NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 696, 22 December 1909, Page 9

NEWS AND NOTES.

vpetition■ lost ; sight of: [{■ T ■7;Mr.: Herdman; inquired inV:the ■ House '■:yeS,:terdav,'.'RS.''to\ the fdte ;6f ■ a presented: ;by;him on October 8,; sent to the: Lands Comiinittee.v aild not' yet ■ repoi'ted !to /the' House. ■TJieichairman ; of: the" committee .'had informed ■him...;that t ne ' petition'; had..bean jsent'to'oni.; of: the '< Gbverhme'nf -Departments for . iiiforma-•: tion, ; arid, had not yet .been \-returhed. ./He. wished-: to':know - : how. the .matter:could be';ex.pedited,. -. In, '•'tho' , .course:"_of.-; '■ dis'cjj'osipn;''. .-:it' ..transpired ; that, : the '.-petition \'-Vras.!{ from. iMr.' Hugh';lt'lean praying , for' comp'e'nsa'tioh in're--:spec^;.:of.'improvements iand ;loss;;of Vthe lease' of <a''rhn'' iu ,Southland.-; Tho.'•.sameiypetition. :was favourably-.reported on by the -Lands-'Cdm--:mittee'in : .1907.V..'The Speaker isaid -that if ' a petition-.ihad-,been-referred.tp. a Government Popartnient'and.not returned'with or Vithouti ;information' within *: a. reasonable time,'- it was. for.'.the .ohairmaii;of the committee.:to. report: :■ the matter, fo: the-House,' aiid the House , coiild■ rthen- deiil';w ; ifh'.i-it';as.;a breach-of'priyilogo, ■Mr.-::Massey.commented istrorigly : ;on'the fact ■ ef, r "d''petition !.presented;.'on.'tho day: afteri-the 1 bpPDing.of ! tho^session: being;\,wilhheld. until the .end. .'-He regarded, it as /an, insult 'to"Par-' ■.liainent.'-' , '-'' , ',-;..';'/.'■';.■';'■ v'.;.'-- '.-.:■..- '/-^ : ■■■'■"■-"■ O."'f;.y : ,|

.'■. : ''. : -i ; /."The most .inoiable-, aspect : of .this;vsessiori," said'Mr.i'Hprries. (Tauranga)- yesterday,- "is ; 'tho contortion 'and.';backing ■ and filling 'of ..those' .who';fill~fhe 'Government' benches;'■:.-Pirst" they : ;re»lved«',upon .a'primage dutyj. and-because/ tho- Opposition..- and > the-, merchants .raised 'aii'■ ,outcry : :they;: altered it 'tb'.'a' surtax,.: and; when 5 the '"■ Op'pciation/^bnck'e'd: by ;tho .nierchants;■■■'■ oftheyop.ufltry,'-.' objected -that,;,tobacco '•'wii's .' tffi I '.heavfly.^'J;^9d^ l Uhey'!oaineV.do'TO--. , witnj; , a;pr6.viT''' isiou'reduoing' : th6. tpbiccb..tax ;froni 2J-: per cent. 1 . fo..l..Mr'.''cehlr::lf we eo on,agitating,'we shall' 'pfbbajjiy -;b.av,e v 'the>,Bill withdrawri,- altogether! * ;. : A niemberi? Why■ don!t jyoii go '"on, sthen ? '■':: ■'■■ Sir; iHerries': .We're 'going ,-!tq'.-. : >If; it -takes 'to 'Christaais'Vvye're going v ;t6\'standi.up" for the liberties ;of ;■ this ■people",- 'p.nd['."prevent ; :therp'oor' •man -'.being'-unfairly ..taxed.;-! .The" Government,; ; said;/ jfr'.OHerries,' ihad.!already .;dropped; a , -;tax= .tha'tiO'ught,to be jfonefMTwlth^.-a. , tax'on the ; rich' in'en'.flf;, this, 'country,: the/ graduated,' incoihe ■ : ' The Prime" , Minister:'No,-*e have/n'ot.-':.'• i,','''■ "hMj 1 : >Herr;esVi ( vi^6^r-l year.V- , :-'-','.-?'.-' , ' ■'■ u,.,.\ , ,'.-;.-,;■..;:,.■ •;:.'-.'■ j- -.: "And; yeti":; conoluded v Mr.: ; - Herri ks, '■:■ j' "the. , . :Primd',Minister, calls;himself.■.α-zdembcratirarid.: ..claims '..jtoV-hbTftnf hi;,iinter.ests ;.jif.; ,tlio': jvfiifeinij;peopfe; at'iliMrt,"^:,;. ! xo£ i'• •ft.-Vv'H ; ,' :i. ;J-^ ; -W

;;;";YHE-ip<MIMaNV^ i';'i;.toadJnfeVin'-Tra- : D'6MiirtO!i, : .:''Tlie ; Go j Teriir , ' : meht--", , l)efeatcd,""whiph. .appeared 'over'',:the; reference-to ■ tHe.!;Goyemmcrit's'reverse.,on..the iamendhient: ; inoved \byvMr.i]?ie)d':.in;;;regard-to : :the^Crown Suits. ■Actj i was -referred to by ';'Mr; : Jiirorensori :in the 'Hous's. y*sterday.;:' : /Hp* stated-that in ;a leading' artidiejor.a siib-article ithere 'appeared 'in. large. !typ6i'"Defcat'-of ;th6.' Gpverninentj'' l referring; to. tie 1 motion;by•Mγ.' Field.!...it-the.'caucus of, 'the 'party;, the' Prime/ Minister; had told ■.them; that iif .any 'of ■thetn.. disagreed;, with.any'.'itoiii on; the Estimates and .'wanted to mov« !a reduc-; tibti■'•pf'.'il ; he'Tvould'leave' them 'free to do,as. |heylik«d.'' -Yet ! r 'this'poor,' capitalistic .rag". :put - up'.theV.heading ;."Defcat' of the Goyernmenl:.":^ltothe:, had/sa'id^they: , were-'.all- tp^stipk:4og«ther.itherei;would'Jiave been 'a".leading: , ; article 'on ■ 'TJse .'•:■ of,'the' /Big' "Bpots,":'"rjrarihy: : of. the; Big; Majority." 'When ;he:did' i n6t 'dp, so, "this-'poor;.representative: of., the''capitalist"and ;the'^ig'bug'", put ,'up.the' heading '."Defeat.,ofthe , .'.Government.">;■;.;•"•.

WELLINGTON MILK SUPPLY BILL. The Agricultural and Stock Committee yesterday reported' n resolution to postpone the Wellington City Milk Supply Bill until next session. The report was laid on tho table. t "WE ARE IN A MAD-HOUSE!" "I have conio to the conclusion that we oro m a uind-houso." Thus the Hon. Wi Poro when ho was informed yesterday that tho Council had no power to alter a money Bill. "I always thought," ho went on to say, that tho Council was tho Upper Chamber, whilst tho House was only the lower Chamber. If that were, tho ca*>e, tho Council should always bo on ton, but it appeal's that that is not the case, what I have always thought was that wo had to porform what tho other Chamber failed to do. Now I know why no only got an honorannm of JJ2OO. Wo don't desorve any more." (Hearty laughtor.) HELD OVER. The Labour Bills Committee reported jestorday that they had taken considerable evidence on the Shops aud Offices Amendment Bill, but as there was not time this session to deal with the Bill, they recommended that it bo held over till next, session. They also recommended that the Factories Act Amendment Bill and Sunday Labour Bill should bo postponed. A COMMITTEE'S RECORD. The following is tho record of the Local Bills Committee for tho session:—Bills, referred to tho committee, 51; reports on Bills presented to tho House, 50 j petitions referred to committeo, ,47; petitions repoited on, 47; meetings held, 17; average attondnnco of members, 0.4, out of a possible of 7. , ' • JOTTINGS. 1 "If I thought my motion wonld turn tho Government out of office—and it is not going to hav o that effect—l would a'k leave to withdraw it," observed Mr. llassey in tho course of an argument in the House yesterday. "I ddn't want them to go out of office." It is stated that a large number of southern members have booked passages for their homes by to-day's boat. Leave of absence for tho remainder of tho session was granted by the Council on Houday to the Hon. Major Harris, on tho ground ot ill-health. "So lone a<; the State engagos in an enter* pnse, it should not only enjoy the same privileges, but be Under the same disabilities as a private indmilual or firm engaged in the same indi , strj."-Hon. C M. luKo in the Legislaitiv'e Counoil.