PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

APPROPRIATION BILL. MANY SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. FARMERS AND FERTILISERS. (Special Parliamentary Reporter.) PRESS GALLERY, Saturday. The appearance of Imprest Supply Bill, No. 5 in the House of Representatives yesterday provided members with another opportunity for the discussion of all or any topics. This opportunity was fully availed of. The ventilation of districts’ needs was followed by a wordy excursion into differences between fertiliser prices in the North and South Islands, the debate on this subject being prolonged until a late hour.

Some outspoken statements were made by the Postmaster-General, Hon. W. C. Nosworthy, who alleged that the South Island was getting the worst of the deal through the fertiliser war, and was being “rooked” for all it was worth.

Taking a different line the Minister of Agriculture suggested that the farmers should combine and purchase their supplies of fertilisers on a cooperative basis. After a lengthy advocacy on the need for increased salaries for members of Parliament the Bill was passed and the House rose at 1.30 a.m.

The Bill provides for an appropriation amounting to £1,194,800.

POST AND TELEGRAPH BILL. REVOLUTIONARY PROVISIONS. DRASTIC AMENDMENT CERTAIN. WELLINGTON, Friday. 7’he Post and Telegraph Bill, which came up for its second reading yesterday, encountered a good deal of criticism from various quarters and on the suggestion of Sir Joseph Ward was ultimately referred to the Public Accounts Committee wilii the certainly of being thoroughly overhauled before it again makes ils appearance in the House. One of its clauses which came in for a good deal of adverse criticism provides that the appointment of officers to the department at salaries exceeding £765 per annum shall be made by the Governor-General, which means, of course, in this instance, by His Excellency’s advisers. This, Mr H. E. Holland, the Leader of the Opposition, declared, was the beginning of political control and at once would place all llie appointments and promotions in the higher grades in the hands of the Minister concerned. Sir Joseph Ward insisted that the Bill contained most revolutionary provisions and never should have been sprung on llie House at such a late stage of the session. The Prime .Minister was affable and conciliatory and quite ready to let llie Bill go on lo the Public Accounts Committee. On this understanding it received its second reading and was put out of the way for a season.

ARBITRATION BILL. REFERRED TO COMMITTEE. REPRESENTATION TO BE HEARD. (Special Parliamentary Reporter. PRESS GALLERY, Friday. Persons and organisations desiring to make representations to the Government on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill will have an early opportunity of doing so for the measure was to-day read a second time pro forma in the House of Representatives and referred to the Labour Bills committee.

In suggesting that this course be adopted, the Minister of Labour, Hon. G. J. Anderson, said he had hoped that the second reading of the Bill would have been taken before this. As time was getting on and he knew that many people wished to give evidence on the Bill he now thought it would be better if the measure was sent to the committee as early as possible. “You have had a change of heart,” remarked the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. 11. E. Holland. Mr. W. E. Perry, Auckland Central: You want to slaughter it.