POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 871, 18 July 1910, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Tho Financial Statement will be brought down in tho Houso by the Prime Minister to-morrow evening. It is expected that the debato on the Statement will not begin until the following Tuesday.' That-;will enable the House to make the usual provision for Imprest Supply, probably on Friday next, without interrupting the debate on the Statement. THE DEPARTMENTAL IRREGULARITIES. It is understood that the Opposition will not rest contented with the information which has so far been made public in regard to the Land and ' Income Tax Department cases. They 'are of opinion tnat the country should bo informed as to the whole of the alleged irregularities in the administration of the Taxes Department which were inquired into by two judges prior to the appointment of. the Civil bervice Commission, part of whoso report ,was read by,the Prime Minister on Fridaj\ It is hot desired that matters affecting the affairs of private taxpayers should be laid before the Houso, but it is contended that fuller information with regard to the main issues dealt with in the judges' report can be given to the House without tho least necessity for doing this. The matter will therefore probably come, itp again later in the session. With regard to. the two loans obtained by, Mr. Heyes on tho security of tho house on Wellington Terrace and a West Coast property, the Prime ■• Minister stated on Friday that these were repaid somo time ago, so that the country had actually lost nothing by the transactions. ' ■ ' ■ CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Opinions differ a good deal as to how far Mr. Davey's connection with the police records' incident in Christchurch will affect his chances of. election to the position of Chairman of Committees, it is pointed out, on the one hand, that if the Government should deem it necsssary to punish the police officer 'for his action on that , occasion, it would be-highly unfair of the House to condone Mr. Davey's action, thus honouring one party to the offence, whilst the other was made to suffer. It is said .by some that quite a.number of members see the-matter, in this light, and that Mr; Davey's prospects of election have been much diminished by tho incident. Other members are so cynical of the moral sentiment of ■ the House as to declare their opinion that. Mr. Davey. will not lose asingle vote by the occurrence. They suggest that the only feeling which Mr. Davey's conduct has aroused in the minds of perhaps a majority of the House is one. of tolerant sympathy that an amiable and goodnatured fellow-member should have got into trouble through an , indiscretion. In the competition for the position, Sir William Steward has the' advantage of seniority and past experience. Though he might not have .been the most successful of. SpeakerSj it is pointed out that when he held office 'in that capacity Mr. Seddou waa in power, debates were sometimes much . more strenuous than they are now, and a few aggressive members did. a good deal to make the Speaker's position more' trying and discomfortablo than'it has "been since. For some time past both sides of the House have been accustomed to give every assistance possible both to the Speaker and the Chairman of Committees. It is urged that in these improved conditions Sir' William Steward has quite l sufficient firmness to make an admirable Chairman, and he has, of course, a thorough knowledge- of precedents and Standing Of'defsV'.. '. . AN UNFOUNDED RUMOUR. On the return of Mr. G. M. Thomson,' M.P. for Dunedin North, from his visit to Australia he was surprised to find a rumour in circulation hero to tho effect that it was his intention to leave Dunedin and settle in Wellington. "There is absolutely no foundation' for the rumour,", remarked Mr. Thomson. to «a Dominion reporter on Saturday. He added that he had not the slightest intention or desire to leave a city that had been his, home for nearly 40 years, and with so many of whose institutions ho had .been, and was still, so closely/ identified. GOVERNMENT AND NATIVE LANDS. . To a Dominion reporter on Saturday' Mr. Jennings, , M.P.. for Taumarunui, said that he must take exception to some remarks .wired to . this journal from Auckland on Saturday with reference to settlement in the King Country. "There is no 'necessity," he said, "for me appearing as an apologist for the Government in connection witli the adjustment of' the Maori land question in the King CountTy. My views on this question have been' expressed in the House and on the platform for a number of years past. There is therefore no necessity for mo to.adopt 'any'veiled references' to the question as the Speech from tho Throne stated that Bills dealing with rating of Native lands, Native townships, etc., would be submitted to Parliament this session. My reference to the Bills at the conference at Taumarunui," bo added, "was only in tho direction that I believe that they would satisfy the aspirations of all reasonablo persons in. the King Country and other districts in the Dominion." SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS BILL. It has been definitely decided not to proceed with tho New Zealand Society of Musicians Bill this session. Under the Bill (which is : in- charge of Mr. Sidey), it was originally proposed that a council should inquire into the qualifications of persons who desired to be registered. The Education Committee, to whom the measure was referred, amended tho proposal in the direction of talcing away this power from* the council and vesting it in the University Senate. To this' alteration the various societies in conference agreed only a few weeks ago, but as one of the societies subsequently withdrew its support to tho suggestion, there was no option ■ but to drop the Bill in the meantime. Referring to the subject, Mr. Sidey told a. Dominion reporter that he realised that it would not do to bring tho Bill before tlio House unless the' various societies wero unanimous on the- different points in regard to what legislation is desired. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, AUCK--1 LAND. As an outcome of the agitation for the retention of Government House at Auckland, a pqtition is now being circulated by tho Citizens' League for signature and for presentation to Parliament protesting against the proposal to hand over-Government Houso grounds to tho University Council as a site for' the erection of the proposed new university college. PRISON LABOUR. Communications have, been received by Mr. Arnold, M.P., from various employers, with reforenco to the fact that tenders have not been called this year us usual for the supply of boots, shoes, leggings, etc., for tlie mental hospitals. In this connection it is reported that the Government have decided to have all work of this kind for prisoners, inmates of mental hospitals, and industrial schools manufactured by prison labour. Mr. -Arnold is trying to ascer{tain from the Government the position.

REFORM OF THE COUNCIL. Among the Bills which are expected to be dealt with this week is that uniier which Mr. Russell proposes to secure the reform of the Upper House. Sonio years ago a measure of tho kind passed through tho House, but was killed upon arrival at the Legislative Council. It is understood that Mr. Russell's Bill will bo numerously supported, but its ultimate chances of reaching tho Statute-book do not appear to bo any brighter than those of its predecessor. DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL. Members of t'he Lower House will shortly have an opportunity of recording their votes on Mr. Sidey's Daylight Savings Bill, which appears high up on the Order Paper. ' To a. Dominion reporter yesterday Mr. Sidey stated that he felt that it received favourabletreatment at the hands of the Committee of tho House, 'which heard evi-'-dence on the project- last session. During the recess,' Mr. Sidey has received appreciative resolutions from a number oi local bodies and other institutions 1 on tho question. Other members, however, ,state that the proposal will be subjected to a great deal of criticism, and has 'little chance of passing into law this session. LOCAL BODIES , LOANS. A return showing the applications that were made by local authorities for Government guarantee of loans raised under the Local Bodies' Loans Act, 1908, for the financial year ended March 31 lasb, has been, presented to Parliament. Altogether loans amounting to £260,000 were applied for, of which half thetotal amount was granted. Among the successful applications was that of the Levin Borough Council for £18,000 for the construction of water works. Tho applications which have not yet been, granted include: one from the Taihape 1 Borough' Council for £3750 to extend the drainage system, and £21,250 for waterworks, electric light, etc.; another from the Ohakune Town Board for £13,000 in , respect of various public works, whilst there were also applications of this nature , from the. Eketahuna Borough Council for £8000 to'construct a water supply scheme, and from the Eltham Borough Council for £10,000 for'gasworks. '.' ... ' : MR. MASSEY AND MR. LAURENSON. Incident during a ■ debate in. the House on Friday.—Mr. Laurenson.: "If Mr. deads with the. Land Bill of 1906 I shall'see ,that I also havo something to say." Mt.' Massey: "When the-' hon. member speaks on the land question, ho' is particularly interesting." After a brief pause- Mr. Massey, amid hearty laughter, .added: "But.'especially whe-n he weaTS that particularly pleasant expression which he. is wearing just now. Ho does not seem to like what I have just, been: saying." ■ . AUCKLAND SENSITIVENESS. A return of Government Savings Bank deposits recently presented, to Parliament, by not taking into account private savings banks' , in Auckland and Dunedin, left room- for - a . possible inference that the people of those two cities were less thrifty than those of Wellington and Christchurch. The Hon. T. Thompson (Auckland) -warmly defended Auckland from such an imputation in the Council and moved - for a return , , of tho deposits in both tho Auckland Savings Banks. This was objected to by the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson (Otagb), who could not nee why details of a private concern should be required by the Council. The Hon. J. Eigg (Wellington) suggested that Mr. Thompson was too sensitive about the reputation of Auckland. Ho had heard it said that Wellington harbour was more beautiful than that of Auckland, and ho would like Mr. Thompson to ask also in his return for map,s v of both harbours that woidd assist members to judge between them. (Laughter.) Dr. Findlay suggested that if returns were asked for by Auckland members on all questions which they considered matters of rivalry with' Wellington, tho Government Printing Office might bo put to great expense. Mr. Thompson said he would withdraw his motion, since the position in regard to Auckland had been made clear by the explanation which he had given in moving it. "THE FUTURE PRIME MINISTER." In the course of his statement on tho -Knyvett case, Sir .Joseph Ward said that, a ' motion of want of confidence in tho Government was to have been moved. • A mombor: By whom? • , Sir, Joseph: By Mr.- Glover, of Auckland. (Loud laughter.) Sir Joseph continued in a bantering strain that Mr. Massey was to havo carried Mr. Glover to tho steps of the throne. (Laughter.) -' At a later stage Sir Joseph, said tho large attendance at the Knyvett meeting in Auckland was, perhaps, due to Mr. Glover's presence. , They would ■ 1)0 anxious to welcome the future Prime Minister. At a later "stage Sir Joseph Ward referred to Mr. Glover as the future Prime Minister, and Mr. A. M. Myers interjected: "You , don't : ignore the other Auckland members' chances?" ."That is a little trouble you musi settle amongst yourselves," said Sir Joseph. - Mr. Glover complained 'subsequently that his remark.had been misinterpreted and misconstrued: Any statement n'n had ever made he was prepared to fulfil. The people of Auckland had trusted him in tho past. (Cheers.) He believed they would trust him in the future. (Cheers.)