NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

Tho House will meet to-day at 7.30 p.m. instead of 2.30 p.m. on account of tho holiday. When notice was gWen'm that direction yesterday, Mr.' Massey asked that another opportunity bo given, for the answering of questions by Ministers. Sir Joseph Ward replied that next Monday afternoon could bo devoted to local Bills if so desired, and also to tho answering of Mr. Massey rejoined that it would be impossible to havo questions and local Bills in tho ono afternoon. (Laughter.) The Premier replied that if that was ho anothor opportunity would bo given to have questions taken. Mr. T. Mackenzie: "Take Saturday afternoon.". (Laughter and protests.) Mr. F. E. Baume (Auckland East) withdrew from the order paper yesterday a notico to introduce a 'Bill entitled tho Land and Income Amendment Act, 1900, Amendment Bill. Tho Bill was withdrawn owing to some irregularity. "The Public Petitions M to Z Committee recommended to tho favourable consideration of tho Govormnant the prayer of A. G. Smith, of Wellington., and N. M'Leod, of Auckland, for the balance of pay to bo handed to them for acting as commissioned officers in South Africa while being'paid as noncommissioned officers. Tho following; are the loans or debentures maturing during the present financial year: — Immigration and Public Works Act £1,000,000, Juno 1, 1907; Government Loans to Local Bodies £250,300, September 1, 1907; Consolidated Stock Act £509,300, December 31, 1907; Land for Settlements Act, £20,000, June 1. 1907; £50,000, June. 30, 1907; £25,000, September 1, 1907, £559,000, February 1,1908; Public Works and Land Settlement Act, £3500 May 1, 1907, £20,000 February 1, 1903 • State Coal Mines Act, £140,000 April 1, 1907. . ■' Mr. Massey is going to ask- iho Government, " Why the medals awarded in the photographic'section of the New Zealand International Kxhibition recently held at Christchurob hove not been banded over, to the successful competitors ? "

Mr. Poolo will ask tho Premier whother, in view of the troublo caused by the packet license system, ho .will take steps at an early date to limit tho operations of the same. Mr. Okoy has given notice to ask the Minister of Justice whether his attention has been called to tho finding of the grand jury at tho recent sittings of tho Supreme Court at Now Plymouth and the newspaper comments thereon; also whether he has had any report of such finding from the Judgo presiding; and whether in futnro cases put before grand juries, he does not consider that it would ho better if a copy of the depositions of witnesses wore supplied to the jury?