PARLIAMENT.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 26 June 1926, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

legislative council. By Telegraph—Press Association T .WELLINGTON, June 25. pnt ijegls at!ve Council met at 2.30 LEAVE OF ABSENCE. JWo days leave of absence were granted to the Hon. C. J. Carrington, Oil account of a death in his family. . JURIES ACT J lie Juries Amendment Bill, introduced by the Hon. J. Maqmmr ™ ’tTst " The 8111 )tH:4t a hve-wxilhs majority nlay be accepted m criminal cases, ’ and that a trial may be continued, uotwitnstandmg that the jury may be reduced m numbers. ADDRESS IN REPLY. ' the Address-in-Reply debate, the Hon. G. M. Thomson spoke ot the value of research work 111 im-i--culture and industry, and stressed tue undeveloped potentialities of the fisheries of the Dominion, both for foods and phosphates. He suggested ~;at nuyal vessels be used for marine viileanolcgleal observations.

The Hon. G. J. Garland dealt'chiefly with, financial matters, and criticised the large importations of motor-cars, and the, volume of trade v.iii the United States, which he said should be converted into Empire trade. Ihe Hon. R MoOre stressed the necessity for trade within the Empire, and “.poke trenchantly concerning industrial troubles, advocating strong measures against ilie strikers and strike leaders.

1 lie debate was adjourned at 4.20 p m., on the motion of the Hon. W. H. •'U’L'Lvre, and the Council rose untii 2.30 p.m. on 'Tuesday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m.. NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE. Mr E. J. Howard (Cliristcnurch boutli) continued the deoate on ,m-AddiebS-in-Keply. He said 111 his rem ’ >7 Ute Leader of the Opposition. i J!t - Hon. \V D. Stewart had explained semething about the censorship ot books, out ne had evaded the main point made by Mr Holland, namely, that there was discrimination against working class books. If any man had a right to “crow” over the result 01 chc’ election, it was the Prime Minister, because so many of his supporters in the House were only there because the .Prime Minister was there. “A vote for one of these is a vote for Coates,” ran the Party’s advertisements, and if the Labour Party had done as well at the election as the Prime Minister had done, they doubtless would be as vain about it as he was. The Labour Party had been chided with having a “Left Wing,” but after Mr Lysnar’s speech last night it was evident that the Reform Party had a “Left Wing” too, and a wing with a few feathers in it. Much' had been said about reorganisation of the railways. He feared that, apart from a re-shuffling of jobs, things remained much as they were. Mr R. P. Hudson (Motueka) said ho did not doubt that the Government was doing the right thing in bringing out Public School boys from England, but boys were just at an age when their careers might be made or m.ineu, and the greatest care should be exercised as to the class of farmer into whose employ they were drafted.

Mr W. J. jordan (Manukau) said the Government claimed that the large deposits in the Post Office 'Savings Bank was proof of the people’s confidence in them, but over the last five yeilrs the withdrawals had been larger than deposits, which was surely proof that the, people’s confidence was wanting. The Government had failed in its duty in the matter of providing people with homes. If the banks wanted higher rates of interest, they just had a meeting and said so, but' it the workers wanted increased wages, they had to go before the Arbitration Court and fight for every advancelthev got. Air V. H. Potter (Roskill) occupied the opening portion of his speech to an explanation of his attitude in connection with the Eden election, and was criticising the motor-bus regulations when the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. When the House resumed at 7.30, Mr Potter continued his denunciation of what he called the iniquitous mOtorbus regulations, contending that it was unfair to make City Councils, who are

interested parties, the licensing authority. He hoped the Prime Alinister would place the regulations before the House, and give members a free hand to deal with them. He urged that it was time the Government and not the Racing Conference controlled racing. He demanded rigid inspection of hotels. If a milk vendor put a quart of clean water in his milk he was heavily find, but a publican could do what he liked. Mr G. H. R. Mason (Eden) denounced the barbarous British marriage law under which a-British woman marrying a foreigner lost her nation-

ality. He protested against pensions bring placed on a contributory basis, and urged that immediate provision should be made by the State for incapacitated citizens. Mr J. Mason (Napier) referred to the question as to whether the Government was or wms not a majority Government. No Reform candidate seeking re-election had been defeated, Which was sure proof of the Government’s popularity.

Mr R. McKeen (Wellington South) declared that Customs duties had been increased, consequently the cost of living had been increased to workers, while the “cut” in public servants’ salaries made the position of those people doubly difficult. The sfieaker criticised the pensions scheme as administered by the Government, and said war-worn soldiers were not receiving the benefit of nensions which a grateful country' was wily too ready to grant them. The adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr G. W. Forbes, and at 11.17 the House rose till 2.30 on Tuesday.