PARLIAMENT.

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

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, (Abridged from Press Association Telegram.) L, _ WELLINGTON, November 8. ine Legislative Council met at 10 30 a.m. to-day, ' SHIPPING AND SEAMEN BILL. The Shipping and Seamen Amendment Hill was reported from the Labour Bills Committee with the insertion of a new clause given, notice of by the Leader of the Council at yesterday’s sitting in respect to issue of marine third engineers' certificates. After some further objection to the clause, it was retained by 18 to 3, and the Bill, as amended, was passed. THE FINANCE BILL. The Finance Bill was received from the House and read a first time. In view of an objection by several councillors to the clause defining the functions of the Treasury _ with reference to the method of Keeping the public accounts, making the -treasury the sole judge of the system to be the Leader of the Council (Mr T. K. Sidey) agreed to hold the clause over* The remaining clauses were agreed to, and the Bill was then referred to the statutes Revision Committee for con’'mL 1 n l * clause objected to. ihe Council adjourned af 12.30 until o p.ttl, EVENING SESSION. The Legislative Council sat at inter* va(s to-day, keeping pace with the work of the House as it was sent on. ■RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA. . Sir Robert Stout asked the Minister in charge of the. Council: “Seeing* that OU I is now in session, ought not the Ministry to request the Home Government to make no agreement with .Russia that may affect New Zealand without consulting our Parliament, seeing that Russia hag declared that one of the objecta of ito Government is to destroy the parliamentary system of government that 18-in force in countries outside Russia, and to siibstitnt© therefor a Soviet proletarian Government ? ” The Lehder of the Council (Mr Sidey) replied _tHat any agreement between the Soviet Government and hie Majesty’s Goveinment in the United Ivingdom could only apply to New-Zealand with the concurrence of this Dominion, and it would be premature to consider the attitude of Aow Zealand in that connection until the actual text of any. agreement was available. , FINANCE BILL. The Finance Bill •was introduced from the Statutes Revision Committee and put through its final, stages and passed, Mr Sidey intimating that Mr Forbes had agreed to droiy clause 14, defining the functions of the Treasury in respect to the keeping of accounts, but that it was intended to proceed with similar legislation next-session. REST HOMES BILL. The Rest Homes Bill was. put through all its stages and passed without amendment. , - UNIVERSITY BILL. The New Zealand University Bill was also put through its final stages and passed unamended. ■ The Council met finally at 10 p.m, and adjourned until 10 a.m. to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Psa United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, November 8. The House of Representatives met at 10 a.m. UNIVERSITY BILL. . Consideration of the New Zealand\University Amendment Bill- ■was continued in committee. Reform members took strong exception to' the clause restoring the statutory annual grant to the University ■without further appropriation than this Act. It was contended that the appropriation should come up for review annually. ■ R- A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) moved to omit from the clause the words without further appropriation than this Act. He said he, did this with the object of providing that the question of the grant should be considered by Parliament each - year. - The amendment would not deprive the University of its appropriation for this year. . 2<> Th e amendment was rejected by 43 to Mr D. Jones (Mid-Canterbury) then moved to strike out the words providing for payment of the money out of the ordmary revenue account of the Consolidated Fund. This amendment was ruled ° n thc ground that it was ** Rysnar (G ; :borne) moved w rioon a l noUnt ? £ ,^ e grant be reduced "7 Vr -to- mark disapproval of giving the University carte blanche in the matter of scholarships and the establishment of chairs, etc. The debate continued till 12.20, when the Leader of the Opposition (Mr J. G. Coates) asked the Minister (Mr H. Atmore) whether he would consider withdrawing the clause. Mr Atmore declined; whereupon Mr Coates declared that it would have been possible to have continued opposition to the clause by some hours, but in view of . lateness of this stage of the session he would suggest to his colleagues to allow t “®™ a tter to go to a vote. The amendment was defeated on the Wnght called for a division on the clause itself, which was retained by 44 rotes to 22. pieced committee stage was then comDESTITUTE PERSONS’ BILL. The Destitute Persons’ Rest Homes Bill was next considered. • Minister of Health (Mr A. J. btallworthy) announced that it was proposed to omit the words “ destitute persons from the short title, and to alter the phraseology of the Bill to remove any suggestion that-the institutions were to he m the. nature of prisons rather than rest homes. Progress was reported on the Bill. UNIVERSITY BILL PASSED. rr,Hl e ea l anc \ University Amendpassed Waß read a third ' timc and appropriation bill, - T *J? Appr °P r iation Bill was introduced br OovemofaJenertl’s Message. The Acting-leader of the House (Mr G. W. Forbes) stated that the Bill contained provision for granting members of Pari? ther tha " Ministers, a special allowance of £IOO. The House adjourned at 1 p.m.

AFTERNOON SESSION. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. EDUCATION SYSTEM. \ aH ,i ;rante - d the Education Committee to hold an inquiry into the education system of the Dominion during me recess * Leado - the Opposition (Mr J. G. Coates*,, the Minister of Education. (Mr H. Atmore) stated that w a fi. reCoEimed throughout the world that there was need for evolving some system of education more suited to the needs of each country than that in existence at the present time. This feeling was particularly strong in New Zealand, and it was intended that the scope of the committees inquiry should be very wide. J CORONERS ACT. Minister of Justice (Mr T. M. Wilford) said he wished to make a statement m justice to the Crown Law Office, it had bgen reported yesterday that he had said that the Bill prepared by that office relatin ' to the proposed amendment to the Coro'crs Act had not been suitable. The Minister stated that the Bill had not been prepared by the Crown Law Office, but it had been based on a set of suggestions that he (Mr Wilford) had sent to the law draftsman. On receiving the Bill he had not considered it would lie suitable for the purpose. DESTITUTE PERSONS BILL. The committee stage having been completed, the Destitute Persons Rest Homes Bill was reported to the House with amendments as outlined by the Minister. Speaking on the third reading. Mr K. J, Howard (Christchurch South)’ said the

amendments had effected a considerable improvement. There were still some clauses "which he did not like, as there 1758I 758 6Tcn now something of a prison taint in their composition. The Bill was rea'd a third time and passed. APPROPRIATION BILL. Moving the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, Mr Forbes gave details of the financial position for the half- ? ea L The Minister referred to a clause in the Bill providing for the granting of a special allowance of £IOO for members of the .House of Representatives with the e f c f p i 10 J l . Cabinet Ministers. He stated that this was in conformity with the promise the Prime Minister had given J® & deputation of members representing the three parties. Mr Forbes outlined the many calls that were made on the financial, resources of members of Parliament, and added that the strain was greater than ever when times were hard. He had always been of the opinion that the remuneration granted members was inadequate. There was no time this session .to investigate some superannuation system for members of Parliament. Inquiries had been made on.this subject in the past, but no scheme had yet been evolved to overcome all the difficulties in the way. ■ M r F, Langstona (Waimarino) said that the present Government had reaped the benefit of the wisdom of the late Minister of Finance (Mr W. D. Stewart) in forestalling the developments on the London money market. He went 'on to advocate a State banking system. Mr J. S. Fletcher (Grey. Lynn) said he considered the Government had achieved quite a good record for one session, and he referred in particular to the work done towards a solution of the unemployment problem. He ■ described the proposal to grant members an extra £IOO an ill-timed and ill-judged, proposal, and he referred to the fact that civil servants had refused an increase in salaries* on the ground that the time was not opportune. Mr R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) indicated thah he would .vote againJt the grant. Replying to an interjection, he said he. would not accept the grant if it were passed. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr , ■ . • .Holland) said -he would have no hesitation in voting for the proposal because the Labour Party had been given a mandate to endeavour, to obtain improved payments to members. At the Dominion Labour Conference last April a resolution had been carried wltli only one objection that the Parliamentary Labour Party should endeavour to obtain improved remuneration. Apart from the protest by well-paid newspaper editors he had not heard any objection. Mr Holland complained of the amount of adulteration of foodstuffs and beverages that was permitted in New - Zealand, and mentioned that in many cases this food and drink was consumed by children. He gave details of aniline, animal and vegetables dyes and chemical essences that were employed, and he asked the Minister of Health (Mr A. J. Stallworthy) to investigate the whole position with a view to securing purer foods for the people of New Zealand. The Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmore) supported the remarks of the Acting-Leader of the House in relation to the salaries of members of Parliament. He said he considered that 75 per cent, of the members had realised for a number of years that the remuneration was insufficient, but they had not pressed with the unanimity necessary to secure justice. He claimed that even now the position had not been fully met.-- There should be a definite increase in salaries, and there should also be some provision for a schema of superannuation. The Minister of Justice (Mr T. M. Wilford) added his endorsement of these remarks and detailed some of the expenses that ordinary members of Parliament had to face. It. was a stigma on the House that the salaries had not been increased long ago. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr J. G. Coates) asked' the Minister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom) to sec that when men were transferred from work on railway construction they should be given regular work instead of relief work. It was important that the department should have a’ staff of experienced men at its disposal. Dealing with the honoraria of members of Parliament, Mr Coates said that during the election campaign he had contended that members* honoraria should be increased, and he could not go back now,on the. views he had expressed then. However, he was also of the opinion that some consideration should be given to the lower paid grades of the civil service, and he felt that before he could support the present clause provision should also be made for those civil servants. ilr A. Harris (Waitiemata) said he wished to indicate to the other side of the. House that the majority of the Reform members were' in favour of the grant. The Bill was read a second time, and the House went into committee. No opposition was raised until the last clause, which provides for an allowance to members, was reached. ' A division was called for, but after the bells had been rhng the clause was passed on the .voiced The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The House adjourned till 7,30 p.m.