if he would take steps to have the' staffing of the schools in the back country adjusted on the basis of the roll numbers instead of on the average attendance. Mr Rolleston pointed out that the difficulties of communication in the backblocks militated severely against the , attendance in wet weather, and as a-consequence a number of the schools were understaffed when the weather conditions permitted of full attendances. BANK RATES OF INTEREST. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central), in the House of Representatives to-day, urged the Government to take action/in forcing down the bank rates of interest. In , a notice of a question to the Minister Of Finance (Mr W. Stewart) he asked if the Government would take steps to have the rates reduced to the minimum. EUCHRE TOURNAMENTS. The ban which had been placed on euchre tournaments for prizes was brought before the House of Representatives today, when Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) gave notice of his intention to ask the Minister of- Justice (Mr F. J. Rolleston) if it was the intention of the Government to introfluce legislation designed to legalise such tournaments. LOANS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. An Empowering Bill to give local authorities power to raise loans for public works for the relief of unemployment without taking a poll of the ratepayers was introduced in the House tonight, and was granted urgency. The Bill extends the Act which was passed in 1926, and which was renewed last session. It also authorises the Government to pay subsidies up to £300,000 instead of £150,000, the limit of the previous Acts.