PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 250, 20 September 1929, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THIS MORNING’S BUSINESS. MINISTER QUESTIONED REGARDING SCHOOLS. ■ Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. The House of Representatives met at 10.30 this morning. Sir Joseph Ward gave notice of his intention to move that from Wednesday, September 25th, and for the remainder of the session Government bustne:* should tako precedence on the order paper on Wednesdays. Mr D. McDougall was granted five (] a vs' leave of absence on account of illness. „ Replying to Mr H. T. Armstrong, Hon. H. Atmore said that the expenditure on the erection of schools was not being held up as a result of awaiting a decision as to the policy in regard to junior high schools. He pointed out that the Governor-Gen-eral’s Speech and the* Budget had stated that a select committee would go thoroughly into this matter and take evidence from all organisations interested. POLICE DEPARTMENT VOTE. The House, went into Committeo of Supply on the Estimates. The Polico Department vote (£4(11,688) was taken first. , Mr F. Waite referred to the provision of £IOO for rewards and expenses for the suppression of sly-grog selling and the introduction of liquor into prohibited districts. He expressed the view that this task should be undertaken by the police in a sense of decency and justice and not for reward, and he alsi urged that more energy should be devoted to the suppression of illegal distilleries. Mr M a\to claimed that some of the larger distilleries had not so far been discovered and that the work was still going on in Southland. . , , Sir Joseph Ward objected to the reference to Southland which he eaid, was unjustified. there had been a tremendous cleaning ui> and he was satisfied that the residents had no desire to resort to the purchase of illegal liquor at a high price when they could get the genuine article under the law by unP °Mr n j. I A. Nash emphasised the need for providing faster means of transport lor the pursuit of crimina.s I Mr H. Holland (Christchurch North) said he hoped that something would be done to strengthen the police force of the Dominion, which he considered was quite, inadequate. it had not kept pace with the crease in tfho population. Mr x* • also stated that the publication of the plans of the police to cope , with law breaking often defeated the object of those plans in that it put the criminals on their guard. MINISTER’S STATEMENT.

Hon T. M. Wilford, replying, said that the task of the suppression of slygrog selling was well tackled, and lie was satisfied that it had been practically stamped out m Southland. He pointed out that the detection of a sljgrog still was a “rotten and extremely difficult .iob,” and he did not think it out of place to grant rewards. the Minister said he realised that the police force was not sufficiently strong numerically. He had authority to state that it was intended to add 30 men to the police force of the Dominion, and the House woud he asked to pass a rote in the supplementary estimates to meet this expense. SUPPRESSION OF CRIME. In regard to the . suppression of crime, Mr Wilford pointed out that one difficulty was the necessity to cope with “master men. An international safe-blower had been convicted recently. Prior to that there had been 40 cases of safe-blowing. He did not claim that this man had been responsible for them, but there had been no cases since. , , ~ £ Mr 11. Kyle: What about the file bU fl' r Wilford: In my opinion there is no* fire bug at all; it was simply invented by the newspaper press. Mr Wilford expressed the opinion that the fires which had been attributed to incendiarism had really been accidental ‘in reply to Mr W. J. Poison, who had complained of the inability to cope with sheep stealing, tno Minister said he believed that this would eventually be met in the same way as safe-blowing had been —by the detection of the “master men. The need for faster transport for the police was realised and the position would be met as far as possible. WOMEN POLICE SUGGESTED.

Members suggested the appointment of women police, whereupon Mr Milford stated that there was no power under the law for this. It could only be done by an amendment to the Act. Mr J. McCombs: Will you introduce such legislation? Mr Wilford (emphatically) : I will not. (Laughter.) ~ ' . , Mr E. J. Howard said that he could not agree with the Minister that the Christchurch fires were accidental, and he said that in his opinion they were the acts of a well defined type of criminal lunatic. The theory of accidental origin was not borne out by the fact that furniture and other articles had been stacked and apparently set on fire. He claimed that the police force should be trained in psychology. Had they had such training, they would have been able to put their fingers in a very few moments on where the troublo had originated. SUGGESTED LIMITATION OF SPEECHES.

The committee then adjourned, and, after the Prime Minister had made a statement to the House regarding the signing of the optional clause of the statute of the Court of International Justice, Sir Joseph Ward referred to the speed at 11-111011 the estimates were being passed, and stated that if members desired to got through them in reasonable time there would be a need to limit the number of speeches. Many of the matters raised could be covered by an interview with tile Minister. He realised that the present position was duo to tho fact that the Government had to deal with criticism from the two other parties. Mr H. E, Holland (Buller) said he agreed that a strain was being imposed on the now standing orders and he thought that tho only way of overcoming the difficulty was an agreement between tho throe parties. The House adjourned at 1 p.m.