PARLIAMENT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1786, 4 November 1919, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

TO-DAY'S SITTING. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. VOTES FOR SOLDIERS. F:ess Association. WELLINGTON, November 4. The Legislative Council met at 11 a.m. to-day. Amendments were brought down to the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill.

The Hon. Sir Francis Bell explained the impossibility of making provision for absent soldiers to vote at the election of members of Parliament, for the reasons already given to the House, and, to avoid the trouble of misrepresentation which occurred at the Licensing Poll, the distinction between soldiers recently returned and others was abandoned, and the right given to every soldier to vote as if he had an absent voter's permit. Soldiers absent from New Zealand were given a vote at the Licensing Poll, as this was not attended by the same difficulties as the election of members. Amendments of the general electoral law had also been made to provide for voting bv declaration, the votes to be sealed in an envelope and sent to the returning oificer for verification. Another section permitted registration as electors of persons ■who had been absent because pf war conditions, and had not a residential qualification. Hulk-keepers' wives were given a vote, and seamen's qualifications were extended to include all men on ships trading exclusively in territorial waters, or to New Zealand ports at intervals of not more than three months. Another amendment allowed absent voters to obtain permits up to election day. The amendments were agreed to, and the Bill was passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SUPPLIES OF DRIED FRUIT. The House of Representatives met at 11.30 a.m. Replying to Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West), the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) said that he "would ask the Commonwealth Government to release dried fruits for export to New Zealand. At the same time, he desired to point out that he ■was not always successful when he made requests to the Australian Government. Teachers' Salaries. Replying to the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the Opposition) Mr Massey said that there was no reason why increased salaries for teachers should not be payed on the due date. Post and Telegraph Appeals. Replying to Mr J. A. Young (Waikato), the Hon. J. G. Coates (Postmaster-General) said that he proposed to consult the Prime Minister to see what could be done in the direction of ante-dating the right of appeal which it was now proposed to grant to officers of the Post and Telegraph Service. Rifle Ranges. Replying to Mr W. H. Field (Otaki), the Hon. Sir James Allen said that the whole question of rifle ranges was now under consideration, with a view to encouraging rifle shooting in the Dominion. Wine-makers' Bad Luck. Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Massev said that he was afraid nothing could be done this session to afford relief to the wine-makers of Waitemata whose premises had been placed by the Boundary Commissioners in the Eden electorate, •which is a dry district. It was a serious matter to interfere with the -work of the Boundary Commission, and it required careful consideration before any steps .could be taken in the direction suggested. A Vindictive Request. Replying to Mr H. E. Holland (Grey), the Hon. Sir William Fraser said he would not order the prosecution of the managers of the Pukemiro and Nightcaps coal-mines for certain breaches of the law. because lie was satisfied that.those breaches -were not intentional, and he considered that the miners' request for prosecution was vindictive. Town-Planning. Replying to Mr H. G. Ell (Christchurch South), the Hon. J. B. Hine (Minister of Internal Affairs) said that New Zealand had a lot of lee■way to make up in the matter of town-planning, and it was the intention to appoint an expert to advise the Government. They also intended to get the best man, whether he was in the Dominion or outside it. The House rose at 1 o'clock till 2.30. CANTERBURY WORKS. FURTHER PROPOSALS. (From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 4. Replying to the Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) this morning, the Minister of Public Works (Hon. Sir William Eraser) said that if labour could be obtained, the work of bridging the Ashley between Oxford and

Lees Valley would be gone on with at once. In the House of Representatives this forenoon, Sir William Fraser stated to Mr H. G. Ell (Christchurch South) that it was his distinct intention, as soon as he had an engineer available, to have a preliminary survey made of the proposed road tunnel to Lyttelton. Twenty-six new clauses of the Washing-Up Bill were introduced by Governor-General's Message this morning. No sale of the Lyttelton prison site is authorised. Certain reserve land adjoining the foreshore is vested in the Borough of Sumner. Reserve 3092, Block V., Wnkanui Survey District, containing 31 acres, is vested in the Ashburton High School Board, as is also that part of Jhe drv riverbed bounding Reserve 1123, Block 111., Westerfield survey district.