PARLIAMENT OF BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1928, Page 7

PARLIAMENT OF BRITAIN

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association, deceived May 17, 5.5 p.m. London, May 16. In the House of Commons, Mr. Amery, Secretary for the Dominions, in answer to a question as to whether the statutory maximum expenditure under the Empire Settlement Act had been reached, said that the statutory total would be £16,806,343 to March 31, but the actual expenditure was £3,866,061.

Mr, Headlam, in answer to a question, said that arrangements would be made for one of His Majesty’s ships to be off Middlesborough for the celebrations of Captain Cook’s bicentenary In October.

Mr. Headlam told a questioner that the contractor who recently supplied South American beef as New Zealand bad been struck off the Admiralty list of eligible tenderers. There was no suggestion that the cold stores from which the meat was supplied were in any way blameworthy.

In the House of Commons Lord Cureon, in answer to a question, said the railways benefit rate relief scheme amounted to at least £4,000,000 yearly.

Sir William Joynson-Hicks, questioned in reference to a recent decision wherein a whist drive with money prizes in the interest of charity was held to be illegal, pointed out that whist drives for money prizes were held to be illegal away back in 1912. Mr. Maxton: Are you aware that owing to its restrictions on recreation the Government is known as a killjoy Government, and you as “Killjoy Jix?” Sir William Joynson-Hicks: I cannot override the decision of the court, though I do not object to whist drives. He said he could not at present promise legislation on the subject.

Sir Samuel Hoare, in answer to a question as to whether it was proposed to use the airship RlOl in flights to India and the Dominions under the Air Ministry's control, held the view that subsequent development of airship transport was preferable* by private enterprise.