PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 21178, 3 September 1930, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

YESTERDAY’S SESSION MINISTERIAL REPLIES TO QUESTIONS PROBLEM OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS ('Abridged from Press 'Association Message.) Wellington, September 2. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. There was a fairly lengthy debate on the motion of Mr G. C. Munns (U., Roskill) that the Industries and Commerce Committee should have leave to sit in the afternoon during the sitting of the House. Members expressed regret that they should have to choose between attending a meeting of the committee and attending in the House which would possibly be dealing with important business. It was stated by Labour members that there was now no need for rush because the Prime Minister had already left for the Imperial Conference and it was suggested' that if the business were run on a better organized system there would be no need for committees to sit while the House was in session. The HON. P. A. DE LA PERRELLE said it had been ascertained that the present inquiry which was being undertaken by the Industries and Commerce Committee was more extensive than had been anticipated and he thought it would be advisable for consideration to be continued during recess. Too Many Members on Committees. Other members expressed the opinion that there were too many members on the various committees of the House and sometimes they were placed in the position of being on as many as three committees which were sitting simultaneously. It was in such circumstances impossible for them to give the questions before the committees proper attention. MR MUNNS, in reply, said that the number of witnesses appearing before the committee was multiplying daily. Arrangements had been made to-day to hear witnesses from Auckland and as there was still one to be heard it was desired that the committee should again sit in the afternoon to avoid the necessity of this witness being put to the expense of another trip from Auckland bo that his evidence could be taken. A division was called for when the motion was put and it was adopted by 47 to 22. On the motion of the acting-Leader of the House (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) it was decided that for the remainder of the session Government business would take precedence on Wednesdays at 2.30 p.m.

Replying to members, MR RANSOM said that there was no desire to block private members’ Bilk but. the Government desired to have a little more control on the business of the House. At. least, one more day would be given for private members’ Bills. He hoped to be able to confer with the leaders of the other two parties and arrange a programme for bringing down the remainder of the Government’s legislation. There was no intention to take the House unawares. American Film Boycott. Replying to Mr W. Nash (L., Hutt), MR RANSOM eaid that, allegations of intention to boycott New Zealand with respect to American sound films were receiving the consideration of the Government. The HON. A. J. STALLWORTHY, replying to the Rev. C. J. Carr (L., Timaru), said that so far he had only seen newspaper reports concerning the case of the late Miss Violet, Monica Salmond, headmistress of the Timaru Girls’ School, who had died in the Christchurch Hospital as the result of cocaine instead of neo-cocaine being used as an injection in the course of an operation. It would appear that the matter had already been the subject of a full inquiry, out he would give the case consideratm.. «'hen the papers came before the Department. In reply to Mr W. J. Jordan (L., Manukau (the" HON. W. A. VEITCH said that as he had already stated there had never been any’ undertaking on his part that there would be no more dismissals in any circumstances in the Railway Department. There had been no general instructions to reduce the staff, but it was sometimes necessary to dispense with the services of men when particular works had been completed. He would be prepared to consider on their merits any cases that might be placed before him. Visit of Professor Hornell. MR RANSOM, replying to Mr W. L. Martin (L., Raglan) said that Professor Hornell had been brought to New Zealand specifically to report on Arapuni. However, it recognized that it was advisable to take the opportunity of obtaining his advice on other issues and he had been asked to report on the Waikaremoana and Waitaki power schemes. Consideration would be given to Mr Martin’s suggestion that Professor Hornell should also be asked to report on the damage caused by the Waikato River to adjacent lands. The HON. W. E. TAVENER, in answer to a question submitted by Mr J. O’Brien (L., Westland) said that steps were being taken to minimize the risks of men engaged in tunnelling and other underground works. He would see that they had some protection in future. Mr O’Brien stated that men carrying cut such works did not have the protection contained in the Mines Act and Stone Quarries Act and he asked that it should be stipulated that all explosions should be fired by electricity. He said that the recent tragedy on the West Coast emphasized the need for such provision. On the motion of the acting-Leader of the House the Speaker (Sir Charles Statham) was instruced to issue the writs for the by-elections for the Waipawa and Western Maori seats. The following Bills in the name of Mr H. G. R. Mason (L., Auckland Suburbs) were introduced and read a first time: Property Law Amendment, Education Amendment and Post and Telegraph Amendment. After progress had been reported upon the Unemployment Bill the House rose at 10.30 p.m. till 2.30 to-morrow.