NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 649, 28 October 1909, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

- LOCAL PETITIONS. ..'...- '■:-'•. : John Driscoll, late cleric in. the Inspection of Machinery Department, Wellington, is petitioning the House, through Mr.. Wilford, M.P., for further compensation for relief in connection with his recent-retirement from the Civil Sorvice. The petitioner served some. 36 years in the service, but as only continuous, sorvice is recognised by the Superannuation Act, his pension is fixed on a' mere 5J years' basis. i - .■ ' . i-Mward Donovan, of Wellington,'is petitioning the 'House, .for compensation for injuries caused by .-.an accident which happened to him while he was employed as a gardener at the Government, Buildings. -■ v! Mr. Herdman has presented a petition to the House, on behalf of Donald Kerr, late stock I inspector, Wellington, asking ■ that, effect-, bo given to the' recommendation of a committee of the House that his claim against the Government be referred to arbitration. In the alternative the petitioner prays that his salary and reasonabel expenses be paid from June, 1898 to. October 1909, when he was dismissed by the Gdvernor-in-Council without salary or compensation. ■ ■,•'■'■■

A petition has been presented by Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.,.from.. Wi Kateno Tipo, Turama Atiraira Paremata. and others, Btating that their olaim with regard to' the Whakapuaka block was not properly* explained to. the. Native Affairs Committee in 1903, and asking that the case should .be re-settled by the Native Land Court. ..'.■'

A CANDID GOVERNMENT MEMBER. Some very, candid'remarks regarding political inflnenoe were. made by Mr; Baume, the Government member, for Auckland East; in the course of his speech last evening. "Members of Parliament," he declared, are, to' a large extent, labour agents. There is not one of us who is not supposed to possoss sorao influence with the Government, and who-is not expeoted to exercise that influence on the behalf of persons seeking Government 'billets. The number of' State employees is increasing day by day, and I guarantee' that the quantity of correspondence received by members asking for billete has increased out of all proportion, even to the inorease in,-the .number of .billets to be applied for. Wo are expected to write to the Minister on behalf of overy billet-seeking opnstitnent who chooses to apply to.us. ' Wo' ore thus placed .in apposition in which we should not bo placed. Wo should not be called upon toi do work which is not in keeping with the position that wo hold. Moreover, mombers wero practioally. placed in the position of seeking favours from Ministers, when they should not be:called upon to seek fury favour at all from Ministers. In advocating the need : for a comprehensive scheme of, local government reform, Mr. Baume urged that memDcrs should hjjfl to deal only wiUi matters, of national In*

jiortance. "Wo should have nothing to do," ho said, "with the crecticnvc-f a' post ofiir.o, at Auckland or a'railway station' |at), W-a&afcmu; Parliament.under the:present system \fas becoming more, and moro a glorified Boad board." TO TEST A RULING, ' The Opposition ure not at all W.tisfied with the ruling given by Mr. Wilfowl, Chairman of Committees yesterday, that Mr. Hordman's proposed .uew.'.claiiso .to'-'add to thra Loan- Bill provision for an advisory comnyittee to control Public Works expenditure!was "foreign to the Bill." . On the other hand they think that the clause moved by Mr. i Herdman was an excellent :one and quite appropriate. It is likely, therefore, that notice ;of motion will bo given that the House disagree 'with 'the chairman's ruling. ■ ' : .'':'. ' THE:MEIKLE CASE. The Prime Minister has informed Mr., Wright (Wellington South), that tho question of reintroducing this session last year's Billgranting compensation to Mr. J. J. Mciklo for wrongful imprisonment is under consideration.] j-", . ANSWERS T,O OUESTIO-NS. [ "Whether; the 'item .in tho Bank of New Zealand balance-sheet for March 31, 1909, 'Colonial Government Securities,: .£1,083,021,' relates to debentures;, of the New. Zealand Government?" was a.question' asked by Mr. Herdman of the Minister for Finance. A reply was given yesterday that this information can be obtained only, from the Bank of New Zea- V land, as the Government have no control over the bank's.investments., ■'.'■' The matter of setting aside a portion, of the defence reserve at Silverstroam as a site for a public, school is stated to be under consideration. The postal revenue at Silventreain is | not considered to warrant the e: eciion of a I post office and telephone bureau.

.Endowments for the fuller development of education at Victoria College, stated tho Minister for Lands to Mr. SJ. P. Lute, can only now be provided by special legislation.

The matter of erecting a new post office at Shannon is under Consideration.

It is hoped that the Rangitatan Block ol 10,000 acres will bo opened for public selection next March, probablj under the optional system.

The question of permitting giazrng on Kapiti Island is to be special!} inquired nrto.

,The. question of raising the age at which small boys aro allowed to purchase or smoke cigarettes will bo carefully considered.

The Minister for Railways is unable to comply 0 with Mr. Field's request to'stop mail trains at Jfanakaii. 'He ! also to adopt Mr. Okey's • suggestion that second-class 'papengcrs on the Main Trunk line shall be ablo to obtain sleeping berths.

fhe question of an allocution of funds for enlargement of the 1 Maran-ai School will be dealt, with as soon.as'the. amount of the appropriation for' the year is' determined. 'i

The matter of .making further financial pro. vision lor a courthouso, at'Pctohe Will,be considered when the Estimates are framed. ■'•■

Mr. Okey(Taranaki) asked the, Minister 'for' Agriculture whether ho would'give instructions to his oftcers that all butter graded bo tested for moisture, and that tho perceutago• of moisture: contained in;,the buttor.be shown on tho grading-card when sent to the maker or shipper. The reply-given'is that the duly of tho J)epartmont:does not consist in'• analysing butter for the makers, '.but samples aro taken for analysis only to check any breaches of the law. -As-the suggestion,, if put into operation, would involve an increased annual expenditure, the Government do 'not consider, it advisable to undertake the work at present. ■ .'.'■/ The Government is in symmathv; with ,Mr'. Okeys T proposal to amend the .Cooperative' Dairy Industry Act;so as to allow dairy companies, to, loud money toVtheir, shareholders for tfie_purpose of purchasing cows. 'The T'.-'-y 'Division is now in consultation with the Crown Law Officers on the niatter. .;' '-;.".'•• '■■i.oT.fiNGs; • T';!, ■■. .'s''V.t." v . Mr-,L'ikc' has given notice'..to ask "the Min-' ister for,' Lands, whether he will tako'the'neces- v sary. steps to give, effect. to the> recommendaI tions of the.Lands Committeo of tho:House of 1 Beprcsttiitatives that reported on ; the petition of Mary Theresa Tabor,' Northlands,'• Wellihcton,.;on October r.16,• 1007,■ as: follows:-"The committee, aro of. opinionthat, in' viewof sug-' ;gesb-JI-.legislation on tho subject,'the petition be referred-to-the Government for favourable consideration,' Tho petitioner was tho wife-of -William' John Tabor; Mate" of' Wellington, who; an August, 1873, purchased a piece- of land in the Ivaron district; and petitioner" -""prays that)' she may he declared the registered -proprietress" of- the said piece of -land, and that'a certiheate' :of title.be issued-to.her. ; w- ~.'.

' Mr. Guthrie (Orouo) has given notice to ask the Minister for Railways whether- he will favonrably consider the advisability of arranging for the evening train from' Wellington to come on to Feildihg, and for an early morning train to leave Peilding to connect at Palmerston North »jth the early, morning trains for Wairarapa, • Hawke's Bay, and Wellington. .. ■ . ••■•.," .. ,:-■■■■ ■■:.. .-..

Mr. Hine (Stratford) is asking the Minister for Lands whether, in cases "where it becomes espediont to make interchanges of land for. the adjustment of . boundary-fences' in' rough' country, he will'take the necessary steps to allow such transfers to be executed; free of .cost to this, settler. .-.'-. :,,,',..;,:

During the last few days Sir Joseph Ward, has proved himself to be tho most-restless and pernickity -Prime-Minister\that has ever been seen iu the.Parliament of this country."—Mr. .Fisher, last-night.-; . '~, .

, A memo, containing an interpretation of the 'meaning' of the phrase, "for moro than one whole session," was laid on the table in the Council yesterday.; The question, it appears, had relation to. leave of absence. Dr. Findlay gave\it as'his opinion that the phrase-did not' mean more whole''sessions than one, but any. ; portion of_ a, session—oven one day—beyond a'i whole session.' !He also pointed out that tho clause was retrospective/in its operations.