PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 October 1930, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

END IN SIGHT. By securing urgency on tlie Finance Bill and the Supplementary Estimates last evening, the Acting-Prime Minister made certain that at least two of the biggest- stumbling-blocks likely to prof. 'long the session beyond to-day would ''•be put out of the way before the House of Representatives rose. However, in spite of the Government’s hope that it can do those things it has to do by the adjournment to-night, it is clear that legislation will have to be jettisoned wholesale and other questions ruthlessly put aside if the many members who have already booked passages by boat and train are to leave for their homes in time for the week-end. Yesterday was prominent for the lack of progress made, the whole afternoon (being spent upon reports of Select Committees, the most outstanding being that of tho committee set up to enquire into the tobacco industry. Among a number of recommendations most interest attaches to that for the appointment of a permanent director of tobacco culture, and the establishment of an advisory council. inThe Government promised that the would be given a chance to dis-

cuss the report of Professor P. G. Hor\nell upon Arapuni. The chance was ~*extjainly given yesterday hut it did not come until 20 minutes before the afternoon adjournment, and the only two speakers were the Leader of the Opposition, Bt. Hon. J. G. Coates, /and Mr J. S. Fletcher, whose remarks were cut short. > The most piquant situation -of the day was provided by Mr W. 13. Lysnar, the member for Gisborne, who rose to make a personal explanation shortly after the House met in the afternoon, and announced that he had decided to join the ranks of the Independents. He asked Mr Speaker to treat him as an Independent in future, and Mr Coates said the request was agreed to unanimously. However, although Mr Lysnar said he was disappointed with being crowded ■out by Beform speakers, Mr Speaker applied something of a damper to the hopes of the new Independent that he wolkl have a better chance of making himself heard by saying that he would probably find he would not have the same opportunity to speak as he had enjoyed in the past as a party supporter. Little of moment came out of the. discussion of the Finance Bill in the evening, those members who had not had a chance to speak on-Arapuni or the railways question making full use of the last opportunity offered. The Government’s proposal to borrrw a further £9,000,000 was criticised by the Hon. W. D. Stewart, ex-Minister of Finance, who demanded that some policy ' upon railway and other works should be announced before the - House assented to the vote. The annual Appropriation Bill will appear to-day, and tne Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill will be considered further.

{X ALL-NIGHT SITTING. f ' •. (By Telegraph—-Press Association). 1‘" WELLINGTON, This Day. ' l Urgency having been accorded the passing of the Einance Bill, No. 2, and the Supplementary Estimates, the House of Representatives sat throughout last night. The Bill was read a second time at 5 a.m., but was still under consideration in committee when the House adjourned, at 7 a.m., till 9 a.m., for breakfast. STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION. ” WELLINGTON, This Day. In the Hguse of Representatives, the Finance Bill is still under consideration in committee. STATE COAL MINES. An admission that the quantities of State coal being used by the railways had been considerably reduced was made by thb Minister of Railways, Hon. W. A. Veit eh, in reply to an , urgent question by the Leader of the Labour [Party, Mr H. E. Holland, in the House yesterday. |Mr Holland, who sought information concerning the amount of State coal being used on the railways, said it was understood that the department had until recently bepn taking 259 tons a week from the State mines, but that it was now taking only 10 tons a week.

UNSIGHTLY HOARDINGS. A protest against the practice of the Railway Department erecting hoardings in the country was made by Mr A. E. Ansell (Ref., Chalmers), in the House. Mr Ansell said he hoped the department would consider cutting down the few pounds annual revenue it obtained from the advertising hoardings it erected throughout the countryside, on railway property. The hoardings were . a desecration of the seeenry, to which the department should not lend itself. The hoarding was an unpleasant development of modern life, and it was objectionable to the people of the Dominion. For the sake of a few pounds the Bepartment was prepared to decountryside, which was an asset, not only to itself, but also to the country as a whole, and which should be guarded jealously. It was to be hoped that the department would take immediate steps to reverse its policy of erecting hoardings. Instead of the scenic beauties of the Dominion being a valuable asset, .as theji should be, they would be nothing but a “wasting asset” if the rural areas were to be plastered with unsightly hoardings. By removing the hoardings, the Department would set an example to the rest of the Dominion. Neither the Department nor any private individual had any right to despoil the scenery, arid a man had as much right to use a tar brush to’ deface the engravings in Parliament Buildings as anyone had to deface the eorintry by the erection of hideous hoardings. * WAIKAREMOANA POWER. The report of Professor P. G. Hornejl

upon the Waikaremoana electric power scheme will not be placed before Parliament before the end of the session, according to a statement by the ActingPrime Minister, Hon. E. A. Ransom, in reply to an urgent question by Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier), in the House. Mr Ransom said the report would not be ready in time for presentation to the House, but that it would bo delivered to the Government later. Reference to the cost of Professor Hornell’s investigations was made by Mr J. S. Fletcher (Ind., Grey Lynn), in notice of a question to the ActingPrime Minister. He asked to be supplied with details of expenditure in ■connection with the Arapuni, Waikaremoana and Waitalti investigations.