PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15275, 24 July 1920, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

GOVERNMENT BILLS. THE FIREARM MENACK. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The House quickly' 1 dealt with several Government Bills yesterday. The Gaining Act Amendment Bill was received from committee, read a third time and (Hissed. The Judicature Act Amendment. Bill increasing judge's salaries, and the Magistrate's Court' Act Amendment Bill, domg^. a service < to . w«rc also "passed A""' *' ' * - * ' "" ' In moving the second reading of the Arms Bill, the Premier started that it incorporated provision's which lias bren m the statutes sinco the constitution was framed. It also embodied th'o War Regulations on a subject which worked well, and it was asked for urgently by f.hn head of the Police 'Department. The use of firearms seemed to have very largely increased during the last twoyears. During this period there had been eight attempted murders, 60 suicides, and 70 cases of injury, 15 of which fyid resulted from the use of automatic pistols. These were undoubtedly dangerous, said the Premier. They had been described as pocket machine guns. They were .to be declared unlawful, and the Government was prepared to compensate those who had to give them up. Returned soldiers would be allowed to kee.p automatic pistols tinder, a permit. — Mr Jennings: What about soldiers' relatives who have souvenirs? — The Premier: We'll have something drafted to dc.il with that. He went on to say (hat the Kill was undoubtedly drastic. The Police Department, had informed him that tin; carrying of pocket weapons was remarkably common. It was known that visitors to Parliament had ,been m the habit of carrying firearms. .He was not sayinjj this to alarm members. — Mr Forbes: Don't gel the wind up. — Mr Holland: Do you imean the member for Otaki m connection with his resolution ? — Mu Massey: The hon. member is living m a glass house. (Laughter.) — The- Bill was put • through all stages and passed without amendment.SHEEP RETURNS: LARGE APPARENT DECREASE. In tabling the interim return of sheep m New Zealand, the Minister of Agriculture informed tho House that although they showed a decrease of 1,871,354, this was only an interim report, and he. was hopeful that when tho final returns were made up this deficiency would be reduced considerably. Tlie report shows that ,tho decrease m the North Island is 988,302, and m the South Jsland 873,052. IMMIGRANTS' COMPLAINTS. Mr Nosworfchy, Minister m charge of ,the Immigration Department, suggested iv tho course of a reply td Mr Fraser (Wellington Central) that certain are trying to do all they possibly can to raise objections to .immigration and dis- 1 courage immigrants,- "but," he said, • "w4 shall adhere io the policy the Government has laid down m spite' of criticisms always levelled at my Department." This reply was based on n question directing the Minister to complaints by Mahana immigrants published m Dunedin, but Mr Nosworthy said that he had not read this report. / ■ Another effort was made by Labor membere to discover if any member of tho Government is aware that already , some of the Mahana immigrants have applied to the Wellington Charitable Aid Board for assistance, but.' the I ' Minis- . ter's reply was that the question must be J .tabled. " „. I RATE OF INTEREST. | Tho member for Palmerslon North re- • vived his former question i regarding the i limitation of the rate of interest payable. , by local bodies on (heir loans, pointing out that it' had been found. inmossible to j Sfpi money at 5.J per cent.— Mr Miissey ! replied that the Government- was anxious fo keep down the. rnle of interest, but tho high rates prevailing 1 .in other-coun-*rif-"; were having- nn* oflVct upon New Zci'aliMid. Local bodies >vho were unable '.o .renew loans' at si' per cent, hsid been permitted, to pay.&£ per cent. Wherever •here was a hsmlship if a local body apnliod to pay n higher rnie they would get 'lermissiou. "But," • added the Premier, j "I must say ptainly 'that we are going 'o have un increase m ''the price of money, ♦hough t hone i^ will not bo v.;rv. mudi." „ LAND COURT JUDGES. When tho nniendment. to fie Maffis- * rates' Court Act- .was dealt with m the House- yest*^!Wr-^rpdtiU^..iioai^ixuiSl^3iiSah ; n magistriAtea' Riilaries,- th« Hon. 'Mr Mac Donald ai»d N^ita put m a stronrr ilea for an increase m the salaries of Native Land Court judges. They had .Treatrr resnonsibilitios Ihsin magistrates, vet they lind not been considered. It was also nedtssary to increase then' 'ravelling nllpwwnce. which was inadequate for the difficult «6untry these offi--ers hnVl to traverse.— Mr W. H. Field, m 'upportinp this point, expressed ' surmise l h'nt tho Native Dcpartnient was able to <?ei such cnpnble and efficient iudges_ m view of the-ir s"inll aalarv.— Sir Wm. Hevries replied fhat tho Native Larnd '"louvfc iudges had ■' not-.; been fbrnrotteu. 'Dieir snlaries would be dealt with on the supplementary^ estimates.