PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1920, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES* REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. i By Telejrapli.—Press Asßodathm. ' Wellington, Nov. 11. The House met at 10.45 a.m. j Replying to Mr.. M'CalliUß, thf Minister of lands stated that the consolidation of the Dominion land law* Imd been under consideration for sotttt time and it was intended to issue ithi consolidated laws as early at possible. Replying to Mr. Luke, the Minutei of Customs said the departmental! Inquiry into matters affecting the tferifi was the only one that would be malde. Replying to Mr. Brown, the Premiei said he hoped the session would be con eluded at this sittiug. In reply to Mr. the ?«• mier announced that he had been fa formed by the head of the associated' . bankers that the banks were willing U ' ■ meet representatives of the bank, offieen guild and discuss matters affectiftj them. Mr. Massey said there had been ni conference, as suggested by the meabci for Lyttelton. Replying to Mr. P. Eraser, Sir Wil liam Herries said the reason no one W*l sent representing New Zealand to tl« International Labour Conference w»i owing to the expense. The Premier said papers relating p some conference business arrived to< late, at this distance from the OK World, to act -upon the matter. The Prime Minister later announced, in reply to a question by Mr. Partj whether the House would, be given an opportunity to discuss matters to conn before the next Imperial Conference, that he might not be present, but put■sibly one or more other Ministers might go to assist the High Commissioner. Mr. Parry asked if these Miniatari could commit New Zealand to any spec ial course of action. The Premier replied that they eonH not do so, the discussion being in tii hands of Cabinet. Mr. Malcolm urged that in future Uu House should be given an opportnnitj . to discuss Imperial matters before, iht delegates go to the conference. The Premier informed Mr. field thai he would, during the recess, meet th« Producers' Association regarding shipping matter*. He had already informed! the Imperial authorities that the present high freight rates threatened seriously to affect the primary producer* of the Dominion, The Minister of Health, replying to Mr. Holland, agreed that, in view of the importance of their work, it would be a wise thing to dispense with the fee at present required from women entering St. Helen's hospitals for training. It had already been reduced from £2O to £lO, but he was consulting departmental officials to see if it could not be dropped altogether. NEW BILLS. The Taieri River Improvement Bill (Mr. Edie), the Mount Hutt County Bill (Sir Heaton Rhodes), and the Nelson Harbor Amendment Bill (Mr. Massey) were read a second time. The Mount I Hutt Bill was held over till next session; I the other two Bills were put through committee, read a third time, and passed. Mr. Coates moved the second reading of the Life Insurance Amendment Bill. He explained that the most important provision was one relating to industrial insurance to protect policy holders by requiring that every policy issued by any company doing business in New Ztaland must be open to review by a Government official Mr. Rartram contended that the effect of the Bill would be to cause an increasi in the number of new policies lapsing. The Bill was read a second time. FINANCE BILL PASSED. At 1.30 a.m. the House went into co»4 mittee on the Finance Bill, In clause 2, Mr T. E. Y. Seddon (Westknd) suggested to the Premier ' that he should adopt a remit passed by the Returned Soldiers' Association in May last that a doctor who had been on f-ervice should be a member of the Y?*T Pensions Appeal Board. The Premier said he would consider the suggestion.

At clause 21 Mr. Seddon suggested tlvat the board set up under the cl&UBe should be instructed to apply for part of the canteen funds to aid the Trentham Scholarship fund. The Premier said he could not dictate to the board, but he would place the suggestion before them. Replying to Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central), Mr. Massey said that clause :i3 was intended merely to prevent [•dumping" in wheat. There waa do intention to do away with wheat control. A new clause, 28A, empowering the Treasury to invest any portion of a surplus balance of a public account in any s securities in which balances of a pubiic account may be lawfully invested, was added on tl«e motion of'the Premier. I A new clause, 415 A, validating invest'incuts heretofore made by trustees in harbor board securities, was adopted. The Bill was then reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 2.2 a.m. till 10.45 this morning. * The (JovernniL'ntNjJfe Insurance Bill was put through committee without amendment, read a third time and passed. PENSIONS AMENDMENT. An amendment to the Finance Bill was introduced by Govemor-General'i message. Sir William Herries explained that under clause 13 of the Pensions Act, 1913 certain pensioners were entitled la £IOO and tinder the Finance Bill just passed this had heon increased to £l2O, out it had since been discovered that t mistake was made in the calculation and the amount should have been in w™u t0 £ l 3 °' * l">P«i the Haul' would agree to the amendment, other. V some pensioners would get less than they did at present. S The amendment was agreed to. APPROPRIATION BILL. Jhe Bill was passe'd, after fnrther d«bate, to which the Premier made no At 9.26 the Appropriation Bill was Speaker announced that n.« i • Mr. Massey moved the wni , A "h----o the Appropriation Bill, X F ,f °* plained, w„ s mo ,„ y a \ « giving authority to 5n0.,,1 ■,. } 8111 by Parliament' ''' ; M,,t >'* v " te ->