NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16542, 28 September 1921, Page 4

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

COUNCIL AND HOUSE. [From Otr Corresronhent.) WELLINGTON, September 27. national provident fund. The year’s operations of the National i Provident Fund, detailed in the annual report, show that the annual contribution rate is £129,003 from 19,724 contributors. The funds total £473,360, having increased by £134,631. Allowances paid comprised : —Maternity, £31,972 ; retirement and incapacity, £6553. Refinds of contributions due to lapse, reduction or withdrawal amounted to £16,94%. AVIATION MAIL RETURNS. The Postmaster-General, on the motion of Mr Howard, has tabled a return showing the results of the Christ-ehurch-Timaru aerial mail service and its weekly cost to the country. The return shows that in the week ended February 5 last 715 letters were carried, but the weekly totals dropped as low as 20, the total over a ten-week period being 1265 letters. The cost of the service for each week in which six return trips were made was £2lO. STATE ADVANCES. According to the annual report of the State Advances Department nearly seven millions in loans to settlers are current. Last year’s advances totalled £907,610. Allowing for cost of management, equalling 3s 8d pef cent, the net profits for the year totalled £92,891, and the sinking fund now amounts to £1,276,000. Amounts written off as the result of foreclosures during the year total £639. The Advances to Workers branch granted 1556 loans, totalling £718,630, and lias £2,700,000 in current loans. Tho net profits for the year totalled £12,972. Local authorities’ advances totalled £128,910 and 1240 authorities are now indebted to the Department to the extent of £2,250,000. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT LANDS. A hotly-contested measure in the 1920 session gave the Government power to exclude portions of the National Endowment Lands from leasehold tenure, throwing them open to selection on'tho freehold, but a return of operations to March 31 last shows that none of the excluded land had been sold. The'"only lands excluded from the endowment were two small grazing runs in the Hawke’s Bay land district, having an area of 5934 acres and a value of if 5565. The national endowment as a whole comprises nine million acres, which produced a revenue of £144,520 last year. RETRENCHMENT FROM THE TOP. A mild flutter arose in the House when Mr A. Hamilton to-day tabled a question to the Government inquiring if it will give members of Parliament an opportunity of discussing their own salaries, and also those of the public service, with a view' to making reductions in order to reduce the ever-in-creasing cost of the Departments of State. One practical instance of economy was described by the Minister of Education, who had been asked by Mr Sidey why the vacant position of As-sistant-Director of Education had not been filled. Before the Minister could answer Mr Malcolm rose to urge the Government not to make the appointment, nor any other high appointment, which could be avoided at nresent. He thought that the present admirable head of the Education Department could carry on without an assistant. The Hon C- J. Parr replied that partly for reasons of economy tho Government had asked tho Commissioner not to fill the position of Assist-ant-Director of Education, especially as there were capable heads of the various divisions of this Department. Another reason for postponement was that under the present law the position must be filled from the present Education Department’s staff, though in his opinion it should be open to the whole of the education service, including employees of the University Council and education hoards. A Bill to amend tho law in this direction would be submitted before an appointment was made. CHRISTCHURCH housing SCHEME. The. attention of the Minister of Labour has been called to the Christchurch housing scheme, through the medium of a ouestion by Mr Howard, who mentioned that under its provisions a substantial concrete house of five rooms with all conveniences can be purchased by a £lO deposit and a payment of 13s 9d weekly, which includes insurance, principal and interest. Mr Howard also suggested extension of the amount loaned to local bodies for housing purposes. BAKERS’ HOURS. A Daylight Baking Bill is to be introduced by Mr M’Combs. HILEY SCHEME. “ Has the Government decided to carry out the Hi ley scheme, or other suitable scheme of railway improvement, between Christchurch and Lyttelton ?” asked Mr Jones of the Minister of Railways. The member added that the present congested state of affairs is a serious handicap to the whole of Canterbury. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The Government is taking the Ad-diess-in-Reply debate in easy stages. Mr Wilford, leader of the Liberal Opposition, is the next speaker. He will c pen on Wednesday niglit and move his no-confidence amendment, which he is keeping to himself meanwhile. His party is, however, possessed of the general terms of the attack, and the lines of discussion from the Liberal benches have been framed by a committee comprising Messrs Wilford, Ngata, Forbes and Seddon, the last two being the party Whips. LIQUOR IN DRY DISTRICTS. There was an increase of 90,163 gallons .in tho quantity of alcoholic liquor sent into no-license districts in New Zealand last year, compared with tho previous twelve months. The total last year was 376,673 gallons, divided among tho following dry districts:

PUBLIC WORKS GRANTS. It is probable that the Minister of Public Works will make a change in the system of allocation of Public Works grants for road and bridge purposes this session- The most drastic alteration will bo in the amounts, for he will have to severely curtail hi 3 total. By a change in system, however, he will secure a list of items which will be of practical benefit, in-

stead of having a large number of votes not likely to be lifted during the current year. It is reported that allocations will be made to different districts and that their subdivision will be left to the District Engineer of Public Works* in conjunction with engineers of local bodies, who will decide among themselves which works are most urgently in need of monetary grants. The result will be to reduce the length of the Public Works Estimates and possibly secure a greater proportion of effective expenditure. ANZAC DAY. A small Government measure, read a first time to-day, provides that- Anzac Day is to be observed in all respects as if it were Sunday. The sub-sections of the original Act prohibiting horse racing or opening of hotels on Anzac Day a.re to be repealed, because observance of the day as a Sunday makes this provision unnecessary.

Gals. Ashburton . 25,292 Bruce 29,444 CluthiL 27,225 Eden . « 13,001 Grey Eynn 1,703 Invercargill 100.172 Masterton . P 46,184 Mataura • * 47,019 Oamaru 49,424 Ohinemuri . 17,541 Roskill 2,265 Wellington South 10,630 Wellington Suburbs 9,709