PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARKETING OF PRODUCE. A BOARD SUGGESTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clu* tha), the Hon. J. G. Coates said he was still considering the representations of members regarding the price to be charged for rural mail services. Replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) Mr. Massey said that when in London he had arranged to have a list of shops in Britain which sold New Zealand produce kept at the High Commissioner’s Office, so that it would always oe available to those who wished to know' where they could purchase New Zealand produce. Since his return he had suggested that a board should be set up in New Zealand to arrange for the marketing of New Zealand produce, particularly in Britain. He would be prepared to give such a board all the powers necessary to carry out thejr duties.

SUPPLY OF COAL. THE REASON FOR IMPORTS. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party), asked if, in view of full svnplies of local coal, which necessitated the stoppage of some West Coast mines, the Government could not take delivery of surplus coal. Mr. Massey said no one _ regretted more than he did the necessity to import a single ton of coal, but everyone should recognise that things could not go on as they were going, when the railways.’ gas companies and other industries were in danger of being held up for want of coal. He was glad to say an improvement had taken place during the past few months, and there was now plenty of coal on the market. At the same time contracts had been made for a supply of coal from oversea*, and these contracts must run out before the Government could cease taking delivery of coal under them. One at least had been suspended to enable the railways to use local coal, and another had about six months to run, but as soon as possible the Government would revert to the use of local coal, and he would at once advise the public to adopt the use of local coal as freely as possible.

THE RABBIT PEST. EVIDENCE OF A DECREASE. The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill and the Rabbit Nuisance Amendment Bill were put through the committee stage without amendment and read a third time.

When the latter Bill was in committee, the Hon. W. Nosworthy. Minister in charge, said that on the whole rabbits had decreased in Otago and in the North Island the department was endeavoring to help settlers. The rabbit boards had been very successful, and the Government would help to establish such boards all over the country. There were still ample powers left in the amendment passed by the late Hon. Macdonald and his own amendment of 1920 to cope with the pest. In reply to Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei), the Minister said no undue latitude would be given to anyone; everyone would be kept up to the mark.

FACTORIES BILL. COMPILATION OF ACTS. The Hon. G. J. Anderson moved the second reading of the Factories Bill, which, he said, was a compilation of all the Acts bearing on factory law. There would be a number of amendments to be moved at a later stage, including daylight baking and holidays at milk preserving factories. It was also proposed to alter the method of registering factories. At present they registered annually at a cost of about £3OOO. This money, he thought, could be saved by registering a factory once, subject to its increase in size on a scale to be stated in the Bill.

Mr. Wilford asked for assurance from the Minister that the Bill was merely a compilation, and that the raw had not been unintentionally altered.

Mr. Fraser complimented the Minister on his decision to embody in tlie Bill a principle of daylight baking, which was a humanitarian measure. He also hoped the Bill would not contain anything which would weaken the supervision of factories, which was a point of the greatest importance. The Minister gave Mr. Wilford the assurance that the Bill was, merely a compilation, and not an alteration of the law. It was the work of Mr. Justice Chapman. Mr. Wilford: “That satisfies me.” The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Labor Bills Committee. The House rose at 9.30 p.m.