IN THE HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 939, 8 December 1933, Page 4

IN THE HOUSE.

Notes and Comments From Parliament. RELIEF WORKERS' TRANSPORT. ! (“ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, December 7. | As a result cf representations made ; bv Mr Sullivan, the lion E. A. Ran- j som, as Commissioner of State Forests, j has arranged that relief workers frjrn ! the forestry camps at Hanmer and Balmoral will ge.t free transport home, at Christmas and will receive a fortnight’s holiday pay before they leave camp. The Minister states that the question of pay while on sick leave is a matter for the Unemployment Board. Post Office Finance. The huge financial undertaking represented by the Post Office was explained bv the Hon A. Hamilton to night in moving the second reading of the Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill. lie gave details of profits made in recent years, showing that under the legislation of 1931 the Department had paid into the Consolidated Fund in 1932 £941,000, and in the following year £456,000. It paid £552,225 interest on loans, the average interest being £4 7s 6d per cent. Its depreciation reserves totalled £3,305,512, of which £1.805,512 was expended in assets erected, leaving a liquid balance of one and a half millions, which was not excessive in relation to a capital investment of £14,000,000 Mr Poison’s Bill. [ When Mr Poison (Stratford) sought in the House of Representatives to probe the mystery of how some private members’ Bills get a chance ior debate while his Mtat Control Boa.ri Amendment Bill, introduced on the first day of the session, stands twentynine places down the order paper, he provided some amusement for members, but got little enlightenment. Mr Poison explained that his Bill was only a simple, one clause measure, which had been accepted by a committee of the House, yet it had had no chance. “ I don’t know,” he added, “ what particular discrimination is possible regarding these Bills, whether there is any selection or survival cf the fittest, or sheer favouritism.” “ Live in hope,” suggested Mr Parry (Auckland Central). The Prime Minister, to whom the question was addressed, stated that he never had been approached regarding the urgency of the Bill, though in respect of the Gaming Bill, which did appear on top of the order paper, he had received a number of deputations from leading bodies of the country asking that Parliament be given an opportunity of expressing an opinion on its provisions. He would give Mr Poison an opportunity, if time permitted. but he made strong complaint against the amount of time which had been wasted in talk when important. Government measures were being delayed, therefore he would advise Mr Poison to impress his fellow members with the importance of getting on with work. Expediting Business. Definite signs of the Government’s desire to conclude the business of Par liament within the next week or ten days is to be found in the decision which Mr Forbes reached to-night to eliminate daylight sitting to-morrow and take ordinary hours from 2.30 p.m, to midnight. There will be a morning sitting on Saturday, the House adjourning at 1 p.m. to reassemble at 7.30 p.m. on Monday. Bills in the Council. In the Legislative Council to-day the Poultry Runs Registration Bill was received from the House and read a first time. The Grevniouth Borough Relief of Unemployment Loan Validation Bill. Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee Enabling Bill and Bluff Harbour Board Empowering Bill were put through their remaining stages and passed. The Auckland Transport Board Empowering Bill was read a second