HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13786, 11 September 1915, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

In reply to Mr Poland, Mr Hanan said the- question of re-establishing the Junior "Cadets was one that involved a question of policy and was not a matter on which he cared to express any off-hand opinion. In reply to Mr McCallum, the Minister for Education said he would lay the report of the Boundaries Commission on the table this session, but did not see that any good object would be served by referring the report to the Education Committee.

In reply to Mr Pool, the -Minister for Defence said there were less men of lnilitarv age iv the South Island than m the' North Island. This accounted for the larger enlistments m the North than the South. It is not because the men m the South were less willing than thoso m the North. He^beUeved they , made every bit as good soldiers as the Northerners. If Auckland thought she was doing more thpn her fair share then not so many of her men need register, forcemehts. but he did not think that was the position. He rather thought Auckland was proud of her share m providing reiir-y In reply to Mr McCambs, the Premier"; said he could not express any. opinion on ; the question of closing hotel bars at six o'clock until the close of the war. There were petitions on this subject before the Petitions Committee and they could not very well discuss the matter : until the committee reported. r i >-*V : i ' '■■■ The Labor Bills Committee reported m favor of the Factory A-&, Amendments Bill introduced by Mr* Wilford being, allowed to proceed. The; Bill provides for a 45 hours week for women m wool- , len factories. : ' -"-.■ ■ • The Public Petitions Comfa'tttee ; reported that the petition of Mrs Garlick for compensation be referred to the Government. _ \ '

The Papakura Beach Vesting Bill and Wellington and Kaiori Sanitation and Water Supply Amendment Bill was read | a second time. . . _ The Auckland City Markets and Empowering Bill, and ihe Wellington City Empowering Act (1908) Amendment "Bill were considered m committee, read a third time* and passed., . The Christchurch Electrical . Supply Empowering Amendment Bill, the Wyndham Reserve Amendment Bill, and the Tokomaru Bay Harbor Bill were read a second time.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

ROTORUA-TAUPO. RAILWAY •SCHEME.

The Special Committee set up to consider the several petitions -praying that a railway be constructed from Rotorua to Taupo, the land adjacent to the route to be rated m accordance with the benefit' received from the proposed railway, recommended that the petitions should be referred to the Government for consideration. - ■ >■. . ■■"-■

The petitions of certain Maori owners of land, objecting' to the construction of the railwa-y* on the suggested conditions, wero returned by the Committee, tagged, "No recommendation." The House endorsed the Committee's recommendation. ' \ - • AN EDUCATION APPOINTMENT.

The member for Wanganui suggested, through the medium of ia question yesterday afternoon to the Minister of Education, that a recent important appointment was not made m tile orthodox way. He asked, did the Hon. Mr Allen, when Minister of Education, write to the Public Service Commissioner, ex-, pressing approval of, the appointment of Mr A. Bell, secretary to the Southland Education Board, to* the newly -^created position of officer ih charge. of the" inspection branch of the teachers' certificates and secondary school .business of the Education Department? Was such letter read but to the Public Service Appeal Board, with a view of influencing the Board against the appeal of Mr W. "E. Spencer, inspector and officer m charge of departmental publications ot the Education Department, for the posi-> tion? Will Mr Allen lay the full text of the letter before the House, and will the hon. gentleman explain why this particular office was not thrown open for application to officers of -tl?e. Educa-, tion Department and secretaries of other Education Boards? Can the hon. gentle-* man say why the new office- :was not advertised m accordance"" with \the • provisions of section 38 of tho-PubHc Service Act? Can the hon. gentleman' say whether the Appeal Board* .was.unanimous m dismissing Mr SpfencerV ap-' THE JUNIOR CADET SYSIEBOttr-WILL

IT BE RE-ESTABLISHED

Mr Poland asked the Minister of Education if he had given any consideration to the question of re-establishing the junior cadet system m connection with our public schools, and if _c had seen a report from the ■ Auckland, school inspectors, who had stated- that sthey felt no other scheme of drill or physical instruction could adequately replace- it. ••■• The Hon. Mr Hanan replied that the question was one which involved a very important matter of policy. *There.were reasons which, he knew,* had< induced liis predecessor to abolish . the junior cadet system. The whole question required very careful 'consideration indeed', and was not to whioh a reply could be given offhand 1 . It was his* intention to go into the matter, and' view it from all aspects. Later on m, the session he would make a statement •on the subject.

EDUCATION BOUNDARIES REPORT

The member for ■ Wairau . informed theMinister of Education that a■* number of small country school boards were very anxious about the Education Boundaries Commission's report, which, had already been held over for ti*o 'monthib ?.y v ■

Mr Hanan replied that it was his intention to lay the report on the table of the House this session. 'He could not fix the date, however, because it iiad to be considered m connection with ot'ber business which had', tq 'go before the House. As to a suggestion that the report should be referred. . to, the Education Committee, the whole question was considered when the Education. Bill was .before the Committee Jast year. It would, therefore, .be v simply igoing over the same ground again to refer the report to the • Cdmmittee. -It was now a matter for the House to decide upon.

THE HALF-HOLIDAY /PETTTiqN.

The Labor Bills Committee yesterday * afternoon reported that •as a- • question of policy was involved m the petitions praying for legislation making,, the. half - holiday closing day an optional matter, it had no recommendation to make.

REJECTED ROTO ROA RECRUITS. The petition of 62 inmates of woto Roa Island, asking to be released from confinement, so that they -mayr serve -the Empire, has not gained the sympathies of the A to L- Public Petitions Committee, which yesterday 'returned ;tiie appeal, with "no recommendation," which the House approved. ' AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS, a* „V The Postmaster-General explained the check m the progress of installing automatic telephone instruments by pointing out that before the war-started these instruments were being made m Antwerp. After the beginning of the war . the soaehinery was set up m London for :fcheir manufacture, but as the war developed the factories and machinery. were jj»ed for the manufacture of munitions; consequently the automatic instruments could not at present be obtained. *'■■.' SLOT, TELEPHONES AND THEIR V EXTENSION. VFhen 'the Post and Telegraph estimates were going through the House last- riight, several • members took the opportunity of lauding the public slot telephpnest-— the Ell slot . telephones, as one member declared they should be

called, m recognition cf iha part the member • for Christchurch South had taken m their establishment m this country.

Mr Poole complained that there were not nearly enough of these useful public telephones m Auckland, contending that 30 slot 'phones for a population of over 100,000 were utterly inadequate. Dr. Thacker voiced another grievance respecting the slot telephone, declaring that Complaints were continual and frequent of the non-return of the pennies when communication could not be ob tamed.

Other members also added their voice to this plaint, but all were agreed that the public telephone was one of the most useful, and valuable means of ready and urgent communication which had been afforded .the general, public. The Postmaster- General (Sir Joseph Ward) replied that he recognised the convenience of the 'slot telephone, but their extension was all a matter of money. These telephones, he pointed out, cost on an average from £60 to £85 . to instal. It was obvious, therefore, t-liat however great a public advantage they were, slot telephones could not be extended with the rapidity of ordinary telephone connections, because of the lower cost of the latter, and the certain- margin of profit secured by subscribers' fees to the Department. He -promised, however,: to. go into the whole question of slot telephones after the session, with a* view*- of ascertaining -the lowest cost at which they could be provided, as he was anxious to see these facilities placed at the Department's disposal for the purpose rendered possible. Mr Ell declared that the slot telephone returned an average of. over £30 a year to the Department, as againsf from £7 to £12 revenue from the private 'phone. In all New Zealand there "were only 139 of these slot telephones for the use of the great mass of the Eeople who were unable to afford to aye a private telephone. He contended that m view of known and established revenue returns the plea of cost was not tenable.

BILJi FOR A GERMAN PROFESSOR. The Alien Enemy Teachers' Bill v?as introduced by the Prime Minister m the House yesterday afternoon. Its purport AVas not explained, but members assumed th^t.-it was intended to ensure that no matter what the Victoria College Countr'does with Professor Von ;*edlitz's resignation, he will not be allowed to continue m his position.