SESSION NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1787, 5 November 1919, Page 7

SESSION NOTES.

JOTTINGS FROM THE GALLERY. THE DOMINION'S CATTLE. [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter.J "WELLINGTON, November 5. A return of the cattle in the Dominion on January 31, 1919, as tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday, shows the total to have been 3,035,478, Canterbury contributing 189,217. The totals for previous years were:— 1918 2,869^65 1917 2,575,230 1916 2,417,491 1911 2,020,171 Mercantile Marine. On the motion of Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton), the House of Representatives recently ordered a return of the expenditure on the Mercantile Marino Superintendents' offices at the four principal ports during the year 1918-19. The return, which was presented yesterday, jdoes not show the cost of the inspection of machinery or the cost of printing, stationery, postage, and telegrams. The amounts given are:—Auckland, £3147; Wellington, £2592; Lyttelton, £936; Dunedin, £1521. Soldier Law Students. The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was put through all its stages in a very few minutes this morning. It enables young soldiers who were quali-. fying by practice for admission as barristers, when they joined the Forces, to count the period on active service as a practising period for the purposes of such qualification. Southern Experimental Parms. An appeal for the establishment of experimental farms in the South Island was made yesterday by Mr J. Craigie (Timaru). . The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Nosworthy) replied that the I matter was under consideration, and he 'proposed, when he had time to look I round, to give the question sympathetic consideration.

Lyttelton Gaol Site. The "Washing-Up" Bill was passed by the House of Eepresentatives yesterday. In committee, on the clause authorising the disposal of the Lyttelton Gaol site, Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) moved an amendment striking out the provision for the sale, and substituting a transfer of tho site to the Education Department for addition to the Lyttelton School grounds. The Minister was not willing to effect this, but offered to have a report from his officers in connection with the matter, and, if it were possible, to insert an amending clause in Another Place. Mr McCombs then withdrew his amendment. Converts to Tunnel Eoad. The Hon. B. Heaton Bhodes (Ellesmere) and the Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) have intimated to Mr H. G. Ell their willingness to join the ChristchurchLyttelton Tunnel Eoad Committee. Bills Amended. Governor-General's amendments to several Bills which have "gone before"were agreed to in the House yesterday, and passed on for confirmation by Another Place. In regard to shearers' accommodation, the Act is made not to apply to sheds employing five or less shearers—shearers to include shedhands. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Act is further amended by allowing all appeals dating from April last to be heard.

That clause of the Police Force Amendment Act making members of the Force three-monthly servants of the Crown is struck out, because the association objected to it, and the Prime Minister has not had opportunity of conferring with the officers of the association over the matter. Advice on Town-Planning. When some town-planning papers were laid on the table of the House yesterday, Mr H. G. Ell took an opportunity to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs if the Government was contemplating any action in regard to the appointment of an expert to advise local bodies in the matter of town-planning. The Hon. J. B. Hine said it was quite recognised that town-planning must have a capable man at its head in New Zealand. The country had a great deal of ground to cover in this matter. The Government, when considering the appointment of an expert, would take every precaution to see that tho right man was selected, whether he was to be obtained in the Dominion or outside of it.

Sims, Cooper, and Co. The Agricultural, Pastoral and Stocl Committee of the House of Representatives reported* on the petition of C. M. Ollivier,. of Christchurch, praying that the allegation made that the firm of Sims, Cooper, and Co., Ltd., has been, or is now, associated with the American Meat Trust should be investigated.. The chairman of the committee (Mr G. Hunter) reported to the House, "that, in the opinion of the committee, Dr C. J. Reakes (Director-General of Agriculture), in his evidence before the Meat Export Trade Committee, acted in good faith, and in the public interest, and, further, that the committee has no evidence to connect Sims, Cooper, and Co., Ltd., with the American Meat Trust, but, on the contrary, evidence adduced showed that the company is in no way connected with the trust. This view is borne out by the finding iof the Meat Export Trade Committee ,in 1917. The report was laid on the table without discussion. Light Railways From Prance.

A report by Major H. Vickerman, D.5.0., New Zealand Engineers, on the light railway material available for the Dominion, was tabled in the House yesterday. "Does it state any quantity of material that might be obtained?" asked the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward as the report was being laid on the table. The Prime Minister replied that practically none of the material on the Continent was available, as the whole was being handed over to the French Government, which intended to utilise it. There was a great deal of new material, however, that had not been used. It was for sale in Great Britain, but he was afraid that the prices were prohibitive. Sir Joseph Ward: What is meant by light railways? Are they tho same gauge as ours? Mr Massey: Some are the same gauge as ours, only with lighter rails, but others are down to two feet in gauge. He quoted from a report that prices for both second-hand and new material wero from 100 to 150 per cent, above preWar rates, and not lower than the present open market rates. The British Government's idea was to take all possible advantage of the present high ruling values. Soldiers in Mental Hospitals.

Replying to a point raised by a eommitteo report, the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) stated that no returned soldier was' sent direct to a mental hospital, unless he wero judged by medical officers to bo so much mentally affected that such was tho proper place for him. Mental cases, to begin with, were sent to the Karitane Hospital, Dunedij); and then were never

transferred to mental hospitals proper, unless they were undoubtedly cases that ought to be inmates of such. In regard to the case of one soldier in particular, one whose petition the committee had reported, the Prime Minister promised a full and exhaustive public inquiry. This soldier complained of unduly harah treatment while under care for mental trouble. Canteen Funds. Replying to a question asked by Mr G. Witty (Ricarton) regarding canteen funds, the Hon. Sir James Allen said that the fund was a common one, and damage done to Government property was charged against it. It was difficult to separate the parts contributed by different units. Damage on Transports.

"Is it a fact," asked Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) yesterday, "that camp canteen funds, which were the property of the soldiers, and were held by officers in trust, were taken by the Defence Department to pay damages arising out of riots in England?" The hon. member said that the riots had been the work of men of the later drafts, and the soldiers of longer service, who had contributed largely to the canteen funds, were complaining against the confiscation. When the question was asked the Minister of Defence was not in the Chamber, but tho Prime Minister promised to hand it, on. Dried Fruits From Australia. There is a prohibition on the export of some dried fruits from Australia. Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West) placed before the Prime Minister the case of an Auckland firm which had large quantities of sultanas and currants ordered from Australia before the embargo was put on. Those had all been resold in New Zealand in advance, but they could not now be exported from Australia. Australian sellers were trying to use the embargo to cancel contracts, as values had advanced in the meantime. Mr Poole pointed out the increase in the cost of living which this position was likely to bring about, with the approach of the "festive season." He passed on the firm's request that the Government should approach the Comj monwealth authorities, and ask for the release of all fruits purchased before the imposition of the embargo. Mr Massey replied that he would be glad to cable to the Australian Government, asking it to remove the embargo so far as the hon. member desired, but he was not always successful when he asked the Australian Government to do such things. Christchurcli-West Coast Service.

Eeplying to Mr T. E. Y. Seddon (Westland), the Minister of Railways (the Et. Hon. W. F. Massey) said that, if it were possible to give a daily train and coach service between Christchurch and Greymouth, when the new timetable was brought into operation, it would be done, but he could make no definite promise. Ell v. McCombs. It is almost a pity that the session could not be extended for another week, in order that the House might enjoy the growing enthusiasm of Messrs'McCombs and Ell on behalf of the electors of Lyttelton. The present hon. member for that constituency has in his election opponent a keen rival in putting questions to the Government. Yesterday Mr McCombs remarked on the item "special receipts," in connection with the Ellesmere and Forsyth Reclamation affd Akaroa Railway Trust Account (£1586), which appears in the Public Accounts every year. "I wish to know," asked Mr McCombs, "if the receipts from this endowment would be available if a local Railway Board was created to construct a light electric railway from Little River to Akaroa? Mr Evan Parry, the late Government Electrical Engineer, was Btrongly in favour of a light electric railway for the Peninsula." The Hon. Sir William Fraser (Minister of Public Works) replied that the fund was originally set aside for a railway, and it might be made applicable to the railway which the hon. member mentioned, but it was not for him to decide.

A few .minutes later Mr Ell asked for a preliminary survey for a light electric railway line between Little Biver and Akaroa. The Et. Hon. W. F. Massey replied that the Minister of Public Works had promised a resurvey. Presently, Mr McCombs gave notice of his intention to move a new clause in a Bill further down the Order Paper. '' So far as lam aware,'' he added, "the hon. member for Christchurch South has not moved in this matter." Mr Ell joined in the laughter which greeted the sally. Education for Miners. The Mines Statement for the year 1918 was laid on the table of the House by the Minister of Mines (the Hon. Sir William Fraser). The Minister states that he is arranging for the issue of a series of mining leaflets, each one dealing with some branch of mining law or mining methods, practices or procedure, as the need of authoritative information in a handy form is often felt by miners.