PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15273, 25 June 1923, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

SOLDIERS' HOMES. DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ADVANCES ADMISSION BY PREMIER. ' By Telegraph—Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Monday. From communications received from Quite a number of soldiers in his constituency, he understood, stated Mr DG. Sullivan (Avon) in Parliament, that there had been considerable difficulty for some time past in securing advances for building houses un/Jer the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement AcV That was due, he understood, 'to the shortage of money in that account. He asked the Prime Minister to make a statement as to the present position; whether it had improved, or was likely to improve in the near future ? The Prime Minister admitted that there had been a shortage of money; but stated that as opportunity offered building of soldiers' homes would be proceeded with and money advanced. Afterwards, when the bill he had re-, ferred to the other day became law, as he felt sure it would, the soldiers •would have a better chance than before. But he could not/shut out the whole of the civil population for the Bake of supplying the soldiers. 'They would have to come in with the others. Expenditure on Luxuries. In the opinion of the Hon. E .Newinan, one of the newly-appointed Legislative Councillors, city and , borough councils are far too lavish in their desire to provide civic amenities for their burgesses. He spoke strongly on the subject Iflrom /the country man's point of view. It was the duty of the Government, he main- '■ talned, to exercise strict control over expenditure on everything 'but the development of the country. Local bodies were spending too much money, especially in the cities and towns, on things which could very well stand over for a few years. The same remarks applied to harbour boards. One could never open a newspaper without finding demands fox the establishment of hot water swimming baths, and all kinds of things which could stand over. Dunedin, for 1 instance, was going- to build a town hall, but surely that could wait. The Government should limit the expenditure of moneys by local bodies, especially in the towns and cities, until the back country was a little more developed. Lesser of Two Evils. "Much as we dislike the flrst-past-the-post system, I believe that my colleagues, members of the Labour Party,' would prefer it to the system of preferential voting."—Mr D. G. Sullivan, Sn the House of Representatives yesterday. Cows and Sheep and Pigs. Describing the speeches made by the mover and seconder of the Address-in-Reply, Mr W. A. Veitch. "Judging by the references to cows, and sheep, and butter, and beef, and pigs and calves, it is becoming more and more the age of beasts and less ,- and less the age of man." Big Estates. Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) Wends to mov v e that there be laid before the House a return showing the numDer of estates over 100 acres in extent which have been increased in area since 1918, giving each year scpora'ely. An Optimist? Perhaps the Hon. G. M. Thomson, of Dunedin, is an optimist. At any rate, one would imagine that he is so from a remark he made in the Legislative Council. It was satisfactory, be said, to note that the Government's '* legislative programme was well aci- . vanced. " Probably," he added. "tvhen : the legislators in another place get iid ' of their superfluous talk they will we . able to get on with legislation more quickly than usual." " A Stricken Government." Mr F. Lye (Waikato), speaking on the Address-in-Reply last night, congratulated Mr C. E. Macmillan (Taurahga) on his speech as seconder of the Address and on his presence in Parliament.* He had taken the right motor car, the Government motor car, added Mr Lye; and he was there that night as " a monument to the dying efforts of a stricken Government." (Loud laughter.).

How?

Mr Parr (to Mr Atmore): Your facts are. wrong.

Mr Atmore: How can my facts be wrong? If .they are, they are not facts. And you are the Minister fcr Education.

Allottins Portfolios.

The readjustment of Ministerial portfolios was discussed by. Cabinet on Saturday, but. details of allocation are not yet available. Mr Massey stated to-day that everything was ready, but he was not able to make any statement regarding redistribution until the approval of the Governor-General had been obtained. Possibly it would be Tuesday before anything was made public.