NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 9

NEWS AND NOTES.

•Replying to Mr. Massoy yesterday, the Premier admitted that, owing to opidomics of sickness, tho loavo due to'some members, of. the railway staff in various parts of the Dominion was jn arroar, hut this was being rectified as quickly as' circumstances would pormit, and additions wcro being daily made to the staff for this purpose. Jlr. Lewis asked the Premier (1) "Whether in view of the fact that tho Union Steamship Company is arranging for an up-to-date ferry service between' Lyttelton and Wellington, and that it is further proposed to acquire the Manawatu Railway, they will endeavour to facilitate passengor traffic by availing themselves of tho amplo wharfage accommodation in Wellington and run trains to th 6 steamer's side, as is now done at Lyttolton; (2) also ondcavour to arrange with tho Union Steamship Company to check passengers' luggage through from one Island to the otherP" Sir Joseph Ward replied: "When the Mailawatu Railway is acquired a reorganisation of tho system of stations will bo nocossary, and in connection therewith it is intended to, if possible, make provision for trains going to the side of ferry steamers. An ondcavour will also bo made to inaugurate tho checking of luggage of passengers who travel by train and ferry-boat between tho two Islands." Mr. Wilt'ord suggested that tho Government should consider tho advisability 0 f altering tho whole system of payment of the men in tli9 Second Division of the Railways Department, so that in tho calculation of each week's pay each day shall count for itself? llo.stated that tho holidays granted on Dominiou Day, Labour Day, and the King's birthday have, through tho system of calculation adopted, been lost to the men. The Premier replied; "The holidays wanted

to the railway staff on Dominion Day, Labour Day, and the King's birthday are being paid for as a full day in each easo. In order to make up their full time by noon on Saturdays, when the shops close, it is the practice of the men to work on five days of the week eight hours and three-quarters, and four hours and a quarter on Saturdays. A holiday when granted is counted as oiio day, in accordance with tho regulations. Tho men then have the option of working threequarters of an hour on the other days to mako up the full week of forty-eight hours, if they so desire. AVhero this is not dono, they lose three-quarters of an hour during the week in which tho'holiday is taken."

Mr, T. Mackenzie called tho attention of tho Minister for Justice to tho remarks of Mr. Justice Denniston at Dargavillo regarding kinematograph pictures of bush-ranging scones and their harmful effect on boys. Tho Minister replied: "I havo seon tho newspaper report of tho remarks roforred to, Tho lion, member's question apparently contemplates tho establishment qf a Stato censorship of plays and pictorial representations such as kinematograph exhibitions. At this stago of tho session 1 - can only promiso that I will look into tho matter during the rccoss." Tho Bills indicated by tho Premier yesterday as those lie intended to proceed with wore: Tho Nativo > Land Settlement Bijl, Gaming and Lotteries Bill, Government Railways Department Classification Bill, Christchurch Drainage Act Amendment Bill, Water Supply Act Amendment Bill, Railways Authorisation Bill, Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill,' Fire Brigades Bill, and tho Animals' Protection Bill. The Minister for Railways informed Mr, Field that no decision had been arrived at regarding the Lcvin-Foxton-G reatford deviation of the-North Island Main Trunk Railway. ; Mr. Witty asked the Minister' for Education whether lie would during tho rccoss try and formulate some scheme , whoreby teachers who were temporarily out of employment at the' time of the coming into operation of tho Teachers' Superannuation Fund should receive full benefit from tho same? "I will' endeavour'to do so,"said tho Minister, "but do not think it wise to hold out any hope that tho result will bo satisfactory."

Mr. Field yesterday asked the Minister for Agriculture in the House of Representatives "Whether he will without delay, particularly in yicw of tho fast-increasing numbor of small flocks and tho declining wool-market, tako into his earnest consideration the question of nlfording instructions to small sheepfanners in the improvement of their wool and tho preparation of their clips for : market, it being beyond doubt that a very largo sum of money is lost every year to growers and the country, generally by . lack of knowledge on this most important subject." 'J.'iio Minister said that-this matter had been before the Government for some considorablo time, but up to tho present, notlyng had been done in tho way of initiating classes of instruction. While in full sympathy with the subject, there wore many difficulties in the way of the Government taking up the work. . A return, presented .to tho Legislative Council shows that tho training-ship Amoltura is costing tho country £501 Is Bd. a month, when at sea, and £329 Is. Bd. when at moorings. Those amounts are made up as follow:—At ■ sea: Salaries and wages, £216 Is. 8tl.; food, £130; stores, £35; coal, £70; incidental expenses, £30. At moorings: Salaries and wages," £155 Is.' Bd.; food, £120; stores, £25; coal, £4; incidental expenses, £25. Since, September 10, 1906, tho total of all exponsos incurred in relation to the ship is £4528 ss.

If tho Premier adheres to his intention and passes all tho nine Bills indicated by him yesterday,: the following that still remain on the Order Paper will constitute this year a slaughtered innocents:— Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amondmont Bill. Harbours bill. ' Town Districts Bill. - Alining Act Amendment. Bill.' Chattels Transfer Act Amendment Bill. jUoiklo Acquittal Bill.' Harbour Boards Bill. Licensing.Polls Bill.-/,. Tramways Amendment Bill. Coroners Bill. Public and Bank Holidays Bill. Musicians Bill. ■ Divoreo Act Amendment Bill. Law Practitioners Act Amondmont Bill. - Town Districts Bill. Noxious Weeds Act Amendment Bill. Land Agents Bill. Lamps on Vehicles Bill. Accountants Bill. Barmaids Abolition Bill. Public Services Reform Bill. Absolute Majority Bill. Magistrates' Court Act 1893 Amendment Bill. Munioipal Corporations Amendment Tiili. Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment jiill. Water-supply Amendment Bill. Abolition of Plural Voting Bill. Flour-duty Abolition Bill. Local Bills,—lnvercargill Public Offices Sito Act Amendment Bill (iVlr. Hanan), Muroliison County Bill (Mr. R. M'Kenzie), Waimate Worth County Bill (Mr. Major), Opunake Harbour Bill (Mr. Major). •

If tho present sossion lasts till. Saturday it will be the longest on record. Up to the present the session of 1903 is the record one. It began on Juno 29, and onded on November 24. If tho present session closes on Saturday it will be ono day longor than that of 1903. . In reply to a query yesterday, tho Premier informed a Dominion . representative that something would bo done in regard to the Nightcaps disaster report, but ho could not say yet what action would be taken. The. exodus of legislators has fairly, set m. Tho Hon. T. Duncan and Messrs.' Bonnet, Macpherson, Hardy, and Keid left by the Maori last night for t?icir homes 'in the South. Mr. Hanan went yesterday to New Plymouth, where his children arc ill". - Within the last few days Messrs. Baume, Bollara. Flatmail, Groenslado, T. Mackenzie, and Malcolm have packed up and left.