NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

,;.;,,:.,-■ END>.OF THE SESSION. ? ' It is expected that the l session Tcill conclude o'n : Friday morning.- It-is almost certain.that the Tramways Amendment Bill will' bo withdrawn.. : The Prime Minister 1 intimated- yester-. daythatho would , withdraw; it for'this session if it , was. going, to. lead to /a long discussion..'" [ -.'• '.; ■COMMITTEES'' RECORD'S.,.,,; '- 1 : The Eoporting Debates and-'Printing; Committee, havo dealt with 80 paporp and returne laid upon the: table of tho House, during the session. Of-these, six have been: ordered , to be printed.- ■■"'.--. ?■ ■. ' . . i --.'' ~ Tho Lands Committee havo held: nine meetings, with an average attendance of: 8.01." The . number, of petitions referred •to them : was SG, of which 33 were reportod onj. and 23 .held j over till next session. 'i.Ventv-one Bills were referred to'the 'committee and ■reported-on.'-.';.. '■ Tho Native Affairs Committee held" 32 meet. :irigs,' and : had before them." 108. petitions,- including 20 held over from last year. . Spventy. ono wero reported upon, and 37 postponed till ncxt-.sessipu. .- ..... ... .. :. .;]"■ : " WEST .COAST LEASES. -j -!■ The- Native Affairs Committee recommend that the. petition of D. A. Poole and 'others in,regard to :West Coast. Native' leases .bo referred to ■ tho Government for consideration. PETITIONS. / * •''.A'petition was presented to Parliament yesterday, by Mr; Hugh i. il'Lcan, of; AVaipawa,' HawKo's Bay, ex-stock inspector under the Noxious Weeds Act; Petitioner claims that ho was wrongfully dismissed, without just cause, hi "August, ■ 19U7, and' therefore prays that an inquiry: bo held into his dismissal; that he be, reinstated in his'position' in the service of the; Department if 'it bo found on , such- injuiry that his dismissal was wrongful, or, in,the alternative, that he bo granted a sum of JC2OC by way of damages or solatium.' Petitioner goes into detail concerning his r services as inspector,■ and: claims that-he, can show that his work was well-,and faithfully done. Ho states that'he has.been greatly damaged financially and in reputation in consequenceof, the 'wrongful dismissal, and' submits :that ho was dismissed-contrary to tho regulations controlling his office, and contrary: to the principles of natural justice.;/ ■ :. ,; -' .'' l Tho Lands Committee'yesterday reported on the petition of Mr.-Hugh M'Lean, of Welling*' ton, for compensation for loss in connection 'nth the Wairaki Huns. In tho opinion of the committee, Itr. M'Lean had suffered 'severe loss owingi to the non-reduction of his- rent as..recommended by tho: Ota'go School Commissioners in 1897.; The committee considered that' ho should be adequately compensated; ' and .stroimly recommended, that' tho /Government should favourably consider the prayer of, tho petition. When tho .report;was'presented, tho Tnmo' Minister said tho' Government would bo glad to go carefully into , the whole matter. It addetl that this is .the petition ,rcierred to on the previous day by Mr. Herdman as having been delayed since tho comthe session-by the failure of a Government Department .to: furnish informa. tion. .. ■ -..- -. - , _','.:i .;• ■ .;• •• .•■ ■, . , .:, .. -Thej Public Petitions- : Committee .report .'that tUey-liaTo no.recommendation,,to make' on 53 petitions : regarding frco: immigration ■of domesof° S ofk aD SS P° titioils icfcr'to a , matter l Tllll |n! le ' Ho t n - i Lo " iss - on on th " EacoMeot-ings-Bill yesterday: Somo people think'that' hoi-se-racing should; bo stopped. -Why to them )t is -wrong to go to a dance, to a theatre, even toismile. part, I believe wo are , here to-make the best of things as we find them ana to enjoy ourselves.in a reasonablo manner it a referendum were taken in the Dominion toimorrow as- to -whether there-should or should not bo any horse-racing, it would result ln'.au overwhelming verdict: in favour of the continuance of, the;sport.,- ; i ■.!,.• -.'■■ . . -