BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17095, 30 October 1929, Page 7

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

HOUSE REASSEMBLES QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS MANY MATTERS RAISED (British Official Wireless.) Roe. noon. RUGBY, Oct. 29. Parliament reassembled this afternoon after its throe months’ recess. As il was continuing the session which opened last duly it settled down to business without formal preliminaries. A long list of questions was down to be answered. A large number of these were addressed to Mr. d. 11. Thomas, Lord I’rivv Seal and .Minister of Employment, concerning the progress made with schemes to relieve unemployment. In answering these in bulk, Air. Thomas said it was proposed that the vote for his salary should be put down early next week in order to give an oppoi(unity for a full discussion on the subject. He would then make a comprehensive statement. Mr. Thomas added that lie was more than gratified with the response which lie had received from employers lo his request for assistance. Asked 'what progress had been made in the promotion of schemes of railway electrification, Mr Thomas said it was because so much had been done that lie wished to make a full statement next. week. Air. Ben Turner, Secretary for Alines, aumitiiieeil Unit the Government hoped to make a statement on Thursday of its proposals for a reduction of the hours of work in mines. Mr. A. Henderson, the Foreign Secretary, stated that, tin opportunity for a discussion of the protocol providing for the resumption of diplomatic relations with Russia would be given at an early date. EXPORTS TO RUSSIA. Mr. E. Gillett, for the Board of Trade, said that under the export credits guarantee scheme six contracts of a total face value of £136,270, had been entered into with exporters in the country in respect of exports to Russia. The goods covered by the contracts included coal, machinery, and textiles. The percentage of risk accepted by the department was 60 per cent. Mr. Philip Snowden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who received an ovation from the Government benches when ho entered the House to act as leader until the return of Air. Ramsay MacDonald, announced that the Prime Minis ter would attend the House next Tuesday, and would make an early statement on the results of his visit to the United States.

Air. YV. Lunn, Under-Seeretarv for Colonies, preferred to defer any general statement on Palestine pending the inquiry now being held into the roeent disorders. He said the Colonial Office was prepared to consider a proposal that a conference, be called of representatives of Arab and Jewish leaders with a view to reaching a settlement. The Alinister of Agriculture announced that grants from the development fund in aid of further improvements of fishing harbors, amounting to £30,750, had recently been sanctioned.

The House proceeded with the second reading of the Coast Protection Bill, which is designed to place all the foreshore under the sole control of fhe Board of Trade, and co-ordinate the work of local authorities in, dealing with coast erosion.

Air. W. Graham, president of the Board of Trade, in introducing ihe hill, mentioned that it would facilitate grants by the development commission for works which are at present impracticable, and thus help relieve unemployment.