LOOKING BACK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1077, 15 September 1930, Page 10

LOOKING BACK

The Week in r foment

THE SEX'S Parliammtart WELLINGTON, Saiurd, The doldrums were always dre 3 „ . by the sailor, and the doldrums are to be dreaded by ail' ' cerned, for it means that the ahi**"* State is drifting aimlessly on ih e ®,° f paper sec. This week in P arli lias been deadly dull and j, as ‘ phasised the fact that th«Y dropped out of the Parlia men 7°'°* world when the Prime Minister T Hon. G. XV. Forbes, sailed for th. penal Conference. The Government, with the of tlie Unemployment Bill at 3?n ? thereabouts on Wednesday mornin 0 ’ had got through the House ,h ” measures of the session, and mentaroans settled back in their S' fortable benches, only to rise D f ,* ' then and contribute their the subject ot the various item* r * appeared on the Estimates. lAa * Such slow progress has been m a on the Estimates this week that mates will be* tlic top line on the ord* paj>er for next week, and the AcST Prime Minister, th*- Hon. E. a som, indicated to the House that ur? ency would l»e asked for on Tuesdv" next, when the financial needs of thL. Deportment of Industries and Coir, merce. Tourists and Publicity will hi under discussion, to be followed bv i other classes. Yesterday the Health estimates occupied the whole day pivl tically. and provided a most unenterl taining day for those whose mission r is to give the news of Parliament \] the country. One item alone pro. vided discussion for tv%-o hours and *' half —the salary of Dr. T. H. A. Valid tine as advisory officer to the Heal: Department following his retirement All the time that the amendment to the motion to grant the sura for tl..j whole department was being discussed the House was out of order, for discussion was confined for over an hot" and a-half to Dr. T. H. A. ValinticV who may have been flattered or othtrwise by the attention paid to him t • New Zealand's legislators. NURSES REGISTRATION BILL The Nurses and Midwives Regist;. . tion Amendment Bill, though it wti opposed in several quarter?, did ncarouse the opposition that tras expected. and it seems as if its passacthrough the House of Representative will be easy, although the "other plac; may veto it, thanks to keen lobbying by various interests. Another ieeue that showed itself a dead letter during the Health Department estimates debate was the question of the admission of medicaJ. students to midwifer proceedings at St. -Helens Hospital*. The opposition and antagonism t’ru: were previously expressed were a* flat as a pricked balloon and very halfhearted protests were made. Private members’ Bills were before the House on Wednesday, but member* confined themselves for the most par: to a discussion on the Painters and Decorators Health Protection Bill, sponsored by Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labour —Manukau). The effects of lead poisoning were stressed as it argument in favour of the Bill, one of the objects of which is to prevec; "dry rubbing-down.” in painting auu decorating operations. THE ARAPUN! REPORT

The next week in Parliament nay be interesting—it is hard to say. The Public Works Statement is almo?; ready for the printer, and another question affecting the Public Work' Department to which New Zealand is looking forward is the report of Professor P. J. Hornell. the Swedish expert, on the Arapuni scheme in the Auckland Province. It is not yet knotn; definitely when this will appear. Members of the House are looking forward to the passage of the Unemployment Bill through the Legislative Council. Some, it may be mentioned, may possibly be seeking assistsfrom the Unemployment Board if the Bill is not passed. The main point «: interest, however, is the Unempk:ment Board, and the names of the Government nominees on that body Canterbury, it is believed, is very* te* on being represented, as is the who of the Dominion. and there Rti grounds for belief that one or two c the Canterbury members of Parliair.e*: are anxious to be included in the pe: sonnel of the board. It is felt that Canterbury, with its industrial and agricultural possibilities, should be one c: the main areas concerned in toe scheme for the relief of unemploymt--in New Zealand. No word has yet been received of Gaming Amendment Bill, and the Bn~ although definite promises have beergiven of a “fair run” for it, has n<u slipped from a fairly good position the order paper to fifth from t • bottom. It may appear fairly late m the session. WORKERS COMPENSATION Although in its report the Committee set up to inquire into whole question of workers' compensa- ; tion in the Dominion made several uu portant recommendations, as far can be gathered no definite undertaxj ing has been given to bring in the *»• \ No mention of the measure ! been made, and it is fairly safe to - ‘ : that this most important ; Labour legislation will appear lat - ' the session. When it does a P p * a L-‘, ■ is certain to give rise to a lot 0f,., cussion, as will the Industrial Coocr j iation and Arbitration Amendment . ; ! which, as has been said before. * i open up to the whole House the . of industrial legislation, which is ‘ V • oughly ploughed even' time the subject is mentioned. u » i The Minister of Health, the h *•' !J. Stallworthy, had a fairly brisk in the passing of his estimates, o • had to “circumwent,” as bam ,j { said, the queries of members : sides of the House. His task. ever, judging from expressions oi bers. was a picnifc compared to the lot of the Postmaster-General, Hon. J. B. Donald, will be »«4i Post and Telegraph Departmen mates come down. o/th*'-' House, it is understood, willrev • attitude toward Mr. hare | American third-degree co ui^ nothing on Parliament in tn | of the next ten days or so. onj One of the most important of next week, though not n*®^- eV . from a Parliamentary P?int \fas£ewill be the unveiling of tne Memorial at Point Halsw®* • 0 , ; Governor-General. Lord Bled Friday next. Parliament vaU o; for the day, and the t a work that was begur. m J--celebrated. _ a ithodf 1 From present indications there are hints of Monday - tr**-' the session will end m the first of October.