MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Southland Times, Issue 17734, 11 August 1917, Page 5

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

AND MINISTERS’ REPLIES. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 10. In the House to-day Ministers gave the following answers to questions:— That so long as naturalised British subjects give no indications of disloyalty the conditions of naturalisation must be observed in New Zealand as in other parts of the Empire. That motor vehicles have become essential for the carrying on of some of the industries of the dominion. The duty collected on motor cars last year was £148,000. That the Railway Department, through the High Commissioner, is doing its best to obtain material is urgently required. That Mr Massey and Sir J. G. Ward gave no promise to Bishop Cleary in England that Marist Brothers would not be conscripted. That (he attention of the banks lias been drawn to unclean bank notes in circulation, and further representations are being made. That present, instructions from the Imperial Government regarding the shipment of meat are that preference in shipment must be given to beef and wether mutton. When the companies cannot HII the allotment of .-.pace with such meat ewe mutton and lamb may be shipped. These instructions are being carried out. The Southland Health Inspector (Mr A. Redman I reports that during the month of July, 81 cases of infectious diseases were notified as under: —Scarlet fever, 11; diphtheria, 56; tuberculosis, 10; erysipelas, 4; total, 81. They were distributed over the fololwing (listriels: —Southland County, 20; Invercargill, 54 ; Bluff, 1 ; Gore, 1 ; Wallace County, 3; Riverton, 2. Deaths occurred 1 as follows; From diphtheria, 1; tuberculosis, 3; tubercular meningitis, 1. The month was again a busy one for his Department, al- I though a further slight improvement in the ; number of diphtheria cases over the figures ; of the preceding month was noticeable, litis i disease was now almost wholly confined to j Invercargill, and the larger percentage of i the cases had occurred in the northern and ■ north-eastern quarters of the town. So far i the southern portion had been compara- ] lively free.