PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18406, 13 August 1931, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

THE GENERAL ELECTION. REFORM NOMINATIONS. MR COATES' APPROVAL. (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday. The Leader of the Reform Party, the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates, lias telegraphed his endorsement of Mr J. A. C. Alluni as Reform candidate far Auckland West at the general election, Mr R. H. Marryatt for Auckland Suburbs, and Mr S. Rickards for Manukau. LABOUR AND DUNEDIN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Wednesday. The official Labour Party candidates for the Dunedin electorates are as follows: South, Mr F. Jones; Central, Mr F. Neilson; West, Mr J. Gilchrist; North, Mr J. W. Munro. PARTY AFFILIATIONS. POSITION OF REFORM. LABOUR MEMBER'S SUPPOSITIONS. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In an endeavour in the House of Representatives to-day to analyse party affiliations, Mr H. T. Armstrong (Labour—Christchurch East) said there seemed to be a Government parly and an opposition party in the Opposition Party. "That is lite peculiar part of the whole business," he said. "The front-benchers of the Opposition Party are very loyal supporters of the Government, and the backbenchers are the only real opponents. The others only apologise for the Government and try to justify its proposals.

"One of the back-benchers however, says his side of the House is not prepared to accept the taxation proposals. The member for Chalmers (Mr A. E. Ansell) also said ‘that is putting it plainly enough.’ When asked if he would vote witli us, he sail, •We will see when the time comes.’

Probably it will be what happened when the Government’s financial proposals were before the House last session. When the time comes, certain overtures will be made by the Leader or the Opposition, and the Government will accept them, and the difficulty will be got over."

ROTORUA RESERVE. RECLAMATION BILL. SEVERAL AMENDMENTS MADE. (special to Times). WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Rotorua Borough Reclamation Empowering Hill reported by the Local Bills Committee, to the House, of Representatives to-day provides for Hie reclamation ot' 12 acres along the foreshore of Lake Rotorua and the inclusion of the area in the borough. The amendments inserted uy the committee include the provision that any lease granted shall not include the authorisation of the erection of any building other than is necessary for the full use of tlie land, which the committee lias also laid down shtil be only for the purposes of enjoyment or recreation.

No building is to be erected except on an approved site and in conformity with a design approved by the Borough Council on the advice of the Town Planning Board but the council may grant to the board ot Maori Art a lease of a portion of the land to be agreed upon.

The bill will now be referred to the Lands Committee.

WORK ON FARMS. BY RELIEF LABOUR. SUGGESTED CESSATION (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Notice was given in the House ot Representatives this afternoon by Mr J. A. Young (Reform —Hamilton) to ask the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, whether in view of the notice appearing in the newspapers that unemployed relief workers under Nos. 4A and 4B schemes were to be put off as from the end of this month, he would intimate what steps the Government proposed to take in two essential particulars. Mr Y'oung asked what was to be done to find employment for the men who would find themselves without jobs at the end of the month, and what would be done to assist in the development of unimproved and backward farm lands owned by private persons.

FUSION SHOULD COME NOW. A REFORM OPINION. (Special to Times.) DUNEDIN, Thursday. The Otago Dally Times (Reform) says that if there is to be a fusion ot parties at all there is a clear argument in favour ot the accomplishment of it before the general election Instead of after the election. For that reason the large body of electors in all parts of New Zealand who believe that a fusion of parties is necessary In order that an unbroken front may be exhibited In the presence ot the economic disorders afflicting the country, will be gravely disappointed at the way In which an opportunity for co-ordination of effort is being disregarded.

RADIO ADDRESS.

ALLEGED POLITICAL USE, QUESTIONS IN HOUSE. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) WELLINGTf»N. Wednesday. ! In a question in the House of Representatives to-day Mr c. L. Carr I (Labour —Timat’u) asked the Post ■ ; master-General, the Hon. .1. B. Donald, whether it was in accordance with the

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Government’s policy to permit party political propaganda to be broadcast, as he alleged had been done by Mr A. C. Cameron, the retiring president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, from the 4YA station on Monday. Il this was so, he asked whether the Minister would give an opportunity for a broadcast reply from the same station. Mr Donald replied to the first part of the question in the negative, and added that that being the case, there was no need to reply to the latter part. COST OF GOVERNMENT. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. REDUCTION IN NUMBERS URGED. WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Mr K. S. Williams (Reform —Bay of Plenty), in the House of Representatives to-day, said the country was unable to bear any burden of taxation greater than that proposed in the Budget and as the position of the national finances was going to be difficult next year, the whole cost of government should receive close attention. “We have 80 members of Parliament,’’ Mr Williams said, “and while I do not want to see any of them lose their seats, it has to be remembered that conditions of travel have been improving from year to year, making it easier for members to reach remote parts of their electorates. Members of county councils are doing their work for nothing, and if their position is 1/ be looked into it is fair to the I taxpayers that everything possible ' should be done to see if we could lower i the number of members of Parliament I and reduce overhead charges.

• Some of Hie county council people have enormous districts to travel through,’’ Mr Williams continued, “and I think wc should ask an outside body to investigate the position, not only in connection with Parliament, but also regarding government costs generally. The taxpayers of New Zealand are responsible for the continued growth of expenditure. Everyone has been asking for something more, and when times were good they received a deal of consideration and still asked

for more. Now that conditions arc bad, we should investigate the heavy load that is being laid upon taxpayers."