NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 651, 30 October 1909, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

ir:,;. ACCOUNTANTS' ELECTION.;;•>■■; '• iiij Herdman asked in the House of ißepre'sontatives:yesterday.that the'•■; ballot papers' issued for the election of the ,cbuncil;under the Accountants Act should- be recalled, .and others issued which would 'provide for'secrecy of the ballot.- .'•'.";■•:■.,;.;. .;•; -;;. •'.-'::.:„■ -: .The Prime. Minister.;said that the board appointed under the 'Act,; over which he had ■ no control, decided to have the election performed by.ballot. They wore advised that legally that could not be done, and: so the, .ballot-papers' :wcre'sent out-in' their: present form.. He would ,look'into; the 'matter' to see: what the position- was,- but if tho; law was being carried out in accordance' with-the. Act hecould not interfere.;,-Personally he would' desire to see the secrecy of the ballot secured.-. ;•-';!:;,. Mr. Herdman-said;that.'if.the,.' Government, would request .the. board to recall the ballot papers,' and. issue others that; would provide for secrecy,-he thought the matter-would be ■settled."'"■'.--;".,' ' .•:;;;•'.■•-■;■: .;■■'.>.

; ADJOURNMENT OF THE COUNCIL. . •'There was some .discussion; in the Legislative Council yesterday on the' question of adjournment. Dr..Findlay said he would ask the Council to'adjourn till Wednesday. On that day he, hoped- .to,.be in- a position to ,state... when the next adjournment would be advisable. : The reason for .not adjourning .to' a later* date was that 'important measures were" expected by that time:from the,.House.:.'..The.''.'Hon.' Mr."Samuel, deprecated the practice of. doing little; work and-adjourning from day to; day. Dr. Kndlay: I will-seei'that'you'get plenty of:work.to;last till the.end of the, session. (Laughter.).: The proposal to adjourn till, Wednesday was then adopted. '. '.".'■-'• ,:V '•' '■:,:? :: '. '.;'.'•■."'■THE' FULL CRADLE.. ;: : '' i;;'.;; ■ •A strong .plea >,on :-behalf .of those 'who'.,', are .fulfilling:'.the;',duty-enjoined, upon' themi'by Church and' State of "keeping-the; cradles ifulrwas made yesterday ,by, Mr.'T.E."Taylor."■'•.He ; said that the parents'•.of' v five ; or. six ■children ' were.■ greatly. handicapped, in 'regard ,to making, as ;the .expenses'of travelling rmadb it quite impossible: for,\ tHem .to ':see; the ..'beauties of ;the Dominion. '.The., British Government,' he pointed out, had: recognised the.consideration due'to .the '.citueniwho 'did. not: shirk .his -duty by, proposing 'to'make-a deduction from'. taxation in respect-to,each'bhild.,. Insoine : of'the Continental; countries, '■ too, '•■ the ■ State • provided free education for every' child after the fourth'. Ho ..urged;...that '.'some' concession";in';? regard'' to 'taxation / should;; be-' : made. to'; tho .'fathers '• of families in' New Zealand.:.'. '

'; . JH.E CHAIRMAN'S RULINGS. ■■-' Mr.vHassey, asked the. J?rime ; Minister yesterday whether he; would .give instructions to have the Standing Orders Committee, convened at an 'early-date, to.{consider the question.whether there shouldlbe.any -appeal, from the decisions of the' Chairman of':Committees;•■ Judging by what had happened recently,, the rulings of-the Chairman; of .Committees appeared to. De. final, except ; in {cases, where: appropriations ".wore concerned. : ', Not. only ; ,wore. lusVuccisions.. final{.with regard-to committee, but they- appeared:to!control the rulings {of the- Speaker on any subsequent; motion or- similar: motion or {amendment moved in the House'itsolf.:That, seemed ' to Uira{{- to.; tav a position .which should;not■ be tolerated'|>y the-'\.Housß/ ."'.:..:■' ..'i"'..{>. ' Ths{ Prime Minister said he would- havo the

committee' called together at ■. an early date to disonss-the matter. Under the Standing Orders it was their-'duty to uphold the decisions of the Chairman of Committees, and it had been recognised all along that the Speaker under a number of Standing Orders should not interfere with- tho Chairman's ruling. Ho thought that was a proper position. *«. Massoy: There should be an. appeal.'-' , lh % Pr ?mo Minister said he had no objection .to referring the matter to the committee.

DIDN'T HEAR THE DIVISION BELL .When the Legislative.' Council met yesterday, ™.e,Hon. S. TV George drew attention to what he described as a serious matter to mempers. Owing to. the fact that there'was not in the tea-room a* bell to warn members that a division was abont to take place, he and others missed an opportunity to record their votes in regard to a proposal on the previous day. bteps.should at once be taken to have'bells established in the tea-room. The.Speaker said he had no donbt the Attorney-General would have inquiry made into the matter:

A HUMOROUS SUGGESTION. was; pretty general laughter in the House yesterday when it was announced that the members'of the' Timber Commission wished to_ present ajiandsome photograph of the commission to Parliament. ; The Prime Minister moved -that the photograph, should • be accepted with thanks and placed in the Library. .A; member-. Pnt it oyer the Oregon steps (at the end of the "tube"). ': ■ . . Mr. Massey, in seconding the motion, said he ,nad. no; objection to' the Library, but if. that was not available ho thought, .the .next' best place was the "twopenny tube." (Laughter.) . t lne motion was unanimously adopted

\ SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. ', Mr- A. E. Glover, the new member for Auckland Central, •■ is asking .the. Government to unflertake a large order by retransferrinr the seat of_Govenunent from Wellington to Auckland. He gave notice yesterday afternoon to ass. the. fcrovernment on Wednesday nut- whrther^they:will consider.thp question of the appointment of a special committee.of the lioiue to inquire into the, question, '.'Having in view the facts that a new-Parliament House is necesand that "Auckland, now that the Main n j 6 haßbeen completed, would be specially adapted and suited for the capital city." . ''Where.is-Auckland?" sarcastically inquired several'members, as an amused smile ran round the. House.' _ Mr. Glover, however,-was not to be deterred from completing'the reading of the addendum to his question, and he went on to enlarge further, on the fitness- of,' the -Queen City • for its former, honours... .....: .... ; t "Its proximity to the.lslands," he .declared, .' to the Continent of Australia, the fact that . it ;will be the future naval base, its superior climate -and'ample-accommodation for expansion, and : also the fact of it being the most suitable and most progressive city in the .Dominion make :it eminently desirable .that this important matter .; should ■ receive immediate, consideration."

y- : i::'',;\''; ;!.JOTTINGS., Tho : Address-tn-Eeply; to his' Excellency. the Governor's'opening speech was' presented yesterday/afternoon,, when Lord' Plunket made a suitable* reply. ,- .".-. The' Minister. for Agriculture is to be asked by' Mr.' Witty-whether he will'give instructions' to the Government graders at the various ports that'- every certificate .-issued by them shall clearly.' set' dut-(l) Name of shipper; (2) quantity,, written in words; (3) description; (4) marks; (5) steamer shipped 'by; (6) port shipped to; (7) grade or quality; aid (8) ..port sent from and date;of.shipment: '::',