BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1929, Page 11

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES SHOP AND OFFICE AMENDMENT. NO LEGISLATION THIS SESSION. ’ By Telegraph.—Press- Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 7.30 this evening for the first time on a Monday this session. The reports of the select committees on various petitions were presented. Mr. S. G. Smith (New Plymouth) reported on behalf of the Labour Bills Committee on the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill (Mr. R. MeKeen). He said the committee had taken some evidence on the subject, but .in view of the statement that the .whole position would be investigated during the recess .with a view to. the introduction of legislation next session the taking of evidence had not been continued. The committee recommended that the Bill should not be. allowed to proceed in the meantime. The Hon. W. A. Veitch said he had promised to have the whole question investigated with a view to the introduction of amending legislation next session, but owing to the indisposition of the ‘Premier the Cabinet had not yet had an opportunity to decide what form the legislation would take. He would undertake, however, that the matter would be placed before the Cabinet. Mr. MeKeen said he was very pleased with the Minister’s assurance. He hoped the Minister would not be satisfied with merely a departmental inquiry. Mr. Veitch; It will not be a departmental investigation only. Mr. P. Fraser suggested the present Labour, Bills Committee, should be empowered to sit during the' recess ■ and deal with the .subject. Mr. R. A. Wright said he hoped the whole situation would be cleared up. The present legislation contained many anomalies and was.extremely difficult to interpret. For instance, different rulings had been given by two magistrates on whether a. cigarette selling machine was or was not a shop. The Hon. T. M. Wilford said he considered the present personnel 'of the Labour Bills Committee was very well equipped to deal. with., the subject with the co-operation of the Crown law officers. SHOPS AND OFFICES AMENDMENT; The Labour Bills Committee recommended that the Minister of Labour’s Shops and Offices Amendment Bill (No. 2) should be allowed to. proceed. The committee reported it had no recommendation to make in connection with two petitions dealing with closing hours for the sale of seeds and certain other articles, in view of the Minister of Labour’s undertaking. The same committee, reporting on the Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill (Mr. E. J. Howard), recommended that it should, not be allowed , to. proceed in view ‘of the official statement that the whole position would be investigated during the recess with a view, to the introduction of legislation during the next session.: Mr. Veitch said he hoped to be able to bring before the House reasonable and satisfactory amendments to the present legislation. He hoped substantial advances would be made. Mr. Howard said it was not the first time the Bill had been the subject of the same report. He recognised, however, that the new Minister might not have had time to go fully into the position, though he had hoped that the present session would have seen an amendment to the Act. Mr. P. Fraser also expressed regret that the subject was not to be dealt with this session. There were certain points on which there was practically no difference of opinion—for instance, the- payment of full medical and surgical expenses, and he hoped a small amending Bill containing these features of Mr. Howard’s measure would still be introduced this session, thereby placing that part of the legislation twelve months ahead. The report of the State Advances Office was presented for consideration. Mr. A. Hamilton said the department in its three branches (state advances, rural advances and workers’ advances) had made a profit of approximately £50,000, and in view of that profit he suggested the Governmonfiishould show some leniency towards the.” borrowers. It mi°ht be possible to reduce the interest 0 rate on loans to settlers to the same level as that on advances to workers. He declared the State advances money was now nearly the dearest money that the farmers borrowed. . INTEREST ON ADVANCES. Mr. P. Fraser suggested the time had come for the Government and the department to give serious consideration to the reduction of interest rates on loans to workers and settlers. He added that it had been a most gratifying feature of the present administration that so many applications for loans had been granted, but it was a disquieting feature that the amount granted per application was so frequently short of requirements. He urged that the full amount possible under the law should be granted. Mr. D. Jones contended that the Government was lending money at a profit in London when, according to its promise, it should be lending it in New Zealand at 4:1 per cent. The Government, instead of leading the way in reducing the interest rate, was keeping it up. Mr. W. J. Polson (Stratford) stressed the value of the rural advances activities of the department, and added that while the Government was not neglecting the rural credits scheme it had not shown the enthusiasm it should have displayed in recommending its advantages to farmers. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Patea) said it would be a very desirable thing if the interest rates could be reduced, although he knew there were several factors to be considered before that could be done. Mr. W. L. Martin congratulated the Prime Minister on his success in dealing with the arrears of applications, for loans. He believed it should be possible to advance money at a cheaper rate. Mr. J. S. Fletcher expressed the view that it would be a more satisfactory proposition for the Government to advance up to per cent.. of. security than only 80 per cent., because it was a higher rate that had. to be paid oh a second mortgage for the remaining amount that presented the danger of disaster io the borrower. . i Mr. J. O. Coates discussed the issue

of rural intermediate credit bonds, stat-, .ing that while his Government had given every assistance in the matter he declined to admit that they were State guaranteed. The report was talked'' ; Qat' and the House rose at 10.30 p.m. i;,< ”"