THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 938, 4 October 1910, Page 6

THE SESSION.

THE GAMING BILL : There-was a great deal of , ;talk in'the lobbies yesterday concerning the; ;new Gaming Bill, an outline- of the principal provisions of which" was ■ published in yesterday's issue. . The Prime Minister states that .the Bill has not yet teen passed by Cabinet. . It is significant that the, House • many weeks ago passed resolutions affirming the desirableness of abolishing the -.bookmaker and' favouring the totalisator; that, weeks have elapsed since the. Bill ■ itself -was formally introduced and read, a first ■ time—and yet the Premier says the Bill.itself has not yet been approved .by. Cabinet.;'.-The , summary-of the measure as drafted and.published in' The Dominionyesterday presumably embodies views, of' the Prime Minister. It. will, be-interesting to note whether his colleagues, one. of-, whom has. already -expressed strong disagreement, with ■;Sir Joseph Ward; on : the; bookmaker, issue, insist on.any material'alterations.'..-.-".'•■•;. ■-.. [■■:"". ■' LIGHT RAILWAYS.-' • :T' : - : Just,- as; a deputation which , .had -urged the-construction of a-railway from Mastertori to Waipukurau <was leaving "the-. Prime'.Minister's',', room yesterday, : Mr. Boss, .M.P. for. Paliiatua, got in a- word for light railways. ."You.. will".admit," said Mr. : E«ss';to' the Prime : Minister, "that there are;, .certain ~' districts' that should, not 'have :been served by the class, of 'railway\.they;have. got." •■;•'■,Mr.VHoss" toj>k; Central'.Otago: as an-example j and; said that; a 'Ml. 6ih.'■ gauge; 301b.-.,0r; Mb. rails,,'less sidings, "and poorer "station ~acoommbdation; would .'have 'been. '■■-. good: ' enough:for the- district,■ and.would -have -made, it'possible for. the line, to:.pay r 'a higher rate of interest.',- Sir Joseph Ward, said there was a good deal to be said for light railways, .'provided ' the - gauge ; was, not .altered.!-.'"!.'lt meant;; however, keeping; two classes 'of/rolling stock..'.'.- x • :V:\. ■ > ?.- ■ ;^ ; ;legisuative;m.uncil;; ;■■:;,;■ ; ; The ilegislative-Council -will; not; meet' torday,.but ; a" fairly, full order", paper, will be placed before;thb .Council,'when 1 it.re-; assembles to-inorrow.-afternoon.- 'The. of-, ders. of. the ;day',ineiude the; second readings of the; Nelson .City Drainage Loan j and Empoweringfßill, New/Zealand State Guaranteed Advaiices Bill, Aid to ;Works and; Land Settlement Bill,;. Govern-- : merit, Railways■'. Amendment .'.8i11; , .': linmi-, gration'Restriction'-Amendment. Bill,' and " the 'Tobacco Amendment .Bill. ■' The Law. ■Practitioners', .Amendinent , - Bill'is,' J. set down for,further.consideration in.commitr , tee, and the. Wangariui ■ Church' Acre; Bill for :its third reading., ,-,■•;,-;'.. : '•; -;■■;:• :, B |LI -S.;';-: iiJty. , -prei' sent hearing , ,evident from'both:eides;'6n .'the'Shpps and Officesßill. -The'.evidence ,taken. ; on' the'.Tramways ; Bill-/is. being ; printed,.; arid, - it;-' twll. ■■ probably'. l ' te.' some', days-- before ,;,tie';Committee; .finishes 'its deliberations.on-ihis'measurV. : :-i :':'■■•;■"■.■.V^:;' ;,.- --WHERE -THE-SHOE)PINCHED,;;^ :' Getting. ; a-little ;pfE: the' beaten."path/Ja ,deputation,'which'• i waited.;on' the;-Prime. Minister -yesterday 'urged'as -an argument; ■hx favour of. the construction of; the:;MasY tertp'ri-Waipukurau 'railway -that .'the)set-, tiers : were prepared' to.' : guarantee,' interest 'phi'.the <cost of:cpnstructronV.; '■'■ This :line'-of: reasoning 'was'.'promptly- disallowed.by the PrimevMinister, who pointed, but ..thatr no. matter/ how- admirable .such', faith- in :'a; district' might;:he,.:it:did'.not alter', the need for going;on,the London market,-to ■borrow:money for;the.constraction,of the railway. ..-That,, he intimated, was 'where the, shoe'.'really -pinched. L '. We; could-'.not exceed the limits of .our .borrowing 'I capa'c-ityj!and.until'-spiie'rof the'lines ; under; construction. were completed:, the Gov-,' ernidentcoiild not start others. '-<:■' v. ; :.:

; security;jfor; workers , ! homes.v '■■]■ A>.'grievance": felt-:by;'a' number of••■resi-'. dents in'Rotorua..who;\vish to 'secure *i an advance.froivi'ithe State td-build.'housesis ■■ being voiced by;. Mr., W. D.~ S-jMacdonaU,-ilf.s>,-.TvKpxiSiiendeayjQiiring.'tq "dre».;iv.:A-'"good^dKJ,'of,\la'nd.-in;'and;.;'id- , ;Up.;jnrfiye ; orjten-acre Jareas,-' .the ■^spansion^of ;the .';tojra these.,are.,ioW: ;ing;'cut' up ;into.'smaller/sectiqns !o£ from' a' ..qnarter r ;;of -an 'acre to one. aore'.',;The ■ppjsitlon,.;..has 'arisen/that. if.. a:'-worker.;' acfluiresi6ne,of;these lots'and'makesiappli- . cation :to J.'the','Statej for Van. advance.;; (o bflild-'a'.':houso.'.-he.is' met-with a, refusal on;' : the ground-that -he isva.sub-lesseei.' Mr.!Macdonaldi.is'erideavdu'Tin'g;.tp:MCOTe an',amendmentjqf,the regulation'to allow, adyances'-itp/lie'made.'iiivsuch-.'cafiesi^^"-;..,