NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 531, 11 June 1909, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

THE COVERNMENT CAUCUS. CHAIRMANSHIP OF COMMITTEES. Upon the conclusion of the Government caucus yesterday, tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) informed the press th3t 44 members of the party were present. Of the | seven absent members, five were accounted tor, one was out of the Dominion, and the ,?m^ M bc r ond reacn of communication. ■ /nopaucus was called bv me," Sir Joseph said, for tie purpose of explaining the position connected. with the work of the short. session, and the nature of thq business for. the- general information of members. 1 intimated ■■ the nominees of the Government for th« positions ot Speaker and Chairman of Committees. I also expressed my appreciation of tho con-1 sideration that had been shown to me by a number of qualified gentlemen for both positions, and the desire oxnressed not to have unnecessary conflict in the matter of these elections. I - intimated • that, 'after giving the matter careful consideration, the Government proposed to support Mr. Guinness for _tno Speakership and Mr., Wilford for Chairman _of Committees, the other gentlemen who had contemplated standing having very kindly intimated to me their desire' to make tho way dear for the two gentlemen named, as tho Government nominees. The party generally expressed its appreciation of .the consideration that-had .'been extended to me by tho gentlemen referred to. "In mentioning the business to bo discussed,'" continued Sir Josejih, ,"I stated to members, that of necessity a loan would require to be authorised; that an extension of the authorisations for public works to be .carried on in tho interval wan'requisite, and that an increase in the unauthorised expenditure was also necessary, and I explained the reasons for this, every item connected with it'requiring to be voted upon tho Estimates during, tho coming session, adding that tho House would bo asked to confirm the Government's offer to the British Navy. _"T6u can accept it from me," added Sir Joseph, "that there was great cordiality among the • members, and that unanimity marked the whol» of the proceedings." AN ACCIDENT. A petition for relief was presented to the Government yesterday by Mr. T. Y. Seddon, on behalf of Wm. Yskcr, ■ boardinghousekeeper. Westland. The applicant stated that ho walked over a steep bank whore the Otira River had scoured away the approach of a road. As a result of being precipitated a distance of twenty-five feot on to boulders in the riverbed, he was severely shaken, and received serious injuries to his hip and head, an .l w Particular to his jaw, which was still stiff. Thero was, ho alleges, nothing to indicateithat another road had been made leading to tho river, and tho diversion was not observable except in daylight. Immediately after the accident a barrier was, ho further alleged, erected by the Roads Department to prevent poople proceeding along the road which had been followed by him. THE SEVENTH SPEAKER. It may not be generally known that only seven members have occupied. the office of Hpeaker pf the-House of Representatives in W W Zealand. This"fact was. referred to by the Prime Minister yesterday when congratutoting the Hon. A. R. Guinness upon his reelection to the position. It was a sinjnilar circumstance, he said, that Mr. Guinness ST , Do,,, .' f,e ™ri the second longest term as Speaker in' this country. The record for length-of servicers Speaker was, he continued held by Sir Maurice O'Rorke, who for eight terms had occupied tho responsible office. No other Speaker had held ' the position, for more than two Parliaments. ' G ? mn ?? s , wa3 < however, now entering upon his third term in that capaoity. LOSS OF BALLOT PAPERS. When the report of the commission an. pointed m connection with the petition regarding the validity of the Dunedin Nortn olectlon was presented to Parliament by the Speaker yesterday afternoon, Mr. James Allen made pointed reference to the loss of ballot papers in connection with the Parliamentary election. Ho did not, ho said; raise any specific objections in this case, because he did not exactly know what had taken place. It was,- however, due, he thought, to Parliament and-to tho Leader of the. House, that something should be done to prevent on future occasions the loss of ballot papers such as took place in this instance, and which was very nearly becoming a serious matter. (Hear, hear.) Tho Prime Minister said the Government in this caso had done what was possible to ensure, the detection of those who, it was alleged, had abstracted tho ballot papers. They' had;made every effort to sheet the matter home, but were .advised that there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute anyone. He quite agreed that every effort should be made to prevent'the loss of. ballot papers, both before and after an election. He would be glad to look into tho matter, and see if anything further could be done. v j " . COVERNMENT WHIPS. It is stated that some difficulty is being experienced in the selection of a junior Government Whip. Mr. Laurenson, the senior Whip, is a South Islander, and on that account it is considered necessary that tho junior Whip should come from tbo 'north. But Mr. Laurenson is an extreme leaseholder, and most of tho North Island members who ivpuld be suited to the position, or would be inclined to take . it, are supporters of the freehold. It is not easy to find two Whips whoso appointment,would give general satisfaction, and who,would work together without friction. ' 'I SILENCEIS COLDEN. ...It is understood that at tbo Government caucus meeting yesterday, tho desire was expressed that, in order.to expedite the work of the session, as few Government members as possible should speak on subjects ;of debate. Tbis'will'but continue the policy, that ; was adopted, at. tho first informal, meeting, 'when. Government members voted on tho 'question of adjournment, but, with only one or two exceptions, did not open their mouths. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAININC. Members of Parliament have received a circular loiter, asking their opinion on the subject of compulsory military training. So far as could bo ascertained last evening, tho of membors on the Opposition side of the House, and a considerable number of Government supporters, favour some system of compulsory training.. *•'' Massey, Leader' of the Opposition, when questioned on tho subject yesterday, said: "I havo supported national training for years past, on almost every platform, on which I have spoken, and I put it in tho forefront of the Opposition platform at tho last election.. I supported it for years' past, whon a lot of those who aro advocating it now wero very strongly opposed to it, and the policy has'been accepted generally by Oppositionists throughout the Dominion. tfuoh, training should, be compulsory, with certain necessary, exemption*. • There should

bo a system of national training under which all youths under 21 would bo oxpectcd to fit themselves to tako part in tho defence of their country. It has got to come, and tho sooner we make up our minds to it tho better." Mr. Massoy stated that Mr. James Allen had recently addressed large meetings in tho south on the subject of national training, and was recognised as an authority on the subject, as was also Captain Rhodes. I, am strongly of opinion," concluded Mr.' Massey, "that we are going to be able to work out a satisfactory schemo, though the details are not yot complete." DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN. Mr. T. \EL Davey (Christehurch East), who declined nomination for tho Chairmanship of Umimittees,, so that the Government should noVbo embarrassed by rival nominations, would almost certainly havo been elected if k» had not given place to Mr. Wilford. It is stated that all the Opposition members would have voted for Mr. Davey, and a leading Government supporter who made "inquiries found . tfcit at least .twenty-two members of the Government party would ! ave accorded him their votes. It is considered probable that a DeputvChairmau of Committees will be appointed' S D T y V a T T ° is mooned for that position, with Mr. Hanan, member' for Invorcargdl,, also in the running. PROPOSED BILLS. I Mr. Headman has given notice of a' Public service Bill. Mr.'Fisher intends to bring in a Sunday Labour Bdl, and a New Zeafand Tim?BiU will be introduced by Mr. Sidey. 7? a iW Herd wl is t0 - ? sk the M ™ster for Railways, whether, with a view of promote Bffl rihM, Jt to introduce a S °- TCSt the "»MU>BWMIIt of tho .railways in a competent non-political b6ard? ~ OUTSTANDING LIABILITIES. An abstract of the liabilities of the DoS^ Ut^ nd ! n S ™ March 31 hi, £ ceivod Wthe Auditor-General, waa preset uCT i he retur , n 5h01r5 liabilities totaling no less a sum than £1,405,800, tho prinffi 1 feto follow Ufa fund, £1,004,427; consolidated fund, £287?. railway improvements account, £22,484-Welhngton-Hutt railway and road count "ma?! , £l 9.6fS; Public Trusteed at «>y<B, lands for settlement account, £2544 : ueposits national endowment account, £1856 ; Government insurance account, £1213. POSITION OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY. W' r rfern >S,"to certain statements that mZ?.-!rf B ?i, n, ft d 8 the recent caudi!™ the { °PPOS't'on, and the alleged differences of opinion, expressed thereat? a ■USE!?**'A the s arfc y m!ide tls <» following statement to a 'DojnmoN .representative to-night:— ■ ■ ■ , > *" ■ I . " There was no .meeting on Sunday even'a a ' h "« st »ted.. 'The meetings, were !«™;,°? tal ?! y ?TOmn e and on Tuesday evening, tho Utter meeting, being held to ijE* V n give latelomers an opportunity hearing the decisions that had been come to. There wcro.no differences of opinion, the meetings being absolutelv unlawmous and also very enthusiastic. There tnover was a time when the Opposition wore so strong, so; united, or had such. absolute confidence> in th« r leader.a, at present. When tho House is sitting, Mr. Massey always consults his colleagues whenever it is possible for him to do so, but at other times he acts on his own responsibility promptly, and with the complete confidence of every member of his party. The Opposition recognise that it is largely to Mr.Massey's indomitable pluck, energy, and sound judgment that, their increased numbers .is due. lap Government peoplo must bo in sore straits when they have to-descend to misrepresentation of prominent Oppositionists.!' AODRESS-IN-REPLY. t It is stated that the Address-in'-Reply debate in the Legislative Council will only ocoupy Tho mover will be the Hon. James M'Gowan, and the secpndef the Hon. O. H. Mills. the House the mover will be Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui), and the seconder Mr. E. H, Taylor (Thames). CONDITION OF THE POLICE PORCE. Among the questions'handed in to Parliament yesterday was the following:—"What steps, if any, are being taken to cleanse the police force of the Dominion, and exercise greater care in the selection of men for this important department?" Mr. Poole who asks the question, adds that the recent developments have made the public mind uneasy, and unless tho greatest care is taken there is a chance that order and safety will be things of the past.' ■ \ "MAGNIFICENT." Mr , - rF'. C ' Thonis on has given notice to ask tie Minister for Railways, whether he has seen the following paragraph, which has b%en going the rounds oPthe press, and which is attributed-.to the Wangauui "Chronicla" :— ; One of the scandals of the Main Trunk line is the magnificent railway station at Waimanno, where a etationmaster and clerk j manage. TKe monthly turnover seldom exceeds £2." If so, will he say whether or not it is correct? 1 \ ' J LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY. _ According to Mr. Jennings; member for. Taumarunui, some alteration of the present condition of affairs, with regard to tho liquor: question, in his electorate is necessary. Yesterday he asked the Prime Minister whether ho would,- in view of the. number of convictions of persons for alleged sly grog-selling and the recent granting of wholesale licenses in ,tno electorate, grant to the residents the n S ht of voting local option thesamo as is extended to electors of other electorates throughout the Dominion. It was pointed out by Mr. Jennings that the necessity for an alteration had been shown at public meotrngs addressed-by persons connected with the temperance cause, and by newspapers published throughout the Dominion. "THE DEFENCELESSNESS OF THE • DOMINION." . Mr - %fr will ask the Minister for De-' fence: Whether he will recommend the tfovwnment to set up a Defence Committee to sit during the approaching 'short recess, with a view to furnishing this Housd with lnformataon that will euabls it to fully comprehend the defcncelessnosa of tie Dominion at th© present-time?" ' COMPENSATION. A claimfor compensation was the subject of a petition presented yesterday on behalf of Georgo Swan Ross, overseer, Christchurch. He stated that in 188S, whilst he was employed as a boiler-maker at the Addmgton Railway Workshops, he introduced a protection plate for locomotive boilers. The invention was used by all locomotivee throughout New Zealand, and had never been improved upon. It had, he alleged, been the means of saving thousands of pounds,to the Government. Secondly, ho introduced a ferruel draw-bar, for drawing tho ferruols out of the tubes in-tho firebox, which mado it a one-man. job, instead of making two men requisite, and there was no smoke-box door to open and no exhaust or steam pipes to disconnect. _ That invention had also been a g jj j S s£"l s P tho Applicant added that ha was dismissed tho Son-ice after haying served about 19 years' contruuous Bervice m the Addmgton Railway Workshops and the Public Works Department. A PLETHORA OF QUESTIONS. Nearly eighty questions were hurled'at the bewildered Speaker of the House of Represontttives, yesterday afternoon. Two or three members, wore generally on their feot at tho same time, and tho fusillade was maintained with much liveliness. One mem!)*/J m, s•■ h , a,,0 '"P te his and ejaculated Sir a dozen tilnes bcfora J th Speaker decided that some other member had not sprung up and raised his voice more quickly. Most of tho requests had reference to purely local subjects. When tho bombardment ceased Mr. Hall (Waipawa) asked, amidst some laughter, if the Govornment intended to answer all theso questions In reply to. further questions by Mr. Hall the Prime Minister stated that ho would ask'

the House to pass a motion that such petit!olls, J a l wcre not dcalt witu thw session should bo dealt with next session in the order in which they had been presented. Ho would havp to consider whether tho. samo rule should apply to questions. The following were among tho questions of which notico was given:— Mr. Wright to ask, when it is proposed to carry out tho promise made in connection with the installation of an independent telephone exchange at Newtown? Mr. Wright to ask the Minister for Eduoation whether he is aware of tho overcrowded ' condition of the Brooklyn State School, and what steps ho proposes to take to meet the diSoulty? Mr. Buchanan to ask tho Minister in Charge of Roads, whether ho will givo tho necessary . instructions to expend the sum of £1000 voted last session under tho heading "IWtuki Bridge"? [Note.—Various sums liavo been voted by Parliament in five different sessions for tho construction of the abovo bridge, but in no case has any of tho money been expended.] Mr. Luke, to ask tho Minister for Rait wajo whether he will cause tho officers of his Department to report upon the best way to obviate the danger to pedestriau and vehicular traffic at the railway crossing at Johnsonville ? Mr. Dive (Egmont) to ask the Government whether thoy will take into consideration the ropoal of that part of the Native Land Rating Act which provides that no judgment for nonpayment of rates against a Native owner shall operate without consent of the Native l Minister? [Note—Tho effect of this provlj sion ha* been to make tho Native Land I Rating -Act a dead letter, and to cause very serious injustice to maaiy of our local bodies.] Mr. Poole (Auckland West) to ask tho Minister for: Railways whether it is a fact that,tho-fittings of trucks intended to be built in Auckland have been sent ' south from the '. Newmarket workshops, the resutt being, that numbers of men are out of employment at Newmarket? .Mr. Vigor Brown (Napier) to ask the Minister for Railways .whether ho will cooperate with the Minister for Public Works and provide an up-to-date railway-station atNapierP . %. Greenslade (Waikato) to ask the Monster m Charge of Tourist ■ Resorts whether he will immediately reduce tho ohjrges for the treatment of friendly society paftonts at Rotorua, Sanatorium from £1 10s weekly to. £1 Is., tho latter being tho charge levied up to within a few months agj? Mi-.Dillon (Hawke's Bay) to ask the Minister for. PuMio Works whether he win prepare plans and specifications so that .tenders nay bo called for the erection of a bridge war the Esk Sivor and roadway at the washout? - " ' Mr.: Field 'to ask. the Minister for Lands whether he mil lay on the Table of tho House $e report of Dr. Cockayno on sand-drift in Wow Zealand, which is anxiously looked for by all settlers in sand-infested districts, aid whether it js true th»t such report is only a partial one, and if this is so, whv a complete report on this highly important subject was not obtained P S^fS? mfc ,™l1-at once take, the necessary stops to. enable retail coal dealers to purchase at a ™ h M • DeparW .? < S sonaWo wholesale prico? Mr• Htotoja to «k whether it is the intention of the Government to give 'he House an opportunity before this tfouse rZ 3ST.£ dw M 4Bd coffering 'the plans and specifications relating to.the proposed new Government House at Wellington? nr^JT 11 to ask how long™ i proposed to contmuethe payment of £400 per year, which it is understood is bein" Z new aT Commissioner „? J -"" no ™. -Adviser m London? ' M F' ??? (Stratford) to ask the Government whetbor they will take immediate Iteps to authorise work to be commenced at the Pohukura Tunnel on tho Stratford-Ongarue railway, so that there may be no deify™ compMing and opening for traffic the section M a », tSo Pohukura sectioU? • Mr. Wilford to ask tho Minister for Mar,no whether, ,n view of the E aW notice of the Government m ro Ea rd to instruction in Morse signalling, and having regard to the danger.to the travelling ptblicSy at night time, ho will at once provide all light! houses with the lamps necessary for codins *l S ,' n CNot?-The 'instVuS gazetted;by the Government requiring marSIP il° V *% "I th .° -?, rs6 <* d 9 «f falling will be ineffectual' without the nrovision above' mentioned.] ." . womm Mr. Lang (Mnnukau) to ask the Minister for Agriculture whether he will refrain from gazetting and bringing into operation any new. dairy rcplations until Parliament has n™. an opportunity of expressing an opinion _ Mr. Buchanan to ask the Minister for Koads whether he will give the necessary instructions to' oxpend the sum of £1600 voted last session under the heading of "White itock Road Back-blocks Vote? [Note—The settlers, whose only outlet to a. port of shipment for their nroduce is by means, of this, road, are unable to use it until the abovo amount, or, at least a portion of it, is oxpeuded.J Mr. Wright to ask the Postmaster-General whether, m view of the rapid increase in tne population of Brooklyn, ho will give instructions for the immediate, erection of a new post office?. '■- Mr Luke to ask tho Minister for Defence Whether he will bring down a report statins the reasons that actuated the Defence Department to refuse the Dominion makers' tenders for oil enaincs that were solicited l? r nV 1 lal,ncheß built in the Dominion fori 'ir ™ Department's service?' v Mr. Okey (Taranaki) to ask tho Government whother they will, at an eariv date, give membors ,of the Hquse an opportunity of discussing the canses of the depression that has existed in tho Dominion during the past twelve, months, with a view to bringing forward sorao scheme for relieving tho same?