POLITICAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 670, 22 November 1909, Page 8

POLITICAL NEWS.

PROPOSED LICENSING LEGISLATION* It. is.. expected that the proposed amending Licensing Bill .will be available for presentation to the, House early this week. The. new. measure will be on, the lines .of the agreement recently made ..between representatives of tho No-. License and Liquor parties; The details are being worked out by Mr. Skerrett, K-C-. of Wellington, on behalf of "the Trade," and Mr.' Adams, of Drinedin, for the No-License party. ; Thore is very little discussion in the lobbies regarding-the proposals. -It will not surprise some members if the "no, license-no liquor" clause is found to'be less drastic than is gonerThe leadere on tho respective sides are not disposed to make any statements at present. Whether, the Bill will get through before Christmas will, it is stated, depend veiy much upon its provisions. TWO : MINISTERS INDISPOSED. ■ Influenza, which seems to be fairly prevalent here at present, has two victims (the Hon. Dr; Findlay and the Hon. J. A. Millar) among members of the Ministry. Owing to their indisposition, no full meeting of Cabinet has' been possible for.some days.- Cabinet has been summoned for this morning,, when.it is... expected they will both be ■ able to' actively re,sume their -Ministerial duties. ~-'•

"A MESS OF POTTAGE." - Considerable interest is being manifested with respect to-the indignation meeting in the Town Hall in regard to the Government's land proposals this evening. The speakers will include Messrs. T. E. Taylor, D. M'Laren, A. W. Hogg, G. W. Eussell, M.P.'s, and other staunch leaseholders. ■ From what can be gathered the Government's change of policy will be condemned in no half-hearted manner. When the Land Bill is brought dbun a meeting of the advanced Radicals will be. convened? It is understood that if the proposals are not in,accord with their views, a'campaign of protest is' to, be arranged.. . . ■- . . - LITTLE PROSPECTiOFjA LABOUR PARTY. The circular issued by the Labour authorities with a .view of. ascertaining the feeling' of Eadical members as to whether a Labour party should be formed in the House;is not exciting much comment. According to one of tho advanced Eadicals, a step, -in- the direction in question will.be taken sooner or later, if there is not further legislaHon in the interests of r the! wage-earning classes. : 'tTp .till now ,tho ' workers (he, says) have considered , that their interests would be best conserved by 'a LiberalLabour alliance. , It is not expected that the proposal-tp establish, a. separate Labour.party : will-receive much. suDSort.; ' ~-."'• •"-,.

~/ NEW STATE.UNDERTAKING. . In view of ■ the recent .discussion in the House with.regard,to:the Crown Suits Act-it is inter-, esting to note that the: Government has gono into the milk supply business.in the town of Hamilton; ;As might bo expected, the' small farmers are upin arms against what is taking, place.' They say it is bad enough to be taxed for the upkeep.of what they describe as a socalled experiment farm, but it is adding insult to injury when they hav'. to' compete in business with that institution.' .The Auckland A. and, P.' Association at its latest, meeting passed a resolution of protest, and suggested that tna members for the district, should be communicated with.'. It is undenitood' that the-adti. will be.brought beforo the House within the next few days..-' . .. '■;! ,

; OTAKI COUNTY BILL. The Otaki County Bill, which has been referred -!to, the. Local Bills Committee, was circulated on Saturday. It is suggested that the Proposed county, should comprise the Oteki.and 'e Horo ridings of the Horowhenua County and-the. Whareroa riding of the-Hutt Counts'. Under the Bill it is proposed, that the Otaki Eqad .District. shall be merged •■ in'' the ; new, 6qunty..'V .';'.'.'.■ ''~' ' ..,::_,'; ■; ,";■■:'■;'.■'■_; ".-i' .QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS. ' Mr; Smith intends to ask the Primo Minister, whether members can assumo .that, as no' indication was given ir, tho Budget te alter or increase tie duty on Oregon pine and other foreign timbers imported-'into'.Vthe.,Dominion, the Government! do not-intend;'to alter or increase the import duty.on. all foreign timbers.!-' .-.■.....• ■/..-' ;. -,; ■;-.;v. -~;,-..;; ■ Mr.! M'Laren will ask the, Minister for Mines, why tenders for cartego of State coal from the wharf in Wellington, the. contract for which expired over twelve months ago, were, not called for on expiry of the Herm of contract ; and'will the Minister, see that tenders are now called?.:. ■..'■■ ;:.; ,;■ ; . .' ~; ■■; -.. ; Mr. Wilfqrd (for the Hon. A. E. Guinness) has intimated his intention to ask the Minister for Mines (1) whother the lessees of tho Parapara iron : deposits have complied with the conditions contained in thoir. lease, and, if not, will the' Government exerciso the power, of :reentry for non-compliance with the conditions contained in. the loaso; and (2) will the Gov--ornment, 'in; the event .-.of. the lease being determined for! breach : of conditions, consider .the advisability! of establishing ironworks at Parapara under State control? , :. ■ '■'■ ,

' Mr. Phillipps has given notice to move that there be laid before; the House a return showing, the total ■ cost-toi the ■'< Dominion of the attendance of the' Prime Minister and his secretary or secretaries,at.the • recent Nnval De-' fence . Conference in England' (the return to include travelling, secretarial,' and all 'incidental expenses) and a 'return-showing the cost tc the Dominion of—(1) The trip to. England with -the < Prime Minister of the Solicitor-Gen-oraL-Dn Pltchett; (2) the visit to England of Detective , Cassells upon the occasion of the Prime Minister's attendance at the Naval. Defence Conference (the return-to include travel- , ling and all incidental expenses).

,;..'; JOTTING&! '■ .'TJnless:they live .in .the, neighbourhood of Wellington it is,almost impossible for people to be successful in' petitioning Parliament, tMr. Massey during, the-.discussion on the Crown Suits Act. , :. -.■!-, • Speaking in the debate on the ; Crown Suits Act on Friday evening the Hon. It. M'Kenzie, Ministerfor Public Works, declared; that Wellington juries do not seem to have any. conscience at all as far as the Crown is concerned. The report by Mr. W. E. Haselden, S.M., who was;tho commissioner appointed to inquire into the. petitions for and against' the proposed addition 'to the city of Christchurch of North Linwood and Avonside, has reached tho Government. Mr. Haselden is of-opinion that the annexations should not be' made. , '..-■• N-. :■■■,-:■ - .' -.-■ ■ ' ■ ■•..'•'