NEWS AND NOTES

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES

HASTY LEGISLATION. A NEW SYSTEM WANTED. Referring to the lack of confidence which he averred the people were showing in regard to this country, Mr. Wilford remarked in the House yesterday that be believed that . half the trouble was caused owing to the lightnine speed at which legislation was passed here. Mr. Wilford went on to say that' in passing legislation they 'calculated that they, wore going to cure an apparent defect, and whilst rushing blindly on they did not appreciate tho possible effect in other ways of_ tho new measures. He honestly believed that a new system in regard to passing measures should be introduced. After a Bill had'been read a second time it should be referred to a committee, even if it took a, whole session before it was ready to bo passed. In that way the ■country would get an opportunity of understanding what was proposed, and could make representations' to its representatives in the House,' who could not be expected to be experts in every direction. -In the following session the Bill could bo reintroduced for the purpose of being passed.... "No, time would be wasted," addsd'.'Mr." Wilford, "in getting to the'probable effect of every line of every clause of. every measure. Oftentimes members vote for a_Bill the meaning of .some clause; of which they have never ascertained.... r When a mistake was afterwards pointed out— sometimes by'a person inexperienced in Parliamentary matters —members often !felt ridiculous, in that'they helped to pass the measure."

WHEN FINANCIAL EXPERTS DIFFER! There was a striking, conflict of opinion between tho Prime Minister and Mr. Jas. Allen upon a question of finance yesterday. When the Prime Minister laid upon the table, a return : relating to tho.State Guaranteed Advances Department, Mr. Allen stated that there was a sum of £475,000 borrowed, he presumed, through the Department, which did not appear either iu the table of transfer or in the ordinary debt table, "If the amount has not been added to the.public debtj" added Mr. Allen,' "it should havobeen." Sir Joseph. "Ward: "If it had "been so included I should have been accused of doing a very improper thing; if it should have been put in tho table it would have been put there." Mr. Allen: "Well, I say that tho table then does not disclose the whole amount of tho public dobt for the year." Sir Joseph: "The amount was borrowed under the Act between the coming into operation of the Act early this year and tho end of the financial year in March. You will seo that the table includes tho moneys borrowed before the coming into operation of tho Act. Everything is correctly stated in tho Financial Statement." THE DISPUTED PAIR. During tho sitting of tho House yesterday the Prime Minister again referred to the dispute as to whether Mr. Sidey, who went South, was paired in connection with tho division, which took placo on tho want-of-confidence motion on the previous day. Sir Joseph said that after tho- division he wired to Mr. Sidey as under: ."You informed mo before leaving for tho South that you were paired with Mr. Allen. On the division last night Mr. Allen voted, and upon being questioned in tho Houso declared. that ho was hot paired with you. Kindly wire'me the position." In reply lie had received a wire from Mr. Sidey as follows:' "Tho first arrangement made with me was undoubtedly that I was' paired with Mr. Allen, and I informed you and Mr. Ell to that effect. Mr. Hardy accepted mo in the lobby.' Ho said that Mr. Allen was not going South till Friday, but that he would pair pie with someone else till then. 1 should havo returned and told Mr. Ell, but time would not permit, as I had to catch the steamer."

"So what T said in tho House last night was correct," Sir Joseph added. -Mr. Allen: And- what 1 said, too. . Tho matter was concluded by Sir Joseph remarking that Mr. .Sidey's reply, bo thought, spoko for itself. THE "PHOSPHORESCENT" PARTY. Whilst discussing tho two' chief parties in the House yesterday, Mr. E. H. Taylor, M.!>. for Thames, was subjected to a Rood- deal of criticism. As regards the Opposition, ho observed that, formerly it* members were called Tories, but now they designated themselves the Kofonu Party; Why had they chunked their name? He had often noticed (hat some people who were in the habit of attending courts of law often e!t:i lifted their names. The reason why ilu'i' adopted an alias was that they did not wish to continue carrying tile blame for sins committed under n former name. Mr. Massey: The same old Christian charity I

Mr. Taylor went on to say that ho was obliged for tho interjection. There was, he declared, only one definition of true religion—to visit the widow .and the fatherless in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. "We (the Government members) know our own spots," added Mr. Taylor, "and we don't pretend -that -wo are without spots. Nor have we ever done so. The spots you will find on our side are bright and brilliant ones that lead forward towards progress, and are as a 'ight upon the darkness of Conservatism." NONPLUSSED! Referring to the Public Service, Mr. E. H. Taylor, M.P. for the Thames, remarked rn the House yesterday thatthe rulo at Homo for many, years was for the eldest son. of a..family, to go into the Army, for the second son. to join the Navy, for the third son to enter tho Church, and for the fouith son to go into the Public Service.' ."But what if there are only three sons?" interjected Mr. Wilford. Mr. Taylor: Well, the third one would go into the Church just the samu. But Mr. Taylor was not done with Mr. Wilford, for he added: "Where you would have been an honoured ornament." (Laughter.) • ■ Apparently Mr. Wilford was quite nonplussed, as for some time he was uhablo to mako any reply, but eventually he asked: "Were you a'third son?" but Mr. Taylor lot the query pass by unheeded. AN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE. Mr. W. Jeffries, who was a candidate for tho Geraldine seat in the Opposition interest at the last general election, stated at a farewell gathering at Temuia on Thursday evening, prior to his ■ departure for the North, Island, that he would probably stand again for tho sama constituency at. next election. A NAPIER BILL. The Napier Municipal Theatre alioi Buildings Bill, introduced by Mr. Vigor Brown, proposes to authorise the Napier Borough Council to erect municipal offices, a municipal theatre, town hall, music hall, museum, and other buildings on certain lands vested in them under the Napier. Borough Endowments Act, with power to sub-lease any. such buildings. "WELL DONE, MASSEY!" 1

I believe that when the newspaper! were opened this morning there would be an exclamation right through New Zealand: -"Well done, Massey!"—Mr. Phillipps (Waitemata) on the result of the no-corifidenco motion.

MR. DINNIE'S APPOINTMENT. • Sarcastic reference ,to the appointment'recently conferred, on. Mr. W... Dinnie, ex-Commissioner.of Police, was made in the House yesterday by Mr. Phillipps, member for Waitemata. Mr. • Phillipps quoted a. statement made by Dr. lindlay in his speech at Whanga-i rei, with regard to Native land, that the legislation was all right, but ,th§' administration was weak. "" "It was,' probably to overcome that weakness," suggested Mr: Phillipps, "that Mr.' . Dinnie has been appointed as the chair.' man of a Maori Land Board in thai district." v ' BOOKMAKER AND TOTALISATOB. v? Petitions that the bookmaker and the totalisator should stand or fall to- ■ gether continue to be laid before Parliament. Four long ones, containing;in ■ all 5164 names, were presented yesterday. Mr. Glover's had 1?.13 names, Mr. . Ell's 1201, Mr. Davey's 1250, and Mr. Witty's 1500. "ITS HEEL UPON HIS NECK." "The Government has for years attempted to bring tie man'with •capital down..; It' has its heel upon his. neck. This they have, done by harassing him with too much legislation, by bullying '/ him with inspectors, by taxing him as' much as possible. In fact, in every way they have endeavoured .to drive him away."—Mi\ . Herdman, M.P. for Wellington North, in the House last night., ;■'■'. TOO MUCH POLITICS. "Too much politics," was the com« plaint which Mr. HeTdman expressed last evening in connection with New Zealand affairs. There was, he said, too much interference with business institutions of all descriptions. The principal complaint in this country was that Politics entered into every sphere. Lord Kitchener had "been quick to. notice this, and in -the memorandum, which accompanied his defence' scheme he expressed the hope that whcji the Government. was dealing ' with ■ _ the . ■ scheme they would not allow politics to interfere.. " '. OLD TORY PARTY. "We are sometimes-accused of being old Tories,", said Mr. Phillipps (Waitemata) last evening. ' "Of the old Tory ;.■ party only four are now in.the House>— ' two'on these benches and two on the Government benches.. AM- . the two who are on the Government benches, are holding Ministerial positions.. The . honours are equal. Let us cry quits." JOTTINCS. "I belicvo that New Zealand owes ■ a very great deal of its value ' and progress not to Parliament, but to such men as Brydon, Grigg, Buchanan, and Mr. Reynolds (of the Waikato)'."—• ■.Mr. Phillipps (Waitemata). . "I. have heard it said that pome people are very anxious to leavo New Zealand," remarked the Hon. T. Mackenzie in tho House last night. "My reply to them is," he continued,, "in God's name you can.go if .• this country is not good enough for you." ■ Mr. Mackenzie added that in his opinion no country, under, the sun was a better field for enterprising and healthy people than New Zealand. "The public do not know the whole ' of the facts in connection .with the Tax Department, and they are not . likely to know so long as the present Ministry are in power."—Mr. Dive .-' (Egmont). , "What docs Conservatism stand for?" asked Mr. E. H. Taylor, member for Thames, in a burst of eloquence yesterday. ."It stands for. privilege," he went on, "it stands for class 1 And what does advanced Liberalism stand for?" "Blessed humbug," interjected Mr. Massey, and what should have been the climax of Mr. Taylor's oratory was lost in laughter. "Everybody hero delighted with the pretty 'iuing of your cost, - ' was the text of a telegram received yesterday •. by a Government member wlw, voted with the Opposition oh tho want cf confidence motion.