POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 647, 26 October 1909, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

' -'. " FINANCIAL RETURNS. ' j The statement made by tho Prime Minister on-Friday night showing tho position of the finances on September 30, 1903, 'has been printed and circulated tor tho benefit of raotnbora.' It does sot contain tho particulars pf liabilities under the Public Works Fund which Sir Joseph Ward/ in answer to a request by Mrj Massoy, '» 1/ romisod to include: ' ' i ' , ' THE HON.'G. F. RICHARDSON. It is r expected that tho House will adjourn' this afternoon until the evening out of respect to tho memory of tho lato Hon. G. F. Richardson;. •

THE VACANT PORTFOLIO. ' Tho name of Mr. ,T. E* Taylor (Christchurch North) is fairly frequently mentioned in the lobbies in connection with the vacancy in the Cabinet. On the other hand, it is stated that the Primo Minister, having jnst experienced tho "mdisoretions" of Mr. Hogg, would be -hardly likely to appoint a member to his Cabinet who is e\cn mpro noted for speaking out his mind upon tho impulse. Mr. Taylor's seat, moreover, has generally been a precarious one in the past. It has been his experience to be elected by a laigo majority ona election only to'bo discarded with equal emphasis at the next. '! ' CHANCES OF A REFERENDUM BILL.

Tho statement mado to tho anti gambling deputation yesterday by the Primo Minister, viz .that be is willing to submit the question of the totalisator and bookmakers to the voice of the people gave great pleasure tb.iboso who waited upon him. Tho announcement, however, maj not after all mean very much. Be'i ii , ? Q" est '°n'or questions could.be submitted to a refprenium an._A R t of Parliament would no\o to bo passed to -provide tho neces"»l7. machinery. ' Such a measure- would bo likely to meet with very strong opposition from a considerable section Df tho House, and many members express a doubt as to whether tho Government would bo able to get it through In the went of it passing the Lower Chamber it would still, of course, ,bo liable to bo thrown out by thd Upier House Mr. Ell as A result" of the Prime Minister's statement, nfuVintimated his intention of withdrawing his Totalisator Abolition Bill. ,

>i/|£|^p<TH^ —'- "«'fe i 5^ ll i£^!i^'--) > y'* if essrs'J' J^nn'ifiiiss'-hndl •) iotbyV' : ';^f^;^: r Joshua'Jones/'who:is'ihtereEted in ;-v;-fl•':|ft??. , -A«a.-, s of ;i laqrt fill >tbe. Mokau ; district, :-: : .TOM j .;.npon',tho.:PHme , --.Mihis*er'.''(Sir:-'Ja'seph-' ard)iyesterday^>;Mr; ; ;johes :; asked the :: U T mPm M '■Nativo./I.an'd in coh- : ;;neOtioH' i with;.tho i lwds-'should - be,:,: withdrawn; v ;-j:»;:thpVcommissidni'-dealt:■-.with.'tho 'lands-. i !^hß.,was i mven mo; opportunity';: to ;be- present. :He ■^^ d ; ! of',a'.commit-; tribunal". ; ; i ; .Bboni^be : set;..up; to;:inquiro.fully, into .tho sub-- ■^ lif-i™--1:- fe ad ?P^'V; HSir: Joseph :sai«l ■■ he i':-V. d 0 j/ropo^of Ho' :, •wqald have .full lhijuiry mode as 'to.what could. yi- be^uonef?^. ■K'<x?i : w:&~/-<.;WS'i : ?. y i:.< ■~. , .i.;-v !: -^/''.v.■.

/education ;iiv NewVfff'S^ .sMr.;Hanan,chairman" :of, the : .Educa^ •USSJk'W^ l^ ;.'/I^W[; ; ««nipQn;thaUthore,.was at/:}Wnti6h;,befng:gjven;to.the/qucstioniwith :a"view. was receiving !rl 6 «}?,^«at ; :ui;,twenty/years the ; / pu- ■'>■ $&&S?J, 1 "! I !?V^^qols:had/iheroawd -by- : .:,,«) frerwmt,, but the total cost of education' had in \ -\ I; W'samo,-:PBriod ■• risen; by-about, IM.peric'ontv ' A £Slif B P°f calculated -on::the;at(endance' of.: ■:: -PJP'ls; nearly;9o.;percent./: mi increased■•• cost, ''- vE^™ 8 — 11 ;:*»», attributed ':by':some\peopl« : S'B™ .incTeasojn 'teachers'; salaries.'-: He would • ; [ ik . e j™.P ol .nt: out: that,the .increase:under: that ..^heading,was only : a/v ? ry,smait ".item,,VVln: 18S8: "^^P^ffi^ 1 * : *° ichors ; .was .-'41031 ■ r^Tm it, 1 ..w!i5,j£0!) ißs...nnd in 1907. JEI23--Pig'" ":'^tK'is°!S^ u ?J e^y; shorviri K /trtei :«• w S-°-J-p???»V9 n :;».°»rd, administration/In-, the ; : thirteenjdistriots, as»under:-/ '- r:.■ • ??'VV'K: , ;v.\,y''Ss/; : ] "?.?W<-I't ISMWZ6:'.';.;'37,B3J.V-i-' i ?ii £ ; wl?-''v^: w^i®i; - ;J^mini ' oil S (<iontihued K'Mr.: i.'-j.jflinanljthoKitptal Cost of:education; including i ./iancafiqn^Bcpartment;Jwas,/as-follows-.— i/V/ , '& ?*.?^f*^ 4 «fa'W','V''Toiai :• Average' ?.//lew. -,-.;■/,// per/.-7:«3o»Vof■:•'. /.per-;-i ■ -' : . iv';>.'-J;, 0 . t «'. : ■'.''■'; .J:;PnpH.',.;' Education-.; Pupil; i j^'t' i: :}SJ2"'r-^- ; ;-y;:3 fi 6.2W-//,J .6; ZJ<.-;:518,901 ■'■/;'-4 4 d