NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

whAt members are saying and DOING. Mr. T.' E. Taylor Changes his Opinions. Mr. T. E. Taylor, tho, emphatic" member for Christehurch North, told the House last evening that his opinions had changed recently on two important questions. He now believed that it- would bo in tho best interests of this country to have a Public Service Board. He also considered that'tho Maoris had no right to a preferential treatment in regard to their land compared with. Europeans. ITio. country had been trifling for'a quarter. of' a. century: with this question of Native laiid, tend tho land was still a solid block, tho value of which was increased, not by improvements of the'owners, but'by a public expenditure tho burden of which 101 l mainly-on the European population. Thero should bo nothing' approaching confiscation;but ho would take every aero.. of iJJative land at the. cash value. If the, Na-i:s>es'were too unsophisticated to be placed' '. % tho samo footing as Europeans, thei'fr3Sßc;":'Trustoe should take aharge of the moB'V received by them for their estates. Return of Loans.

. A .refcurr. to Parliament yesterday gives mado by. local authorities for loans during the past year. The amount applied for was £240,048. Tho: new leans advanced amounted, to £38,975. Tho loams of previous years advanced amounted to £207,874. Tho total amount borrowed up to March. 31 last was £3,178,100.. The total amount repaid to tho Public Works Fund,' was £89,800. The total amount advanced to local bodies is £2,506,000. Discomfort of t'no Upper Chamber. Reference to tlio many discomforts in connection with the Legislative Council Chamber was made by ,Hon. : Captain Baillie at tho.conclusion of .yesterday's sitting.' According to Captain Baillie the Chamber was nothing moro nor less than o "shanty." It would have been far better if .a littlo moro money had been spent. Members might have lo occupy tho present Chamber for eightor ten years.- His opinion was ■ that tho now Parliament House ' should not bo. built-in brick. If tho building were constructed in wood it-would not suffer if a severe "shake" wore experienced. It would have been far

bettor if after the firo the building had been rebuilt on an improved plan. In order to improve the present Chamber it would be neccssary to remove the chimneys, which were far too numerous. The place was overheated, and did not tend to the maintenance of good health. During tho recess something should, he urged, be done with a view to ensuring greater comfort. Dr. Findlay '(in roply]i said that an alteration in regard to tho chimneys would bo made. 'Next session membors would be provided with seating similar to that in-pso "in tho Lower, House. It was. probable tuijj 1 -, the current session would concludo next -day. The Portfolio of Justice. During tho course of the discussion on tho Finance Bill, Mr. Hanan, tho member for InvercaTgill, made a strong attack on tho Government's action iu transferring tho portfolio of Justice from tho HOll6O to tho Legislative Council—an action which he characterised as a blow at responsible government.

"That, important Department which, should be held by a member of this House," he said, ''is now. held by Dr., Findlay, a member of .tho Legislative Council, .who is not a representative of tho people, and who has never been entrusted with the confidence of the people. . Ho has thus ho right to speak for or on behalf of tho electors." (Hear, hear.) Such a departure, he went on to say, was subversive of tiue democracy. "I hope,-"-he added, "that the portfolio of-Jus-tice will be brought back to this House before next session; if this is not done, the Government may find an adverse vote carried ' against them when the House reassembles." ( In conclusion Mr. Hanan said that the removal of the portfolio to.the Upper House was a reflection on members of the . Lower House, several of whom were capable of discharging its duties in'a creditable, manT" 0 present occupant of tho office was no doubt well qualified to hold tho position, but tho point he 'wished to make was that it should be held in-the Lower House. .The. Primo Minister said, it was desirablo , that tho Attorney-General and the Minister for Justico should i lie; one and the same person. It was also his view that tho occnpaiit of- the offices should be a professional gentleman. - He knew of no' reason why the Minister for Justice should, not have a seat'in the calmer arena of. the Legislative _ Council, so long as he carried out his-duties properly. • To the South Sea Islands! Mr. Glover,, member for Auckland , Central, has been', interesting himself in .regard to the' question of arranging with tho Government for-a" trip to the Cook-Islands. by members/of Parliament. Hd has-seen several mombers on tho subject, and he informed a Dominion representative last night that ho' has.decided to. allow the'.matter to: stand over- until next session. '.The' previous -Paruamentary trip-to th© Islands .was made'six years ago. ;

.' ■■ Jottings. In the course of the debate ont-he Dreadnought offer, Mr. Fisher, gave an amusing illustration of how New Zealand-pays for its gifts. Mr. Fislher said-he, was asked by: i friend how the .Government proposed to pay for tlie battleships. ■Ho replied that'he supposod the money would be borrowed from the Imperial • Government. "Then," , said' Mr. Fisher's friend, "tfhe Dominion will be' in much the same position I was in-tho other day. I thought my father, wanted a new hat, -so. I went and bought him one; and • put it down to him, and. then made him a' present of it.; IV was a good, transaction. Father was pleased, and I was-, pleased of course. Father .hasn't had .the bill yet!'.!... "Ifmanager.• were given : tho:control ;of tlie railways'! am sure wo will-get better results, "r—View of Mr.: Anderson,-member for Mataura.- .. "The city members have been taunted with making so many speeches. , But altogether they have. committed less indiscretion than was oontained in one speoch mad© by one of tho Ministers." (Laughter.)— Mr. Fisher m the House yesterday, "I will - answer my'critics, from the platform, observed tho Hon. A. W. Hogg to.'a Dominion reporter yestojday. , , ~ , . lief erring to the suggestion tliat he should attend (jonference ' with ' the .Prime Minister, Mr. Ma&sey stated, last night -that beforo ]io came to Wellington ho had the ambassadors of the Government coming to him every day begging'him to say-be would go to England, and ho told them that they , would get no answer till ho went to Wellington.

.. During .the sitting of - tho -House yc-stcr-day- Jlr.:Luke said it was. felt.that the Government should make -a • substantial - donation to the City Council in. return :for tho services -or tho Firo Brigade at . the ,Post Onico fire'. Tiic i'rimo Minister, in replv, said/ho did not propose to discuss the.matter on that occasion. "If the council do not wish to ,pay the wliolo cost-of .tho upkeep of the brigade," he added, '"they should como under the Firo Brigades Act."-