PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 18973, 21 June 1923, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON, June 20. The Address-in-Reply debate in the Legislative Council was opened by the HON. E. NEWMAN who spoke of the importance of the coming Imperial Conference from the point of view of naval defence, and urged that Mr Massey should represent New Zealand. He dwelt on the need for exercising economy in local body expenditure, which should be restricted by the Government in cities and towns until the back country was better developed. The HON. F. ,MANDER seconded the motion, laying emphasis on Mr Massey representing the Dominion at the Imperial Conference. He urged that feeder roads be linked up with railways before the expenditure on national highways. SIR JOHN SINCLAIR said that the community would be disappointed if Mr Massey did not represent New Zealand at the conference. He dwelt on the need for a better system of Imperial consultation and considered that the difficulties raised in regard to this matter could be surmounted. Future Imperial conferences should be moveable. The HON. J. P. CAMPBELL appealed for the introduction of a system of copartnership in industrial affairs and condemned the Arbitration Act as a failure. He said it would be a calamity if Mr Massey were not sent Heme to represent New Zealand. The Council rose at 4.50 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on the following day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The MINISTER of HEALTH gave notice of his intention to introduce the Sale of Food and Drugs Amendment Bill. The following Bills were read for the first time: Painters and Decorators’ Health Protection (Mr Veitch), and Dominion State Bank (Mr Veitch).