PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16496, 31 July 1924, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

ROYAL 'HU Al A N K ■ SOCIETY

(Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.. A grant uf £IOO will be made on. Urn supplementary- estimates for the Royal Humane Society, states the Minister of Internal Allah's. NOTHING LESS THAN TRAGIC. "It' seems nothing less than tragic that while agricultural problems are still unsolved, and arc calling for solution, we find on top of our-order paper-a--Rill to increase the number ol totalisator permits. ’ said Mr. Rblleslou. He declared that we needed a hold, statesmanlike policy in regard to agricultural lands and kindred problems. COST OF LOAN MONEYS. A complaint that the country has been unable to obtain precise information as to the actual cost and consequently the actual rale of interest on its borrowings in London till about two years elapsed, was voiced by Mr. Sidcy, when discussing the 1921- loan. The Budget stated that the interest yield of the last loan was £4 14s 9d. hut the London Times said the total average yield, allowing for bonus payable on redemption, was £4 18s Id. When brokerage, advertising, and other charges and expenses were added, and when the cost- of administration by the Advances Office was taken into account, it was clear, said Mr. Sidey, that this money could) not l>e lent out by that department at per cent, and might not even lie profitably employed at 51, per cent. SCHOOL ON WET DAYS. The question of releasing children from attendance at school ini wet afternoons was raised in the House by Air. Mellvride. who quoted a recent instance when 464 children were absent from the four Napier primary schools, the headmasters not being allowed to exercise their discretion in regard to closing the schools early. The Hon. 0. J. Pair said there was misapprehension regarding attendance at schools. Many committees apparently bad an idea that the department, Had recently passed regulations requiring that children must go to school every afternoon. No doubt that would be very awkward on wet afternoons, but such was not the ease. The Act of 1877 regulated the matter, and required attendance two hours forenoon and two hours afternoon, making 400 attendances in Hie year, and the department had to see’ that the Act was observed. There was. however, enough margin to have enabled the Napier schools to have been closed on the day in question. IMPORTED MEASLES. The attention of the Minister of Health was called, by Mr. de la Perrelle to reports that measles were introduced into Dunedin through, infection from passengers on Hie Nome "finer Aflienie. The member stated this happened almost simultaneously with the circulation of the warning from the .Health Department regarding the prevalence of measles. ■ Sh'-- Maui Pomare_-assured t-he Tfpuse that every precaution was taken with the Athenie’s passengers, some of whom wore isolated. He (did not regard measles as serious; in fact- some parents thought their, children ought to get them and have it over, though this was tempting Providence. He did not agree with the questioner that measles were a menace. It was endemic in New Zealand. for, like the poor, it was always ..with US: ......>- ■ - - 1i i )CsixtT*s übsidies Tuggestkil “Any housing system which involves a delay of nearly twelve months surely cannot he said to be satisfactory,” said Mr. Rollestou. in discussing the Advances Department. At the same time he gave every credit to the Government for what had been done. He did not, however, consider il was an adequate, method of dealing with the housing difficulty. As he had stated last session, lie considered the only wav to handle it properly was through local bodies or local committees, -or a State office'which, would ' tjXalffinfc matters in its locality and establish it system bv which a number of houses could be built together. The present scheme was not economic so far as build - mg was Concerned. For some reason there was an impression amongst builders that progress payments by the State were slow, and lie had boon informed by builders that they put on an extra price to cover that delay. Members: Tt> is quite true. Mr. Rollestou said it might not bo the fault of. the Advances Department. Ho mentioned' the recent Timaru case of hardship, and said such things were a reproach on our civilisation. It might, ultimately be necessary for the Govern-' ment to consider giving a subsidy of £75 on each house as bad been determined in Britain by a Conservative Gov-! eminent. There could he no health efficiency or happiness unless people had decent surroundings, anil no one could say they had in large cities at the present time. LANDLORDS AND TENANTS. Following upon a suggestion by Mr. Wilford. an important alteration lids been made in the Rent, Restriction Bill, which was passed by both Houses yesterday. Under the new Act an owner who obtains possession of a house by giving notice to a tenant that lie requires it for his own occupation must occupy the pre niises for six months; otherwise he will ho liable to prosecution. Hitherto this restriction applied ■ only to owners who got possession by* an brder of the Court. ■ Air. Fraser expressed 1 regret that power to prosecute had: not been placed on the Labor Department, because if a poor person was cheated lie could not afford to carry the case to Court. LEGISLATIVfiI COUNCIL. Sir Francis Bell gave notice to introduce the Trustee Amendment Bill. Imprest 'Supply Bill No. 2 was put through all stages and passed. In view of the fact that the present legislation expires on Thursday the Rent Restriction Bill which i\vas introduced from the House of Representatives was treated as a matter of urgency. The Rill was put through all stages and [kissed. The amendments made in the Rent Restriction Mill were subsequently agreed to by the House of Representatives. The Acts Interpretation Rill was amended in one minor respect and passed. ■ Several members of the Council were appointed to a joint committee of both Houses to consider a report upon the petitions lodged last- year by the Woolston Tanneries Co., for compensation for financial loss alleged to have been due to the action of the Government in connection with the control of the export of hides.