PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14347, 12 July 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

, HANSARD R EPORTS. (r'rcni Our 'P_rl'.rii_nt..n\ Ecpc.i;tcr.) . _ W-luLLINGTO-T* Oil's day. ' Thi&tebilvftiftt.sy J*te-rpon.ibl«i-[for reporting- arid " p. inliiijV debal.o« ; ii'j-rfihnn t _ndtvl tho .onri.-iiiiw'iil of oflh'-ial l'iiili;iniontar\-i"--pnrl.ing. Voi-IVitliiii ripoi'ls* woiv. tlit'y -- suggesti'd,' to -He given hv' TTaii.-i'nrd I'dithe must important stages of business, but no report would be given of speeches' on tli? . ijiti 1 . ductidn Bills. In otlier cas.s judicious condensation; would be undertaken, but Hansard would preserve a full shorthand note of remarks. Sir* Joseph Ward suggested that so inipor-' taut a proposal, involving censorship over ir-embers'" speeches, -should' not be decided without »clue c6nsideratinn. _\h* Payne got 14 supporters for an unsuccessful motion that the report be reoviVed six ! ■' months- hence!V i! ''Wo might not bt* here then.'' suggested Mr Vigor Brown. For th'e whole afternoon member.-- weighed tin/ pros and cons of the proposal, eonlraj-tin.jir v.ie value of free utterance through ' Hansard Avith the small saving m paper* that M*ould be. elfected by condensation. Eventually adjournment time arrived without decision, the motion t6' adopt the report being talked out, but Sir Joseph Ward announced that the 'Government would give another opportunity for consideration. '■'■•; ' ■- ■ ' THE "BLACK". LISTS.'. r . „ In answer tb Mr McCallum.": Sii7 James Allen sl^id it"*waS very difficuft to collect some men after being balloted. Everything .was. being, di^ne to make the black lists published a_'; perfect as possible, and lists were delayed till the last moment, m order to 'minimise errors. Tlie Minister added that he would -'be' very ghid to extend the en(*f\iiries, so long as they did not block the publication of the lists, which Avere intended to secure all First Division men before the Second Division - wte' called up. ' l ■ -'- MEAT TRUST. The Government proposes to have & select, committee- 1 - set up- for > the:' purpose of making full -enquiries into tha operation of the Meat Trust ''in tlie Dominion. . SOLDIERS AND «EfT rL_SMI3XT. Tlie Premier informed the House that a measure on lines similar to the Land Settlement Finance Act of 1909 is m contemplation for the 'assistance of sol-di.rs..-who desire to' purchase farm's -that have ..not been especially bought' or set aside for retiiWled soldiers. ■- ■' •■■'•' i THE SUGAR RISE. In reply to a question from Mr Poole, : Avho m-ged that the Colonial Sugar- Com- , pany, which reports a, net profit'* of , '. £340,2C0 for the year's operations . m '. Fiji and New Zealand, could not with , any measure of patriotism seek to increase its jprios_.. 'The Premier said the Board of Trade Avould shortly jir^serit a full report of vthe negotiations and reaf -'sons for the 'increase m price of sugar by £1 over the .price arranged m 1916.. ; He added that the Sugar Company had ■ agreed to supply camps and military hospitals at JBIB per' toft. ' : Np FREIE BOOKS. School children are not to receive free ; .school books and incidentals. Dr. ! Thacker, Avho suggested tliis concesstion, [has been informed by the Minister of i Education: that the initial cost of the j free supply of such class-books as the 7 pupils are now requ\red7to purchase is I estimated under normal' conditions at j £23,000. 'In view- of the increased ex- , pendi^ure for which it will be necessary to- make proA-ision pn Estimates for the current year,- the Government is not disposed to institute a system of free class-bcoks. ; . iTMBERi SHIPS. ; A sugigestion Avas made by Poole that NeAv _ Zealand should revive 'its Avood shipbuilding industry to dssisj^to replace , the lost tonnage, but it is- stktedi the ! Government is closely watching all'dei velopments m connection with shipping ; matters.- Whilst the war continues it is not considered possible to- embark on experimental industries under State direction, and finance.-. ;' ', . THE LAST SON- ' Answering a suggestion that the last remaining. ..son of a -family should not be ; sent to the front, the Minister-, of De- ! fence replied that the niilitary Service ! Boards ha\*e --power, to grant appeals if i the call for service is against the public interest or on account of undue hardship. ,- LICENSING MOTOR DRIVERS. : The Minister of Internal Affairs states : it Ls proposed to introduce legislation for licensing motor drivers' this session-.' BANK NOTIC COLORS. \, The Finance Minister has referred a suggestion from MryVei'iion Reed, that j all bank notes of the same value should I bs printed m trlve same ''color, to the chairman of ; the Associated Banks for i consideration. \ THE GALLANT REMNANT. '[ Dr. Th'acker's plea that members of 1 New Zealand's 'main body still on active i service should be brought ho'iros ,on fur- ; lough does hot, find favor with ,the Jle- ' fence authorities. Sir James Allen ' stated the suggestion. Avas*; impracticable, ; and such action would undoubtedly re-" i suit m detferioration, of our force!, m. thd (field. v . " 1 ' POWEfRS OF ATTORNEY. The question of 1 amending-ythe 'law so j that power of attorney of Wdiers on i active service may be attested by army ■ officers, and fe-es for registering such ' powers of attorney be abolished, is at I present under the' Goyernmeht's consid- : eration. ; , FIGHTING AGE LIMIT, 1 Sir James Allen- announoed that he had no knowledge that at the .equest of : the British War Office all New Zealand soldiers over 43 years of age had been recalled from France. He added that during the Avinfcer some men of the New Zealand Expeditionary' Force under 45 years of age Avere retained m England. During the summer, .however, men up to the age of 45 are sent to the front m lTrance. 1 AFTER THE WAR. ■Sir James Allen informed the House that the policy regarding tredtmen't . of alien enemy civilians residing m the British Empire on the concluteion of the war will be considered by the Imperial l.oveniment m - cohsultiitioh with Go-\-ernnrients of the overseas dominions. NaCONEIDENCE MOTION NOT TAKEN -SERIdtTSLY. Labor members occupied the Avhole of last 'evening's Address-in-Reply debate., Mt MbCombs moved a long amendment condenliiatory of the Government'shand-* ling of the reinforcements. It was not taken seriously outside the small -group concerned, the House agreeing to Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion to go on with* the debate without specially devoting it-} self to the subject raised i'n the amendment. .After comparing New Zealand's contribution m men Avith what had been ; done! m some other parts of'the Eriipir-, Mr McCombs exclaimed -. "The Government or Defence Department 'or somebody has gone mad ov&v this question of our reinforcements, while the press of' the country is m a conspiracy to hide! the real facts, of the position." ' Mr. Walker seconded the amendment, which, Avas greeted with cries' of "Xo-cohfid.riee-motion." . ', '■ '" "-'■: "I would like to a.k the hioVer,'"' said (Sir Joseph Ward, "if he has consulted' bis own party?"' (Laughtei*.) Mr '2vfc., Convbs : it is not necessary to reply toauestions that hardly 'concern 'this House. ' .. ; Mr Hindmarsh; the next speaker, congratulated Mr McCombs on his speech.: He characterised it as -manly, quite 'refreshing after the slush talked by most inemb-rs. The House was a collection, of elderly gentlemen, quite comfortable-* making no sacrifices, thinking only of property and war profits. ' -Nb* Pavne. • who foHowcd, said 1 he! would like to know lioav Ijhc Gove.il--ment int?nde t ] to treat the amendment^ Did they regard "it as a uo-confldci.de'' motion .V. "IJccause, if so," he remarked, "the- jncnibcr for LytteUon \vill reqtiiv.' ..ome . tiiiie to mi*.k'p up -his Cabinet. '! (Hparty laughter.) Sir Jph-pl* >Va'rd : | suggest 'we-goyto a division on it When. th. dpbivte, ends. Ma* .Field.. niched ..the adjournment 'of' thp debatp, and 'the Hoi-se roseat ,'■'■' GHNJ-KRAI. I^TEMS. '>YY" r " t : '< : < The Government l.q)-.-(s* 1 that 'conco's'-' sions m the djneotioj} pf .ejjpmnting^'romi dc/ith duties small estatesfof fW*'_Tjl^ip'-'s! whose lives haye been "sacrificed h)'*thp cause of Empire. ca.n*9l*it'be.ontevtained. "It is hot considered a|' present- an opportune time to establlslr State steamers as a connecting link ' between tin

North and South Island." was a ]\finisterial statement. In the Legislative Council yesterday, Sir Francjs Bell gave notice.. t»o „move that the C-'anciJ cTpr-e^-s dc-e-6 l rosi''3't at .y?eTreti.ft*g.gnt_<>f Sir Henry Afilin aftc-r iorty ve-iv-i*' soivi.e as a Counoii!..!-. Tt was meiifior.i ,1 iti the'' Upp-.r. H<ni'=i? lliv.l ihe Spanker (i'fon'.'C J.- .l.'.hn -loin*) liad.-jlr-fi' ihe .Duiniiiioii nndor iiiL-ont niedioal orders 10. irft-iy.<>' Yflooi-!r-'trc-it-ment- : abroad. - Mr VV. lyarnd-ross, who had bean ..-appointed Chairman of Committees, was appointed acting-Sp.nker, ahd the Hon. I)'. -Samuel acting-Chair-man, of' Compiittees. A motion, was passed expressing the desire, of the Coun.cil that t.l**e Speaker., retiring, fully rostor-. ■Ed to health". ' * '