POLITICAL NOTES

Timaru Herald, Issue 170270, 15 July 1920, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

LOCAL AND OTHER QUESTIONS

Eront our Parliamentary-.Correspondent

WELLINGTON. July 14. Mi T. D. ' Burnett iTemukaj asked the Minister oi : Industries and Commerce whether it is the intention of the Government to bring down legislation this session that will have*' for its object- the encouragement of local industries by the payment of a bonus or subsidy on the quantity of goods manufactured.

Air Lee replied that it is considered that s-urfbient power exists in the direction 'indicated.

Mr Burnett asked the Minister of Marine whether, seeing the large extent of high country in Canterbury subject to heavy falls of snow, and the ..urgent, necessity that exists for correct weather forecasting, the Government will take immediate steps towards establishing a weather bureau for Canterbury.

Sir Wm. Herries replied that it is considered that nothing would he gained by the establishment of a. separate weather bureau for the South Island, as weather forecasts based on local phenomena are inadequate and not in accordance with the development- of-modern meteorology. In all countries a central office prepared and issued the forecasts from a complex organisation of weather reporting stations, and the director in preparing his forecasts in New Zealand has to 'take into consideration the reports received from ..ships and stations outside Now Zealand, as well as those within the .Dominion. There are two good observatories at Christchurch and Lincoln, in charge of experienced officers, and Post Offices at other stations report weather conditions on every day the Post Offices are open. PASSPORTS ItEQIJIRED. The Minister for Internal Affairs states that as long as the. passport restrictions continue in other countries. it will be necessary for any person leaving New Zealand to have a passport, otherwise he would not lie permitted to enter such countries. It is impossible at present to say how long the restrictions are likely to continue. JOCKEYS' DISPUTE. Mr Massey stated, in a, reply to a question put by a ivauour .'member, tiiat tnc Government docs not intend to bring down legislation for the control of racing. Inc jockeys' dispute was not considered to require investigation by a.- Royal Commission, and the Government would not direct that all racing permits should be cancelled until tne dispute between the jockeys and the Racing Conference was settled.

THE MORITORIUM,

A suggestion tliat the moritorium. ought to be extended 'again was mentioned ia the House by the Prime Minister this afternoon. M r Massey said that Parliament had dealt with the moratorium--last year, and he thought the arrangement made then was satisfactory. The moratorium had hi-oii extended until the end of this year., and provision had been made that a?:,, per-i son who- was unable then to f:u:e the repayment of principal- or who was threatened with i-urdship could apply for relief to a. Judge of the. Supwi-no Court. The cases .presumably would be dealt with in Chambers, and the Court would have power to= extena'\.iie period-to a date not later than.:trie end of 1921. Mr Massey added that something more might he done nextsession if that proved to be necessary. RATE OF INTEREST. A statement had been made, con--1 tinued the Prime Minister, that the j Government had no power to keep j down rates of interest except in the : cases of • loans made by the Government lending departments. That was not quite correct, since the Government had legal power at present to fix the maximum rates of interest to be paid by local bodies. This rate had been fixed some time ago at oi per cent. He was bound to say that local bodies were having considerable difficulty in raising money at that rate. I Members: "They cannot get it." ' Mr Massey: "They are having difficulty, especially in the case of renewals where large sums of money are falling due. It seems to be impossible for local bodies to borrow below oh per cent, and sometimes it is difficult even jat that rate. The duty of the Go- ! yernment is to keep down the rate of interest. It would be a very had thing for this country if the rate of interest went too high."' Mr Massey j added that the Government had tried' ito prevent money being sent abroad for investment. It was very difficult ito prevent this. Money did not leave I New Zealand in the form of coin or paper currency. It left in the form of produce, and very often the payments i tor this produce "were arranged to be j made in London, New York, or else- : where, but in practice a. restriction on investments abroad was imposed by the fact that the income tax was higher in | nearly every other country than~;n New I Zealand. He did not think that people ; would gain much by sending money away from New Zealand for investment. He hoped in any case that people would be patriotic enough to j invest their money in their own I country.

MR HOLLAND'S LOYALTY. The leader of the official labour party seldom misses an opportunity of sneering at British, institutions and British loyalty. He as called to order .sharply this evening for a reference to the Royal Family. The House was considering the Revocation of Natural' ieation Amendment Bill, and Mr Holland was asking for greater consideration for the enemy aliens affected hy the Bill. He proceeded in this way: "You received the Prince of '■ "Wales the other day with open arms." Members: "So we did!" Mr Holland: 'T dori't say that you should not. My point is that you did not let his long andillustrious line of German ancestors interfere at all.'' A murmur of angry protest came from all over the. House, and the chairman, directed Mr Holland to confine himself to the subject matter of the Bill. Mr Holland did nob attempt io pursue the subject. ______