PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18618, 24 October 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

{Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Oct. 23. The House met at 7.30 p.m.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Sir John Luke asked if the Government would consider the extension of the Rent Restriction Act till next year. The Minister of Labour replied that he had received representations from a number of people and the matter was being gone into. Possibly by the end of the year something would be done.

Replying to Mr Sidey, the Minister of Lands said he had noticed an agitation by the Returned Soldiers’ Association in Otugo concerning Mr Carruthers’ appointment to the Soldiers’ Land Board, and as the appointment had been made on the best advice no change would be made. He knew strings were being pulled, but he would not take any notice of the desire of interested parties. Mr S. G. Smith asked the Minister of Health if anything could be done to meet cases such as the one lately ventilated in Christchurch where a woman charged with attempting suicide had to be sent to prison because no hospital would take her in, as she was suffering from a contagious disease. The Minister of Health said the question raised the important issue of whether there should be compulsory notification of venereal disease. The matter had been investigated by the Health Committee. whose report had been received and would be laid on the table of the House in a day or two. Replying to Mr Holland, the Prime Minister said he hoped the session would end on Saturday next or Monday at the latest, and he would then be able to state the date of the election. At least five weeks, he hoped, would be available for the campaign.

WASHING-UP BILL. In moving the second reading of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (Washing-Up Bill) Hon. Guthrie said the measure included sixty-nine clauses and a supplementary number of almost equal size were to coma He hoped to introduce them next day. The Bill was read a second time. The House then took the WashingUp Bill in committee. Considerable discussion arose over the proposal made in clause 45, by which Wellington City Council was, with the consent of the Governor-in-Council, authorised to grant right in perpetuity to certain companies to lay oil conduit pipes at Miramar. After considerable objection had been raised to the proposal, the clause was withdrawn with a view to reintroducing it in a more general form.

The remainder of the clauses passed unamended. Progress was reported and the House rose at midnighL

GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS AMENDMENT.

The House went Into committee on the Government Railways Amendment Bill.

Mr Veitch quetstoned the Minister whether the schedule covered the first and second "cuts’’ as providea by the Public Service Adjustment Act, but the Minister would go no further than to say that the Bill carried out the agreement arrived at between the men concerned and the General Manager. on the third reading he commented on the lack of information given to the committtee. The Minister, in reply, reiterated his statement that the Bill gave effect to the agreement arrived at and indicated that he was well aware of the motive which prompted Mr Veitch’s criticism.

The Bill was read a third time and passed.