EVENING SESSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20870, 9 November 1929, Page 14

EVENING SESSION.

, The House of Representatives resumed at 7.30 p.m. EFFICIENCY IN INDUSTRY. On _ the motion of the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr J. G. Cobbe) a Select Committee was appointed to consider during the recess increasing the efficiency and development of the following industries:—Coach and motor body building, engineering, blacfismithing, rope and twine ■ works, fruit preserving and jam making, woollen mills and clothing. The committee consists of Messrs Cobbe, Hams,.Jenkins, and Sullivan. Mr Coates asked the Minister to give some indication as to the form the inquiry vvas to take. He pointed out that the woollen industry alone would offer vast scope for the inquiry ,and other aspects would also require a great deal of consideration if they were to be dealt With fully. Mr, Cobbe said he was confident the committee would be able to bring down recommendations of considerable value, the committee was email, and it might be termed a. practical committc*. It was not expected that it would be able to teach the industries th-ie own business, but it might be able to render assistance in the form of suggestions for increasing efficiency and relating to advertising There had boon, an insistent demand jn the House for such a committee, and from manufacturers for what had been described as an “ industrial development committee.” It had not been possible to grant the latter request, but the committee'would meet the demand to some extent. AMENDMENTS .TO FINANCE BILL. , Amendments to the Finance Bill were introduced by Governor-Generals Message. Mr Forbes stated that, one provision was to omit clause-14 in accordance with the decision of the Legislative Council. It was tne Government’s intention to submit this clause to the Public Accounts Committee early next session with the object of going oh with it. He, considered it would be of value in dealing with Treasury accounts. The amendment was agreed to. TAUPO RAILWAY. Mr Forbes stated that.it was intended to present the report on the Taupo railway petition. He would undertake to give members an opportunity to discuss the matter early next session if the House would agree' not to discuss it on the.present occasion. .Mir Coates said he trusted the discussion would not be commenced and then cut off. Mr Forbes, replying, said an opportunity would be given for full discussion. One object in asking for a postponement of the discussion was to enable the evidence to be printed and placed in the hands of members who-would not be prejudiced in any way in the matter of expressing their views .or submitting any motion. TRANSPORT BILL. The Minister of Transport (Mr W, A. Veitch), moving the second reading of the Transport Department Bill, said the measure was a very short one, containing only five clauses providing for the appointment of a Minister of Transport, the creation of a Department of Transport, the appointment of a Commissioner of Transport, and authority for making regulations for carrying out the Act. ‘He had arranged at the request of the Auckland members for the preparation of amendments relating to the Auckland Transport Board. It was desired to test the ieeling of _the House as to whether the election of the board should be put back from May. 1931, to May. 1930. and what should be the constitution of the

board. He pointed out that the amendments were not an essential part of the Bill and had only been circulated at the request of the Auckland members. There was a general feeling in Auckland that the date of the election should be altered. Another point, dealt with the difficulty with respect to the creation of a licensing district in the Auckland province. The Leader of the Opposition had submitted a number of points that he.desired to be investigated. Mr Veitch said it would be the function of the department to investigate such matters. Mr Coatea said it was. a matter for satisfaction to him that the Minister had decided to go on with the' Bill and agree to the matter he had just mentioned. The department's main function was not, after all, purely administrative, as there were local authorities with very wide powers in regard to administration, and the main consideration was the extra cost of a large new department before its duties had been defined. When the House <>.d legislate it should know what it meant. The only criticism that could be made of the original Bill'was that it had been before its time and in advance of public opinion. The Minister should not be disappointed that his Bill had not been proceeded with. He (Mr Coates) had had similar experiences. . Transport was a fnr-reaching matter, and the Bill as now drafted could be of great use. ■ }]r M. J. Savage ( Auckland Westl said the Bill was a beginning. The problem was to co-ordinate the existing services and the development of other services. Mr-Veitch,'in reply, stated .that the JBill gave no additional powers to the Transport department, but merely transferred to it the statutory powers already exercised. The Bill was read a second time, ana was immediately considered in committee. A clause was added constituting a new composite licensing board in place of Devonport Borough Council, Auckland. On the question of adding a further clause changing the date of the first election of the Auckland Transport Board to not later than May 1, 1930, Mr "W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) stated that he was not opposed to the. principle involved, but he believed the board should have been given an opportunity of considering the proposed legislation. A division was taken, and the clause was rejected by 27 votes to 22. Tim Bill as amended was reported to the House read a third time, and passed. The House adjourned at 10.52 p.m. until II a,m. to-morrow.