Work of the Session

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 100, 1 September 1923, Page 3

Work of the Session

MR HAWKEN’S VIEWS. Mr O. Hawken, M.P. for Egmont, on his return to Eitham from Wei l lington, in a chat with an “Argus” reporter mentioned various little matters of local and general interest. “Within the next few weeks,” said Mr Hawken, “I intend visiting as many parts of the electorate as possible and will thus have an opportunity of seeing how tilings have been getting along. Tho session just closed wag a strenuous one, the most strenuous I have personally experienced, but there is some satisfaction m knowing that our time and labour were not, wholly wasted. We put through some good legislation, but

unfortunately a few other important measures had to bp dropped owing to the waste of time on the no-con-fidence motions. Had it not been for that waste there probably would have been ample time to get through thm whole of the. work comfortably. One of the measures passed which it is hoped will prove of great,benefit is that in connection with soldier settlers.; The Government i s going ahead with it and everything will bo put in order as soon as possible. Wo had. a great fight over the Dairy Control Bill and the final result was a compromise. The Act passed but it contains a clause which provides for ° plebiscite of milk-suppliers as to whether it shall come into operation or not. Personally I did not favour the plebiscite, belie zing that Parliament should have finally settled the matter one way or the other, but it was the only way of getting the mean. 1 ■ through and tb •• final decision new rests with the suppliers themselv ,s. “As to local matters,” Mr Hawken continued, “the Te Roti—Opunakc railway is making very good progress indeed, in fact the whole of the lineis really ready for the rails up to within four or live miles of Opunake, and ib is intended to go on with flic plate-laying almost straight away. The big cutting necessary, on this side of Opunake will bo an unavoidable cause of delay in the line being com ploted as far a s that town. Of course the railway of most importance to Taranaki is the Stratford-Okahukura line, and the Government seem to have made up their minds to go on .with it. It will be some tint, however, before they are ready for the heavy part of the work; over throe miles of tunnelling has to bo done.

“The reduction in taxation author ised durine the session will find fa vour throughout the country and no doubt the benefit will soon be felt u: increased, general prosperity. The other legislation of the session will have become known to all through the Press, and I need not refer, to specific measures just now. As 1 have already said, the session was indeed a strenuous one. but it was by no means fruitless. Though a lot of time wag wasted iu talk, a lot of good, "solid work was also accomplished.”