QUESTION DAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 169, 19 July 1945, Page 4

QUESTION DAY

MINISTERIAL REPLIES SITTING OF THE HOI SE (P.A.) Parliament Buildings, July IS This afternoon was question time in the House of Representatives, a number of questions being asked by members during the period for formal business, and then the House went on to consider ministerial replies to questions asked on previous sitting days. A number of select committees, notice of which was given last week, were also set up. RETURN ASKED FOR Mr. M. H. Oram (Opp. Manawatu) gave notice that he would move for a return showing, firstly, the number of internees on Somes Island; secondly, the total number of staff employed on the island looking after internee;; thirdly, the classification of duties of such staff, showing the number comprised in each classification. AMERICAN CIGARETTES Mr. D. C. Kidd (Opp. Waitaki) gave notice to ask the Minister of Supply what the Government had paid for American cigarettes recently placed on the New Zealand market, and also the price charged to retailers for them. Mr. Kidd said the same brand of cigarettes were available to New Zealand and United States Forces at 2 1 a packet, while the price to the public was sd, although many of the packets were damaged. PAY FOR N.Z. SEAMEN The Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) in reply to Mr. C. M. Bowden (Opp Wellington West), who asked if payment of £l2 a month to seamen on the Now Zealand coast was consistent with a refusal to give extra pay to New Zealanders with the British Pacific Fleet, replied that the conditions of pay ‘in the Merchant Navy and the Roya? New Zealand Navy were not comparable. Different al-

lowances and concessions were available to personnel of the R.N.Z.N., which were not received by men in the Merchant Navy. The pay of New Zealanders in the Navy was comparable with the pay in the Royal Navy, notwithstanding the granting of a war-service increment and Japanese campaign pay to Royal Naval personnel. N.Z. AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW Mr. Nash, in reply to Mr. 11. T. Morton (Opp. Waitemata) who a ked for a report on the work and general activities of Now Zealand’s Ambassador to Moscow, said he would bo glad to arrange for an appropriate time for the House to be given an account of the activities of the Now Zealand Minister in Moscow. Mr. Nash said the Minister made frequent reports to the Government on conditions in the U.S.S.R.. and on matters relating to foreign affairs, and reports were most informative and useful. TELEPHONIES IN SCHOOLS The Minister of Education (Mr. Mason) in replying to a question acked by Mr. McKeon, Mr. Chapman and Mr. McCombs (all Govt, of We’lington) said it was not practlcab e at present to install telephones in all primary schools, because of the extreme shortage of equipment.

TRANSPORT OF FERTILISER Mr. Semnle (Minister of Railwavs) in reply to Mr. A. S. Sutherland (Opp. Hauraki), who asked what steps were being taken to provied rolling stock for distribution of fertiliser said tnat during the last two months the supply of railway wagons for fertiliser had more than equalled the demand. The Minister added that everything possible was being done to expedite the construction of new rolling stock. RAILWAY REFRESHMENTS Replying to Mr. Clyde Carr (Govt. Timaru) who had suggested the nitroduction of a queue system in railway refreshment rooms, and the sa c of meal tickets on trains, Mr. Semp e said that the whole matter had been investigated and the Rai'way Department had decided that the solution of the present difficulties was a remodelling of refreshment rooms. This re-modelling would be done as soon as practicable. The Minister said the sale of tickets on trains, apart from making work train staff could not cope with, was unlikely to be satisfactory, as there could be no guarantee that the food paid for on the trai l would be avaiable at the refreshment morns,

PRESS CENSORSHIP The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in reply to Mr. R. G. Ge-a d (Opp. M>d Canterbury) said that in harmony with th? United Kingdom and the United States Press Code, the New Zealand Government had decided not to dispense with censorship so far as it related to Pres; cablegrams, an mailed despatches intended for publl cation overseas, during the period o the Japansee war. SEAMEN’S WAR BONUS The Prime Minister in reply to Mr. G. H. Nackley (Opp. Mastertbn), said that the war risk bonus of £l2 a month, payable to seamen in Now Zealand registered ships, applied not only to the New Zealand coa t nni also to the Pacific area, and while the risk of attack by the enemy had been appreciably reduced, it was by no moans eliminated. Therefore the subsidy from the Wa>’ Expenses Account was not being discontinued, but appropiiate stops would bo taken when the circumstances justified such action. IMPORTATIONS OF D.D.T. The Minister of Customs, Mr. Nash replying to Mr. J. T. Watts (Opp. Riccarton) stated that no firm in Now Zealand had b n on granted a licence giving them the solo rights of importing D.l).’!'.. and applications for licences would receive con-idoiat s on.