PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15318, 14 September 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

DEFENCE WAGGONS AND HARNESS. ; (From'; Our Parliamentary Reporter.) .- f- iWELLINOTON, this'/day.^. Y.'ln .tiew/crf *the lafge , |.shi^ments bffinili•tary'limber- waggons aiid* harness arriving -in^-New^Zealaiid it was' suggested by .Mr Mish*that?tho Government allow farmers to -purchase, a. 'proportion. ' The Minister of Defence "^replied that a proportion of the vehicles will be retained for the use of the Defence Department, a limited number will be i-fet aineu" ih store for mobilisation/ aiid the remainder be offered for sale. It is hoped to place a nttmjheriof general service waggons for disJib^el^by sale at att-eariy date, tilmfeer svJSgg^ns -'will 'hot be available for the publicJN.nor would they; be suitable. A small "amount of part-worn harness will be sold, but: that which is now arriving as part ..df. the military equipment will be retained for Military, purposes and mobilisation. . LIMITS OF _3_SA-__g. MU LYSNAR PRdfEgTS. -, . - There was some restriction of discussion during consideration of the Education Estimates last week, owing . to • the. fact that -teachers' salaries . "are governed; not by votes oil the. estimates, but by. statute. Mr Lysnar, who wished to. deal .wifh" several cases, found . himself stopped by the standing bttler%, sd he went home; declaring it was\ useless to waste any more- time. He returned to the question last night, when he asked the Prime Minister,, as. leader of the House, if he will take immediate steps to see that the' standing -orders are altered so as. to tenable members to discuss any items m the estimates, notwithstanding the fact that it required legislation to alter the item under consideration, or that it raised a policy question which required, legis--lation. The Premier suggested that the matter be brought before the select committee which is revising the standingorders, though he feared that there would be no time to,. deal with the question this , session.— Mr.. Wilfdrd said. that. the member for Gisborne should learn the standing, orders before criticising: them.— Mr Holland asked the Premier, "What will you do with members who strike oh 'the job?"— Mr Massey: I'll not attempt tb make the cap ._t.— Sir Win. Herries: Lock them out. (Laughter.) ... . EUEI.. SUPPJ.Y: .PREMIER APPREHENSIVE. When the leader ,o£ the, Opposition called tho Government's attention to ,-the successful trial m France of a new fuel called ma_out, made . from, petroleum residue, Mr , Massey declared that he would be very glad if New Zealand could get something to- supplement the coal resources, "because,"- tie said, "the position, is getting worse. What the end of it is going , to •; be I have not the . faintest idea,- but the people of New: Zealand must be. prepared to put up with : a coal shortage for some time to come." He went . on to. sajv. that Sue remedy would , be to' "push on with the 'hydro-electric supply as soon as possible, , and he could, assure those interested that /nothing would 1 be . left undone m this respect. , The other remedy was to increase the supply of miners by immigration, and he believed the number would be increased m the near future. . , MONDAY SITTINGS. Those members of. Parliament who put m an appearance at the House, last night —and there were -some who went to some inconvenience' to do so— found very littleto justify. theirYattenda-nce-on the fi^st 1 " Monday sitting! of the isessibn.- Apart' from a few minutes spent ov&r the usual formal business only answers to question's were dealt with, and -accumulated* batches of Ministerial replies were disposed ' of within an hour^ There were three inter-: rupted debates on the order paper,; but - the Premier agreed not to proceed with . bhese when it was mentioned tnat. the members interested -had ' iio knowledge that such topics would bo discussed. ; "I same specially from 'WangariUi for this : short sitting," -was the disgrUnted remark of one memebr as the House drift_d home at 8.40 p.m.. . REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Ministers replied as follows to questions: — There is at present ho . intention •■ to take from railway employees tlie privileges of having their wages fixed by Parliament. '. • • It is not intended; to mako any prdfisjon m tho Railway /Amendment Bill: ?ivlhg railway einployecs full civil and political rights.' - Railway employees arc allowed tb sit on. local bodies, such; as school committees aiid"bo"rough councils. The .Government intends to doiits bestto assist m every way the marketing i>f • tho coming season's wool chp" to ''the : best,' advantage,, aiid- the' matter of how hekb bo. do this is at present/ undei^discussion. 'Fuji consideration iie"/ being given to ' U&e ._ question '-©f : advertising -m J America, ; ; J f apah, and* bther outside ootinttiesV and ■ b'f, Offering inducements to buyers ; from overseas •to > attend sales m New Zealand^ Negotiations . are at present "proce'edihg between thfei Admiralty and 'the' Marine , Department with respect; to the completion of the survey of the New Zealand •' coast, and it is hoped. - that they Will' soon be completed' l ' '-."'.■ An assurance- can be given - thafr» moneys being raised throughout' theJ?Ddmit/f6'n /for- , the starving children m Europe will: be- ' transmitted to tbe Save : the Children's' ; Fund, which /is : ah" approved iuhdYUrtder i the -War Charities • Aots 1916, < England.' Moneys Collected ; "for dependants of, sailors who lost their, lives m the battle of .Tutland have, been, paid over- -to the Navy League .Overseas^ Relief Fund, London, by whoih it is^beihgi.disbu'rsed. TheDepartment is nn&ble. tb Say; what bal- • anco is still available for this purposei m London. .- '•■'- -" :: - * ■■- ■ ; '-y" *'■ "