BUSY MINISTERS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 142, 18 July 1929, Page 6

BUSY MINISTERS

Per Press Association.

MANY QUESTIONS AKSMERED. YAEIOUS SUBJECTS DEALT WITH.

WELLINGTON, Last night. Sir Joseph Ward, replving to Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Riccarton) in the House of Rcpresentatives to-day, stated tliat the Government had already announced its irtention to refer the question of wheat and flour duties to a special committee of the House, representing all parties, to review the whole question this sessicn. The present duties would remain in force for the commg season's crop. Sir Joseph Ward, in answer to Mr J O'Brien (Westland), said the State Advances Board had full aut'hority to gi ant additional loans to anjr of its mortgagors whose properties had been damaged by the recent earthquake and who mav require financial assistance to enable them to make good the damage'. RESTRICTION ON RENT. The Prime Minister, in answer to a question by Mr C. H. Chapman (Wellington Korth), said that legislation wouTd be introduced extendiug the duration of the Rent Restnction Act for another year. Sir Joseph Ward informed Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch Soutli), that loans were obtainable from the State Advances Department on dwelling lituses already erected and on whieh money had been borrowed, provided tbe biilding had been erected, say, within the last five years. Sir Joseph Ward, replving to Mr W. 0. Broadfoot, (Waitomo), said that if invited New Zealand would accept an ir.vitation to attend the suggestecl conference of units of the British Empire to consider rationalisation of Empire industry, trade and development in view of the proposed heavy mcrease of United States tariffs against British products. PBECAUTIONS AGAINST THE 'FLU The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy replving tc Mr J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn), said that the Government, in co-operatipn with otlier countries, was keeping strict sopervision over the outbreak of diseases in all parts of the world and was taking all precautions to prevent influenza spreading from Sydney to Kew Zealand. The Hon. T. W. Wilford replied that be could not accede to the request of Mi -R. Semple (Welhngton East) to restore the civil nghts of two students of religion who were conscientiously opposed to military service and _ who were recently deprived of civil rigbts for ten years by an Auckland magistiate. THE WEIGKT OF BREAD. Mr T. W. McDonald (Wairarapa) asked the Minister of Health whether ] would take steps to cancel the 1924 arrangement between tlie department and the Mastcr Bakers' Fcderation wliich purported to authorisc the saie as 21b loaves of bread of the "barracouta," "corrugated" and "pom pom" sliapes weigliing only 11b 14ozs., and that eertain otlier types of bread do not exceed llb Sozs. m weight, and tl-at eertain other loaves of bread of oidinarv composition do not exceed llb 4r/s. in weight. The Hoti. A. J. Stallworthy said he proposed to. review and reopen the whole auestion witliout unnecessary deliiy with a view to restonng eonstitiitir.nal practice and to make the position more satisfactorv as between buveis and sellers of bread. In renlv to Afr W. J. Polsen (Stratford), Sir Joseph Ward said he liad arranged to increase the maximum amount of loans under the intermediate rnral credits scheme from £1000 to £2000 and to simplify loan procedure. PRTVATE BPnADC'ASTIKG STATTONS. Tlie Hon. J. B. Donald, replyiiig to AIi- J. A. Nash (Palmerston), said that in nddition to the four principal broadcasting stations there were twelvc private hroadcasting statiou operating in New Zealand. Licenses for private bioadcasting stations are issued witliout the payment of fees, provided tcchnical requirements are satisfied and there is evidence that the npplicant can satisfactorily maintain the propcsed service. It is necessarv to ensure that transmission be of good quality, and also that there be a mimmum of interference with existing stations.