PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18394, 30 July 1931, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

THE TWO DOMINIONS. TRADE RELATIONS. PREMIER’S FURTHER STATEMENT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Replying to Mr G. A. Wilkinson (Independent—Egmon-t), the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, said the Government had invited the Canadian Government to send a Minister to New Zealand to discuss the question of concluding a reciprocal trade agreement between the two Dominions. It was not considered that any useful purpose would be served by sending a trade delegation to Canada at present. He thought his recent statements would have made it obvious that the Government would continue to use every possible means to arrange a satisfactory trade agreement. POTATO EXPORTS. THE AUSTRALIAN EMBARGO. (By Telegraph:—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Replying to a question in the House of Representatives to-day, the Hon A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Agriculture, said a cablegram had been despatched to the Commonwealth Government on the subject of a request for lifting the embargo on New Zealand potatoes entering Australia. RELEASE OF OPOSSUMS. EXTENSION OF AREA SOUGHT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Information whether consideration would be given to allowing opossums to be released in suitable areas of bush land in the Dominion where these animals were not already liberated was sought in the House of Representatives to-day by Mr C. L. Carr (Labour—Timaru). Mr Carr referred especially to the Australian species, bearing a high grade of fur. The Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs, said, the anaiter was under the consideration of the Government. :jgj|j UNPAID RATES. f r " MORTGAGORS TO THE CROWN. (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The serious position of many local authorities by reason of the- fact that where ratepayers are mortgagors to the Grown and fail to pay their rates the local body has ho power to enforce the recovery of these unpaid rates was pointed out by Mr J. A. Young (Reform —Hamilton), in a question lie asked the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in the House of Representatives to-day. The Prime Minister replied: “The exemption of the Crown from liability for rates on properties mortgaged fo to Crown has been considered on numerous occasions, and has already been the subject of several questions asked in the House. The position, briefly, is that the Government does not propose to introduce legislation making the Crown liable for local-body rates, as such would have a material effect on the present operations of the State lending departments, which in the main are intended to assist settlement. “ The low interest charged, and the liberal extent of the advances made do not provide a margin out of which the Crown would be able to meet any additional liability, and it follows, therefore, that if such were imposed the rate of interest and margin of security accepted must be adjusted accordingly, which would have a detrimental effect both on the individuals and the local bodies.’’ DUTY SUGGESTED. ARTIFICIAL AND PURE SILK. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The question of imposing a duty on silk and artificial silk, if of British origin, and increasing the duty on such fabrics- of foreign makes, was a matter for the consideration of the Government, said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in the House of Representatives to-day. He did not propose to ask Parliament to allow British woollen goods to be admitted free, as such goods were largely made in New Zealand. Mr C. L. Carr (Labour —Timaru) said the duty on artificial silk was much lower than that on woollen goods. CRUSHED LIME COSTS. PRICES IN THE NORTH ISLAND. (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The price charged for crushed lime supplied lo farmers in the North Island was referred to by Mr J. A. Young (Reform —Hamilton) in a question he asked the Minister of Agriculture, the lion. A. J. Murdoch, in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr Young asked whether in view of the fact that it was reported that in the South Island the Minister recently imposed a restriction on a lime-crush-ing establishment, limiting the price at which crushed lime could be sold to farmers for free conveyance over the Government Railways to 13s per ton, he would take steps to look into the charges made by lime-crushers in the North Island, who were enjoying the same privilege with regard to the free carriage of lime for agricultural purposes, and where they were levying a charge at a rate approximating from 18s to £1 for a ton? “ Any statement that may have been made that a limitation of 13s per ton has been imposed in the case of a South Island lime-crushing establishment in respect of lime carried by rail has no foundation in fact.,’’ said the Minister in reply. “ The question of the price lo he charged for agricultural lime is, in the first instance, a matter for decision by the proprietors of the works concerned, but before such lime is entitled to be conveyed free by rail the price must be confirmed by the Department. Prices naturally differ in various localities, according to the cost of production and quality of the lime produced, and it- is not, therefore, possible to insist upon a uniform price throughout t Dominion. A general review of prices charged in the North Island is not (Continued in next column.)

contemplated, but If the honourable gentleman Is in possession of any data to show that the price charged by any particular works is unreasonably high, ind he will submit it to the Government, the matter will he looked into." SINKING FUND PAYMENTS. TEMPORARY REDUCTION URGED. (By Telegrrapli.—Press Association.) WE L LIN GTO N, Wcdn es d ay. In Ihe House of Representatives today Mr 11. G. R. Mason (Labour — Auckland Suburbs) asked .whether legislation would be introduced to enable sinking fund payments by local bodies to be temporarily reduced, thus affording some- relief lo ratepayers, especially in the case of particularly heavy sinking fund payments to which hospital boards were liable. .-The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, replied that the matter should first receive consideration by local bodies’ associations concerned, in order that it might be examined in all its bearings. No general application of the nature suggested had been made to the Government. CROWN LANDS. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In reply to a question in the House of Representatives to-day, the Minister of Lands (the lion. E. A. Ransom), stated that the Advisory Committees set up under the power given In- section 4 of the Land Laws Amendment Act., 1929, had inspected and reported on most of the Ch’own lands throughout the Dominion. Their recommendations with respect to areas suitable for development had received careful consideration. Twelve blocks, comprising about 70(000 acres, were already in process of development, and Ihe question of developing other blocks was now receiving attention.