NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 906, 27 August 1910, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

DEALING WITH INTERJECTIONS. In the course of his speech yesterday afternoon Mr. W.. C. Buchanan gavo-statistics to show tho drift of population from our shores. His discussion of the significance of these figures was interrupted by the member for Waikato, who ■ interjected, ."You have done pretty well in, this country." "I have done'well," Mr. Buchanan retorted, "and I'-would have done well in any other decent country." Later on the member for Wairarapa referred to a defence of borrowing in tho 1909 \Budget. He quoted therefrom a passago in which the Prime Minister said that for every million borrowed, assets to tho extent of ten millions were created. Having read Mr. Buchanan read, a passage from this year's Budget, in which Sir Joseph Ward/said: "For every, million of our" debt our assets may . safely be said, .to have increased by threo millions."' "What a falling-off is here!" exclaimed tho member for Wairarapa, who added, "Is it possible, that 'the right lion, gentleman is becoming a pessimist?" This provoked tho Prime -Minister to retort. "If-I wero as pessimistic as you," ho said, "I'd'die right off." ."'Well," said Mr. Buchanan, smiling broadly, "I hope-that when the right lion, gentleman has lived as long as I have he will be. able to'face bis political and other opponents. as satisfactorily ,as I am. doing to-day, and feel rib nearer death than I do at the present, mo'me'nt.''.,,: .. -. . . .'■ . ... ",;..'" WORKERS' COMPENSATION. -'-The., Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, introduced by tho Hon. J. A. 'Mjllqr yesterday, provides/that in. addition to ordinary compensation, expenses for. medical attendance up to £10 sliaH'hp paid! ; .' Where the average weekly earnings of a worker, exclusive of overtime, exceed £5, .and tho Court is . satisfied that tho employment has been of an intermittent nature, thereby causing occasional' loss of time, during which it'has been' generally, impracticable for the worker to lie engaged at other remunerative employment, tho wholo or any part of tho time so lost may, in tho discretion. of the Court, be taken into account,as time worked; and tho average weekly earnings shall bo computed accordingly. .."'.'

Any iupnoy . payable under this Act in respect of the expenses of tho medical or'surgical-'-attendance on an injured worker may be recovered by action iii ; tho Magistrate's Court-in accordance with this Act at the.suit of that worker, or at the suit of any person by whom the said expenses or any of, them have been, incurred, or at the siiit of any person entitled to recoivo any payment in respect of tlie said attendance. The section in" the principal Act providing'that tbefo shall bo no abatement of compensation if tho claimant is insured is proposed 4o be .repealed. .' ' ' ' .-': ■

THE STRESS OF PARLIAMENT. "Tho members,were virtually dead for wont of sleep," remarked 31 r. vtlogg in the Jluuse last, night, whilst referring to the manner in which various Bills were forced, through Parliament in the dying hours of previous sessions. "Oh, no," chorused a number of members. Mr. Hogg: ''Well, they were moribund at all events." (Laughter.) He added that so many amendments were made to sonio of these measures that their authors would not. afterwards- have - known their own property. "And we ivere supposed to liiiye passed them. If wo did, it wns whilo we. wero asleep," added Mr. Hogg, amid further ' merriment. ■ NATIVE LAND TAX< A Teturii allowing -the amounts assessed as land tax on Native lands lor tlie years ending Jlarch 31, IUB7, 1908, 1809, nnd 1910, and the..amounts paid each year by the Public Trustee, the Maori Land Board, the East Coast Trusts Lands Com-> niissioner, the Keccivers and Trustees, tho lessoas, and tho Native owners, was laid on the table" of the House yesterday. Tho amounts assessed as land tax on Native lands in 190S-7 was XC66I 6s. 7d., and in 1909-10 tho total .was .£10,157 4s. The amounts paid by-the various bodies in 10GG-7 and 1309-10 were as under, the figures for 190D-1U being given in iraron.thesas:—Public Trustee, JJIC29 Mi. 3d. tiaffu' Ms. Hd.); llaun Land Hoards, (£373 13s. 9d.); East .Coast Trusts Lands !Commissioner,. (,£l7O Is. lid.); ]{eceivers and Trustees, ,£355 Cs. 10d. (.£459 23. Id.); the lessees, <£4M9 15s. IM. (.fCSCS ss. S<l.); Native owners, ,£23(> Us. 8(1. (J2l!> Gs. 9d.): 'None of tlie lax assessed to the Slaori Land Boards has yet been paid. . REPORTS ON. BILLS. The Native Affairs- Committee, to whom was referred tho Native Townships Bill, recommended that only one amendment ohould Ire made in the measure. This was to the efiVct that Ihe Crown may acquire by wuy of exchnngt, as well a* by purchnsp, any land sitnated in a Native township and vested in a Maori Land Board, in pursuance of a resolution ot assembled owners. Tlie report, it mis agreed, should be laid on the table.

•In connection with the Coalmines Amendment Bill No. 2, tha Goldfields ami Mines Committee has recommended several amendments. In the first place they struck out clause 2, which provides that the board'of examiners appointed under the' Mining Act shall conduct nil examinations of iniiie-mnnngors. A proviso was added to tlie Bill that no person who has entered into a contract for currying out any work connected with a mine shall during the currency of that contract be employed or act'as umlerViovver or foreman and deputy in that mine. It \v,\s agreed that tlie report of the committee should, be laid on the table.