GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Issue 170307, 30 August 1920, Page 9

GENERAL NEWS

A question was asked of the Prime Minister by Mr Sidey in the House regarding fresh supplies of railway rolling stock. Mr Sidey said that tha Minister must he aware that the business of the country was being seriously hampered for lack of rolling stock for the railways. Would the Prime •Minister. -state \vliat steps were being taken .to deal with the sitnatien ? Mr Massey said that he was aware il'iat there was a serious shortage of rolling stock, especially wagons, and that a great deal of inconvenience wasbeing occasioned to city and country people in consequence. The position at present was due to the lack ot supplies coming forward during the whole of the war period, when iti had been impossible to fulfil the_ complete lolling .stock programme. Since the war there had been a. tremendous demand for manufactures. Some tiino ago the department had asked for tenders in England, the tenders to be returnable on the 18th of lagt month. Those tenders had been so unsatisfactory that the time had been extended to Scjjtember I.oth. and he believed

that now other firms intended to tender l'or rolling stock. The Department was calling for tenders in this country. What tho result, would 'be it was impossible for them to sayTho amount of rolling stock that was being asked for by tenders in this way was outside of the amount that could ho manufactured in tho Department's own workshops in this country. When the Imprest Supply I^ill (No. 3: for millions was introduced in the House last week, the first item being £-2,3.00,000 f°r general expenses, Mr Hanan said several of the great public departments sho ild have an overhaul with » view to reducing - Jie expenditure, which was increasing by leaps and bounds. Ho siiggj.->«:d a Commission to go into the whole q jcstion.

While Mr Ngata warned the Hon.se against attempting too rapidly to place the Maori race on an equality •with the European, Mr Heed contended that the work of equalising the races should have been nmch further advanced years ago. The present policy of drift could only end fatally to iho Maori race. Pursuing the subject, Dr. J'omo.re referred to the complaint that Maoris were not efficient farmers, therefore their lands should be taken lrom them. Chinamen can get more out of land than Europeans, but ..lumbers would not accept that as a real'or for taking land l'vom the pakeha to give it to Chinamen. A Buenos Aires message says that President Irigoyen has recommended the. enactment of a law exempting wools from export tax, and authorising lli'j Government to negotiate witli foreign counties for the sale of "wool 011 a. credit extending over not more than two years 'Die measure is intended to aid holders of wool to dispose of large surplus stocks accumulated on account of the slack man-cei. Tho

Argentine -National Bank would discount sale documents.

At the Medical Congress at Brisbane Professor Johnson (Auckland) dcall. with the influence of heredity in relation to offspring, and urged that such knowledge should be utilised in the endeavour to improve the race. Dr Cumpston, director of quarantine, urged tliar practical steps should be taken against preventable diseases, and the- Government should back up an elaborate scheme, insisting not only on competent medical advice, but an efficient administrative staff to insure treatment. being carried out.

Mr J. Horn, M.P., having urged the sending of the weka to hunt the rhinoceros beetle - in Samoa is now advocating the introduction of the tuatara lizard on to the island in Lake Wanaka. He mentioned the matter in the House of Representatives while the Internal Affairs Estimates were under consideration, stating that a promise in. that direction had been given. -Sir William Herries asked who made the promise. Mr Horn said he didn't know. Sir William lierries said the tuatara was one of the most ancient types of life in the world, and a'l were agreed that it ought to be preserved in New Zealand. A small turn of money was granted to lighthouse keepers on the outlying islands to see that the tuataras were not destroyed by cats and other enemies. lvarewa, an islaiid off Tauranga, was the home of tne tuatara. Mr Rhodes (Thames): Hear, hear.' Sir William continued, that if the promise lias been made to put lizards on the island in Wanaka that promise will be kept, and we will endeavour to send a couple of tuatara lizards there—(laughter)—if the lion, member will get some of the inliabi-1 tants to look after them. "Air Horn i said there was a society that would | look after tlism. Sir William iierries: The matter will be attended to. The Hon. J. A. Hanan: Not the rhinoceros beetle. —(Laughter). A special cable to- the Press Association from Vancouver says that the Canadian Club, Vancouver, tendered an enthusiastic welcome to the Press delegates. Lord Burnliam and Mr Parker (New Zealand) were the speakers. Mr Parker urged the development of Imperial consciousness. The commerce of the mind and the commerce of the market must go together. A factor in ■Jeveloping th<3 former was cheaper, more efficient and unbiassed cabled services in all parts of the Empire. Inter - Imperial trade relationship should be strengthened by making a ".loser study of economic conditions, particularly in the Pacific, and doing our best to make them fit-.

The following resolution was unanimously adopted at a. meeting of the

Poverty Bay and East Coast Sheeoowners' Union last week:—"That in

view of the congestion of meat in London and the Dominion, it i sdesirable

that every effort should be made to open up all available markets. Therefore it is essential to slieepowners that there slionld be free trad© in frozen meat, under proper protection (as provide'.! in the Slaughtering and Inspection Amendment Act of 1918), in regard to frozen meat for export." It tvns decided to call a. public meeting of sheepowners t 0 discuss the matter.