PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22353, 29 August 1934, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY (From Ocb Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 28. ’ CUSTOMS AMENDMENT BILL. The Customs Acts Amendment Bill was debated by the House of Representatives throughout the day, but few fresh arguments were developed. Some members spoke generally of the. Government s tariff policy and of New Zealand’s liberal interpretation of the Ottawa agreement which, they said, was more liberal than the interpretations placed on the agreement by other dominions,’ notably Canada and Australia, but most of the speakers confined themselves to criticism or praise of the Minister of Customs (Mr J. G. Coates) for the manner in which he had dealt with individual industries in the tariff revision. The well-worn subjects of wheat duties, the electric cooker industry, and the unprotected crude oil industry ivere again revived. ,„ xr , „ , Mr E. F. Healy (Wairau) mentioned that the duty on iron pipes had, been of great advantage to the Hume Pipe Com-, pany to the detriment of those wishing to forward irrigation schemes. He gave the case of the Marlborough irrigation works, which had been hindered by the high price of pipes. WESTERN SAMOA AND NIUE ISLAND. Reports of the administration of Western Samoa and Niue Island were tabled in the House this afternoon, each revealing that trade during the past year Las not been all it might have been. Both Samoa and Niue have suffered greatly from the world slump in copra, and the exports from both places have been on the decline for several years. Samoa's copra exports are less than half to-day what they were seven years ago, while those of Niue Island are little more than onethird of the average for the past 10 years. More cheerful sections of both reports, however, refer to .the improving banana trade with New Zealand. Samoa exported £26,999 worth of bananas last year, compared with £11,219 worth six years ago, while the Niue Island trade has practically trebled since 1931. , THE COOK ISLANDS. The recent report on the administration of the Cook Islands. New Zealand’s other outlying group, showed similar tendencies and indicated that special efforts were being made to develop the fruit export trade to balance the loss of the copra market. LONGER SITTING HOURS. The House of Representatives is now observing longer sitting hours ou Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Since the beginning of the session the House has adjourned at 10.30 p.m., but the debates will now last until midnight, with half an hour’s adjournment at 9.30 p.m. for supper. FATTENING LAjtfiS ON SURPLUS WHEAT. The success of Mr J. D. Hall, of Hororata, in fattening lambs on his surplus wheat was mentioned in the House of Representatives this evening by Mr D. M'Dougall (Mataura) in criticising the Government for retaining the wheat duties. Mr M'Dougall said that “ The bucket fed Canterbury wheat farmers who ran to the Government every time they Wanted something ” should take note of what Mr Hal! had done. “If he can do things like this.” he added, “why cannot all the other clever men in Canterbury do so? ” Mr A. Stuart (Rangitikci): His land must he cheaper. Mr M'Dougall: No. The reason is that this man has brains. Unfortunately that is what you lack. — (Laughter.) Mr J. Council, (Mid-Canterbury) later referred to Mr M'Dougnll's advice about lamb feeding. He said that if the farmers followed this practice extensively they would only depreciate their lamb market and make it necessary to import more wheat from overseas. 0