THURSDAY, JULY 11. PURE FOODS BILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2784, 24 July 1907, Page 37

THURSDAY, JULY 11. PURE FOODS BILL.

The Hon. Mr FOWLDS, in introducing ifche second reading of the Pure Foods Bill, stated that the bill was the same as that submitted to the House last year, with minor amendments. The present measure was the' result of a study of .measures that had, been adopted in other States and countries. It had been found that in the sale' of foodstuffs many articles were sold ■which were not what they were represented to be. He instanced the case of a muchadvertised brand of condensed milk, which on examination proved to be only skimnrilk, and infant life had been endangered thereby. ' Many manufacturers bad expressed themselves in favour of legislation in the direction of preventing the flooding of markets with articles that were not what tihey seemed to be. The question of milk inspection and the weight of bread would come under the bill, and an indulger in Scotch or Irish whisky would also be protected from .having a chemical compound sold to him as the genuine article. Mr WILFORD said the articles sold in tini, such as. coffee, mustard, etc., should be marked with the net weight .of the contents. In many cases the purchasers of a pound of coffee got only 13oz, the balance in weight being taken up by the tin. Mr. ATTKEN stated that it was quite possible to make, good condensed milk from skim-milk, and medical men in England had stated that after the' butter fat had been taken from milk and sugar added it was of better value as a food than the pure article. He was pleased with the bill as it was presented, but it would be a better measure when it had gone through committee. Mr POOLE said that much adulterated food was imported, and the Customs officers should be instructed to analyse the imports, and if anything were found to be adulterated it should be forfeited and not allowed to pass. Such a practice would protect the retailer. The bill had his approval. Mr FISHER congratulated the Minister on the introduction of the bill. If the bill bad only been intended to deal with the decoctions sold by the liquor-sellers of the ' colony, which in many cases seemed destined to poison the consumers, it deserved the thanks of the people of the colony. If the bill gave the municipalities the. power of dealing with the milk supply that they desired, it would confer a lasting benefit. Mr BUDDO said he recognised that the bill would be of great benefit. Messrs Flatman, Sidey, Barber, Hanan, Hogg, Ngata." and Izard also spoke in support of the biH. The second reading was carried on the ▼oioee. TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA. The trade with South Africa, under "The New Zealand and South African Customs Duties Reciprocity Act, 1906," has not ■ been of* very largo "dimensions. The «mdunt of duty collected was £160, and tiie duty remitted £65. Our principal exports were (period, January 1907, to March 31, 1907) :— Butter to Cape Colony, 1200cwt, -value £6291; to Natal, 1736cwt, value £9106; cheese *o Natal, 210cwt, value £586; me*te— Bsowt, value £140; other items, £413. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE. The following are amongst the items of unauthorised expenditure for last year: — Bonus to H. J. Wynne for the invention of an automatic tablet exobanger, adopted by the Railway Department, £200; compassionate allowance to widow of late O. E. JBriggs, clerk audit office, £245; donation to the Jamaica Relief Fund, £1000; expenses connected with the funeral of the late' Colonel Pitt, £90; plaster of Park bust of the late Mr Seddon, £163; grant to South Island Rifle Association meeting, £200; .expenses of. the Lands Department's exhibit at the Exhibition, £141; rents of West Coast settlement and Native reserve embezzled by H. R. H. Oswin at New Plymouth, £1699. POLICE PROVIDENT FUND. . On 31st March last there were three exinspectore, 21 ex-sergeants, 37 ex-constables, three ex-detectives, two widows, and two children on this fund, their aggregate allowance being £6270. On 31st March there was a balance to credit of the fund of £29,126, an increase for the year of £2004. MAJOR-GENERAL BABINGTON. At the request of the Prime Minister the Government conveyed to the War Office the appreciation of the New Zealand Government of the services rendered by Major-general Babington as Commander of • the New Zealand. Defence Forces. Sir Joseph Ward wrote, stating that the great improvement that had taken place in the forces was in a very large measure due to tfhe very efficient services rendered by the general, and to the professional ability and attention he had brought to bear during his term of office. TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION. The first report of the board constituted tinder this act is for a period of 15 months. He number who have entered as original members is 2720. Of these 127 have left the Bervice since the passing of the act ; and 219 persons have joined the service and have become contributors to the fund by compulsion or by option. The report states that there appears to be no means of enforcing compliance with the provision of the act that every male contributor on attaining the age of 60 shall retire from the service. There are 11 men and two women who have attained the statutory age of retirement, still in the service. The balance to the credit of the fund is £34,733. Of this sum £28,000 has^ been invested on mortgage at 4£ and 5 per cent. JOTTINGS. Mr Lewis is inquiring for details as to *he parliamentary picnics of the Hinemoa to the Sounds. Mr Ell wants a referendum vote of the electors on the question of the abolition of the totalisator on condition that such referendum vote is petitioned for by 30,000 of the electors. Mr Lewis will ask the Government irhether it will consider the propriety of taking steps to create railway employees, sohool teachers, and publio servants, generally into a separate constituency, so that members of this House may be able to consider questions' concerning public serTftjots from an independent, rather than from, a partisan standpoint.

Mr Paul is drawing attention to the extra cost of Government publications in consequence of the abolition of the franking system. For instance, a Year Book which formerly cost Is, now coste Is 9d outside of Wellington. GRADUATED TAX. The Graduated Land Tax for the last financial year amounted to £125,929. The amounts range from £1809 at one-sixteenth of a penny in the pound, to £13,068 at 48 sixteenths of a penny in the pound. SCENERY PRESERVATION. A voluminous report from the Scenery Preservation Board was submitted to Parliament to-day. The report states that most of the attractive regions of New Zealand are adjacent to the main routes of travel, and it is to the proper preservation of the varied scenery therein thaj the greatest attention, has been paid- When this has been accomplished other areas more remote from centres of population can be safeguarded and developed. Where small areas of forest situated close to large centres of population are recommended for reservation, the principle has been laid down that the local residents should show their bona fides in desiring to preserve the land by contributing a certain proportion of the total sum inTolved, either by private subscription or by means a subsidy from a local authority. It is pointed out that the vast and magnificent national parks of Mount Egmont, Mount Cook; Tongariro, and Ruapehu, and the West Coast sounds embrace country that can never be suitable for close settlement.