PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22065, 22 September 1933, Page 10

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 21. LABOUR PARTY CAUCUS. No definite date has yet been fixed for the Labour Party caucus. Mr E. J. Howard, one of the Labour whips, said to-day that a caucus would not be held until the memorial tributes to Mr James M’Combs had been paid in the House. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY MOTION. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) did not reveal in the House to-day whether he would move a noconfidence amendment to the Address-m-Reply motion. It is expected that the decision in this matter will be left to the party caucus. - GAMING AMENDMENT BILL. The introduction of legislation permitting the working of the double totalisator, the telegraphing of investments to the totalisator,'and the publication of dividends in the press was urged in petitions presented in the House of Representatives tO-day. Over 7000 signatures were appended to the petitions, Mr A. E, Ansell (Chalmers), with a ; petition bearing 2047 names, carrying off the honours. in support of the petitions it was urged that the enactment of the proposals would enable the Government to receive substantial additional revenues, that the present financial position of racing and trotting clubs would be Considerably relieved, and clubs in many cases saved from extinction, and that the volume of illegal betting would be diminished. The petitions will set the stage for the Gaming Amendment Bill, which Mr E. F. Healy (Wairau) has undertaken to introduce during the session. Mr Healy intends to wait on the co-leaders of the Coalition (Messrs Forbes and Coates) in ’an effort to enlist the Government s support for the Bill. If it is approved by Cabinet and the Government agrees;to give reasonable facilities for its hearing in the House, there appears to be some prospect that it will reach fhe_ Statute Book. Several attempts to alter the gaming laws in the past have failed, but this year the promoters of the Bill are making special efforts’to induce a majority of the members to give it their support. MINISTERS WELCOMED HOME.

The Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) and Mr Masters were given a warm welcome by their colleagues in the Coalition at a caucus meeting held in Parliament House to-night. Mr,, Coates, who presided, expressed the pleasure of all members of the Government that the two Ministers had returned to New Zealand. No official business was transacted, but Mr Forbes and Mr Masters gave very interesting talks on their journey in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. BROADCASTING STATIONS. The announcement regarding the Government’s policy'in the management of the broadcasting stations IZR Auckland and 2ZW : Wellington, which it recently purchased, is not likely to be made Tor a. week or so. Meanwhile the stations are carrying on as previously, and the Government is making the necessary financial provision. ■ " In notice of a question in the House, Mr R. Semple-sought an early expression of the policy, and expressed the hope that the nature of the programmes which had proved most popular would not be altered. In an interview to-day the Postmastergeneral (Mr A. Hamilton) said that Cabinet had given him authority to deal with the policy involved in the management v of the two stations, but. he would defer making an announcement until he had conferred with the manager of the Broadcasting Board, .who was at present visiting Australia. POULTRY AMENDMENT BILL. An amendment which is to be introduced by Governor-General’s Message will, it is hoped, secure wider support for the Poultry Amendment Bill upon it« reintroduction in Parliament this session. The Bill was passed by the House of Representatives at the ■ close of last session, but was thrown out with somewhat facetious comment by, the Legislative Council. The amendment, it is stated, will define more clearly, the purpose, of the main operative clause, the functions of controlling the poultry board, and the payment of allowances, FARMING LEGISLATION. The Government proposes to introduce a number of other Bills concerning various phases of the farming industry. These have been accumulating for some time, but have had to give place to the emergency legislation which has been necessary during the last two sessions. Among the measures are the Orchard Tax Amendment Bill, which makes exemptions from the fireblight tax; a Stallions Bill, requiring the licensing of stallions of heavy breeds intended to be used for stud purposes; a Stock Remedies Bill which seeks to control the sale of proprietary medicines for the treatment of stock diseases; a Bill supported by the Royal Agricultural Society for the improvement of live stock by the regulation of its sale; and an Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Amendment Bill empowering associations to make by-laws for the licensing of showmen. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr C. E. Macmillan) will be in charge of all these measures. He will also introduce the Dairy Industry (Pig Marketing) Bill, the object of which is to extend tne scope of the Dairy Industry Act so that registered pig marketing companies may have the same powers regarding the surrender of shares as are now conferred on registered co-operative dairy companies.