POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 878, 26 July 1910, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

TO-DAY'S BUSINESS. The Bills set down for consideration', in tho House this afternoon are, in j order- of procedure: The Phosphorus. Matches Bill (Hon. D. Buddo); Stono; Quarries Bill (Hon. R. M'Kenzie), audi Foreign Insurance Companies' Uposits* Amendment Bill (Sir Joseph Ward).' In the evening the debate on the Jinan- ■ cial Statement will be opened by Mr.; Massey, Leader of the Opposition. The debate is likely to' continue for the. best part of a fortnight. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. ■ It is not expected that tie election of Chairman .of Committees of the-' House of Representatives will take place before Friday nest. The Primal MiDister could, by permission of the> ttouse, move to-day. for the electionof Mr. Davey, the official nominee of; the Government party, ,but-in doing'. so he would take a very unusuaj course, as tho practice has always been to give notice of such a motion. It is there-' fore, expected that the Prime Minister will give notice of the motion for Friday, which is,the next day when Gov-' ernnient business tal/es precedence.; When tho motion is moved it will, be open for any member 'to move, the ■ substitution of the name of Sir William Steward, the rival ' Government candidate, or of Mr. William Fraser,, whose name has been put forward by Mr. Massey. . PRISON REFORM PROPOSALS. The Crimes Act Amendment Bill,, which includes the. prison reform proposals, has been drafted, and will be brought before Cabinet for consideration immediately, so. that it may ba introduced soon after the Legislative Council re-assembles. . A NEW PARTY PREDICTED EY MR. HOCC. Tho. downfall of the present Administration is prophesied by Mr. A. W. Hogg, member for Masterton, who expects to. see its place taken by an Independent Liberal party. "My . impression is," ho said to a Dominion. representative, yesterday, "that at next election.a great many candidates will' stand on tho Independent Liberal platform, including some members of the present House who sit on the Government benches. The Government, seem to be becoming exceedingly unpopular,, and I havo not the slightest doubt. : tkat ! they will lose a good many seats. The.' ..dissatisfaction with the present Administration is pretty general all over. New Zealand. I have that from veryf good-sources, from men who are.travelling all over the country, but it exists, particularly in and around Auckland, especially. North, of' Auckland,- and f ; think that in several electorates in. the., .Auckland province there will be a . change of members. I look upon' the; 'fact that Mr. Myers, refused to ally! himself with the Government party asj significant, and prophetic of the attitude; that will be adopted by a good many,, candidates." . ■ '0 ■ •

•Do you think, then, that the present Administration will be able to carry on?. Mr. Hogg was asked. ,

"I am doubtful of it," Mr. Hogg re-, plied. "I expect to see a new party'; independent of the present Administra- ! tion formed. It will include tho most ! Liberal minds of the .present Liberal! party, and- possibly the more Libepli of the Opposition party, besides those, 1 members of tho House who-have Labour! leanings. It will be more sympathe,tio; to 'Labour than tho present Admiriis-' tration, and will be more Liberal'than! the present Liberal party, who, in my' opinion, have fallen from.the 'traditions, of Seddonism." '- / ' TWO POINTS OF VIEW. Mr. Fisher, during the Public Ser-' vice debate: "Sir, if you happen to sit. on that side of the House you put oa! a pair of green Government, goggles, and at once imagine everything is perfection'. If you happen to sit on this side you put on a pair of clear Opposition glosses and see things in a somewhat different light." Bight Hon. Sir J. Ward: You sea everything through black glasses! Mr. Fisher: Yos, sometimes we see things' through.black glasses. That is, when the maladministration is so-' dazzlingly bad that wq have to put ort< black glosses in to look at >it"' without hurting our eyes.