THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 901, 22 August 1910, Page 7

THE SESSION.

4—— GALLERY NOTES: LOBBY GOSSIP* THE COVETED CHAIRMANSHIP. WILL MR. GOLVIN WIN? Perhaps no other matter which liar arisen this session has given rise to as much discussion in the lobbies as tho pending election for tho position of Chairman, of Committees of the House of Representa tiros . Among members it has overshadowed all other ques tions during tho week-end. When tho Prime "Minister's motion that Mr. Colvin bo elected is put, there is bound to bo a counter-proposal to the effect that the name of Sir William Steward, or Mr. Fraser, or some other member should bo substituted.' The matter will then be settled on tho question "that the name proposed to be omitted (viz., that of Mr. Colvin) stand part of tho question." If the original motion is carried, Mr. Colvin wity be elected, but should the amendment bo carried there will then be an opportunity for a further amendment to be moved. Since' Mr. Colvin's nomination for tho position an active canvass on his behalf is'being made oh. the Government sida . of the House. As, however, Sir Wil- \. •liam Steward is still a candidate for tho position, and will rcceivo a good deal of■ support from the Opposition," Mr. Colvin's election, is not at/ all sure. Mr. Colvin is very popular in the House —indeed, he has not, an enemy—but even his staunchest friends do not for a moment pretend that he is possessed of all:tho qualifications necessary in. a Chairman of Committees. The Government, however, is .in a dilemma, and prefers Mr. Colvin to a rebuff on the question in the House. Meantime some of the disappointed aspirants are rat-hex sore. because of tho Ministerial decision, and there are mutterings not loud but deep. The election promises to bo an interesting one. It is, of course, quite unusual to havo an Opposition nominee in tho field for such an an-, poiiitment, but owing to the dilatoriress of the Government Mr. Massey was (it is felt) quite justified in propos- '•'... ing someone to fill tho vacancy. LOWER WAIKATO SWAMP LANDS. A pica for the drainage of the Whangamarino Swamp, in the Lower Wai- ;■' kato, was made in the House on Fri- • day by M l '- Massey, who said he was informed that there .was twenty-four feet of fall between Mercer and the sea, and if that was so it should be possible to drain the huge area of one hundred and fifty thousand acres (including one hundred thousand acres of Crown land) in the Lower Waikato. Dried swamps made the best dairying coun- , /. try. If drained, the land would soon fetch five pounds an acre, instead of five shillings as at present. A surveyor should be sent as soon as possible to take levels. Sir Joseph Ward (in reply) said that as soon as possible a survoyor should bo sent to take levels ' and furnish a report. As soon as the. „ Government got that report it would . ." go into the whole position. . CHEAPER BACK-BLOCKS TELEPHONES WANTED. , : 'According to Mr. Jennings, M.P. for Taumarunui, the Government should ' supplj . telephones to back-blocks settlers at a lower rate than, is j now 'charged. As his district is mostly ; back-blocks, he hasi. heard andj seen much in support of his claim. Speaking to a Dominion reporter on Saturday, ho said it was hard for townspeople to realise the inestimable boon '• tho telephone .is in sparsely-settled districts. The- telephone .reminded the settler;.that he was not outside tho pale of civilisation, and made lifo much more tolerable for the womenfolk. For . _ instance, almost a)l rounds Kawhia harbour private. telephones had been, erected, and the, settlers' wives were agreed as to the great boon thoy were : in allowing them to converse witb each ' \ other. Irom the more serious point of view, the telephone might mean a / great saving of suffering, even of life, ! •in case of accident. Mr. Jennings added that lie intended to make further representations to the Government on the; subject. . "QUITE OUT OF THE QUESTION." Some time hack Mr. Reed (member for Bay of Lslands) made-tho sugges-: tion that parents of sixty years of age, with families of not less than eight children, should be granted pensions. . It was then stated by the.Prime Minister that there would be considerable difficulty in gaining the statistics on which such a return would be based. Mr/Reed has now been informed that the necessary information had been gathered. It is estimated , that there would, under such a scheme, be 1200, ; additional pensioners to bo provided ■ for at a total annual cost of £30,000.' The amount involved is so large, states : • the. Prime Minister, that amy. amend- • ... Mont to the Act in the direction desired by Mr. Rood would bo quite out' of the .question.". ':■■■•'. ,WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW. Further information regarding:. the appointment of Colonel Davies is being sought by Mr.' Rhodes ,who intends asking tho Minister for Defence. whether'he will-inform the House respecting tho position offered to Colonel Davies by tho Home authorities as follows:—(1). Is the' appointment a temporary one, or is there any possibility of the Dominion permanently losing '• the' valuable services of Colonel Davies j . and (2)Will tho Dominion continue to pay Colonel Davies his salary, and re-' tain a hold on his services for the Do- ■ _' v ;, Mr. Jennings is to ask the Prime Minister whether he will place -a sum of money on,this year's estimates to provide for an obelisk to be erected on oi near the historic battlefield of Orakau, - where the last stand was made by the Maniapotos and Waikatos in defence oi their rights. , ' i Mr. Okoy intends to ask the Minister for Agriculture whether, in bringing forward legislation amending the . • Stock Act, he will insert a provision .''■ making it'imperative that all cows orheifers spoyed shall bo marked with a ctistinguishing mark. Mr. Arthur M. Myers is to ask tho Minister" for Labour whether, in view of the objections tliat havo been, raised to the inquisitorial • nature of the demands for information contained in .the form issued'by trio Labour and Census Departments, he will take steps to have these modified so as to make them of a less harassing nature, and involving less labour in the preparation of tho returns. A REFORM PARTY SOCIAL. The Huntcrvillo branch of the Political Reform party, which was established last year, is proving a very live .■•. institution. Under its auspices asocial and dance will be held in M'Maunaway's Hall, Huuterville, this evening. Among the visitors will be several mem-, bers of tho Opposition party, including . Messrs. Jas Allen (Bruce), Malcolm (Clutha), Nosworthy (Ashburton), lluick (Palmerston N.), Fishor (Wellington Central), and Guthrie (Oroua)., whe • will leave for Huntcrvillo this-, morning. They will return to Wellington by the' , express to-morrow, afternoon. Numbers of visitors from the adjoining districts have also accopted invitations to-be . present-