Session Incidents Queries and Asides

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 13

Session Incidents Queries and Asides

j (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. j Yesterday in Parliament was j largely devoted to consideration of ! various reports, including the State j Fire and Accident Insurance Department, Post Office Savings Bank statei ment, the Auckland transport report ! and the report of Mr. A. Gibbs, Chief Telegraph Engineer, on telegraph and telephone " engineering developments overseas, as noted in Mr. Gibbs’s recent trip abroad. Having discussed these reports at length, the House went on to discuss the Imprest Supply motion, which gave members an opportunity to talk on any and every subject. The result was that much of the criticism levelled at the Government during the opening debates of the session was again used as party ammunition. Reformers showed readiness to accept the challenges of the Opposition. Consequently there were frequent and spirited passages. Milk Supply The Wellington City Milk Supply Amendment Bill was introduced by Mr. J. G. Eliott. The Bill is intended to remove restrictions put upon nearby farmers by the Wellington City Council. The Bill was read the first . time. Sfe Swimming for Schools Wherever there are facilities for doing so swimming and life-saving methods are taught in schools, said the Minister of Education in reply to Mr. T. D. Burnett. The new syllabus will contain a provision that swimming and life-saving shall be taught in all schools. Education Regulations The repeal of a short -section in. the Education Amendment Act of 1919 dealing with the power to make regulations is the object of a Bill to be introduced in the House by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. IT. E. Holland. 1 The section says that no regulation under it shall be invalid because it deals with any matter provided for in the principal Act or is contrary to the provisions of that Act. It is contended by Mr. Holland that as the 1919 Act stands it empowers the making of ’ regulations which may override the statute. * * Listless Parliament has on the whole been singularly listless during the month it has now been in session, and bright flashes in debate have been exceptional. The apparent lack of keenness may perhaps be taken to mean that members will welcome a short session, and be ready to acquiesce in any means of getting it. Quick Dispatch The difference between this session and last is illustrated in the case of the Summer Time Bill. Last session this measure was argued through protracted committee debates covering all-night sittings. On Wednesday, by comparison, the measure was whipped

through to its death in five and a-half hours. Mr. Sidey had specifically asked for a decision one way or the other, and he got it, though not in the manner desired. Good Staff-Work Secret history of the anti-summer time triumph is still being discussed in the House. Largely it was the result of excellent staff work. For some days before the debate Mr. Glenn and his fellow oppositionists held meetings at 5.30 in the evenings, and in the end were thoroughly confident. Even so, they hardly expected a majority of five. Three was all they could see before the debate opened. * Librarian’s Benefactor Among those who will keenly miss Mr. T. W. Rhodes, who leaves for Canada next week, and will not be returning to Parliament, are the Parliamentary librarians. Year in, year out, Mr. Rhodes has accepted the voluntary responsibility of informing the library staff, each evening, as soon as the House has risen. But for this the staff might stay on for an hour or more without knowing that the House was up. But when Mr. Rhodes appears, they know they can go home. Teachers and Superannuation Though it is estimated that satisfaction of their demands would involve State expenditure of £50,000, the matter of superannuation for who, for various reasons, failed to take advantage of the superannuation system when, perhaps without knowing it, they had the opportunity of doing so, is likely to appear again this session. Mr. H. Holland (Christchurch North) has, among other members, received communications from school-teacher constituents on the subject. Modern ..Telegraphy Remarkable advances have been made in telegraphy and telephony, says Mr. Gibbs, chief telegraph engineer, in his report to Parliament. He adds that New Zealand is nevertheless fairly well abreast of the modern trend, though long-distance telephone services here may be considered hardly up to the best overseas standards. * The Guiding Light Sweet are the uses of publicity, but Mr. J. G. Eliott (Orua) is dissatisfied with a method employed by the Public Trustee. In an advertisement in which the words, “The Guiding Light,” are used, the activities of the Public Trust Office in undertaking the bottling of ale for the McCarthy Trust are set out. Mr. Eliott to-day gave notice of his intention to ask if this was- quite the right thing in State publicity methods.