PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16822, 21 August 1920, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

, FRIDAY’S PROCEEDINGS. | I legislative council. gaming amendments ; WAIVED. I Per Press Association. ‘ WELLINGTON, Aug. 2G. ; The Legislative Council met at 2.30 i p.ra. I A message from the House defined ! exactly the amendments made by tho i Council to the Gaming Amendment Bill to which it objected, and Sir Fran- ■ cis Bell moved that they bo not insisted 1 on. The Bill’s original purpose was to kill tho bookmaker, anil though quito properly moved, the Council’s amendments were not material. The Hon. W. H. Triggs maintained that tbo Bill, without the Council’s amendments, would not kill the, bookmaker, but ho was prepared to take half the loaf. The ilon. J. Barr expressed disapproval, but' said he realised that in tiro atmosphere' of the Council is would bo useless to press the amendments. The Council decided nop to insist on the amendments. The Statutes Repeal and Expiring Laws Amendment arid Continuance Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. Tbo Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Amendment Bill was read a first time. Tho council rose at 2.55 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. newcastleYoal embargo. The House of Representatives met at 2,30 p.m. Replying to Air. Luke, Air. Alassey said ho had heard that an embargo • had been placed on tho export of coal tom Newcastle. This, lie believed, was only temporary, and ho w«m not sure that New Zealand was affected Dy it. Ten days ago ho bad received a telegram from the Premier of tbo Com- 1 monwealth that New Zealand’s supply i would nut be stopped, but some new developments might have taken place, and ho cabled to Australia again. Tho position would be serious if our Australian supplies of coal wore cut off. THE ESTLMATES. Tiio remainder of the sitting was occupied by consideration of tho Estimates. On the item Internal Affairs Department (£3SS,2SS), Air. Smith (Taranaki) ; suggested a straight-out grant for the encouragement of swimming and ' life- | saving societies. The discussion on details ranged over a wide area, from tho care of war graves to fiesh-wator fisheries, the protection of tuatara lizards ami birds, and the protection of consumers against deceit through the medium of defective weights and measures, but the first division—head office, £s4,l39—was passed unaltered. Items of £I2OO for additional salaries of Ministers’ secretaries, £72,167 for l messengers and other menioers of the! public office staffs, and £17,061 Tor tho • Registrar-General’s office, were passed without comment. NATIONAL AVAR AIEAIORIAE. , On the item £130.251 for miscellaneous services, Air, Craigie moved an amendment that the sum of £160,000 for a National War Alemoria! bo reduced by £50,000, and tho other £50.000 Ire utilised for making grants to funds for local memorials in other centres. The Hon. J. G. Coates pointed out that it was nothing now to have a national memorial in the capital, instancing London, Paris, and other European centres. It was intended to spend the_ whole £IOO.OOO on the monument, which meant that a large sum of money would ho necessary to acquire a site, and the committee investigating the memorial question were given to understand' that AVollington citizens would help in finding this site. At 11.20 n,m. tlm amendment for a , reduction of the National Alenion'nl item was rejected on the voices. After discussion on further items tho , House rose at 12,15 a.m. !