POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

"HOSPITAL SATURDAY" CONTRIBUTIONS. A suggestion* that the whole of tha contributions made in Duuedin on Hospital Saturday" should be subsidised by the Government was made to the Prime Minister on Saturday morning by a deputation of Dunediii members of both Houses; of Parliament. Jirom the representations made, it seems that at present half the money collected goes to the Hospital, and carries a Government subsidy of 245. in the £, and the balance is divided be- N tween the Karitane Home, the Ambu-lance-Association, Prisons' Aid Society, . and the Women's Convalescent Home. It is also proposed this year to make a contribution for the treatment of the poor at the Dental Hospital. A £ for £ subsidy on the portion of the fund which does not go to the General Hospital was asked for by the deputation. Ihe Prime Minister reminded the deputation that. if their request wan granted, applications of a similar kind would immediately come in from all sides, and would run the country into ■ several thousand pounds every year. However, it might be possible to grant a smaller subsidy, and he would go fully into the question at an early date.

FLAXMILLINC MACHINERY. The member for Otaki, Mr. W. H. Field, is asking'the Minister for Agri. culture whether the Government will--bearing in mind the enormous possibilities for good involved, not only for the flaxmilling industry, but also for the country as a whole—consider favourably the, request, of the New Zealand Flaxmillers'.. Association for a sufficiently substantial, bonus to encourage engineers, flaxmillers, mechanics, and inventors generally to devote their best'' energies to the improvement of flaxmilling machinery, and thus decrea'so the cost of manufacture of New Zealand hemp, and put millers in a bettor position to compete with foreign fibres,and eventually develop fully our flag' industry? The bonus suggested (savg Mr. Field) is £20,000, and, as the milkers undertake, to repay this sum by means of a tonnage-tax on'hemp or in such other manner.as the Department may devise, the bonus will,, in reality, not be paid., by the . country, but. by the industry itself. .....

BUSINESS FOR THE COUNCIL , Although a good deal of business was dispatched, by-the Legislative Council last week, a' heavy Order Papor awaits the Council when, it reassembles tomorrow, . no fewer than thirteen Billa being set down for consideration. So far this session, evening sittings of the Council have been.practically, nil, but before the'present .week is through it will probably be found that it is absolutely necessary to sit at night in order to keep pace, with the business. The Bills' set down, for to-morrow are' the second readings of the Noxious "Weeds, Amendment Bill, Secret Commissions Bill, Taranaki Scholarships Endowment Bill, Kauri Gum. Industry Amendment Bill, Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill, Harbours Amendment Bill, and the Contagious Diseases Repeal Bill. The Commercial Trust* Bill, Opium Amendment Bill, Kaiapoi Beserves Bill, Inspection of Machinery Amendment Bill, Land Settlement Finance Amendment Bill, and tie Law Practitioners Amendment Bill are dow» for committal.

THE TUBERCULOSIS SCOURGE. Notice has been given by the Hon. Dr. Collins, M.L.C., of His intention to ask the Attorney-General to-morrow r I whether, owing to the importance of the. milk-supply' to the inhabitants' of' the' Dominion, the attention of the Go>' yernment h2s been drawn to the follow, ing recent statement by the Chief Vet. efinarian:—"Tuberculosis, declared Mr. Reakes, was one of the most disastrous diseases, and this would have to be tackled. They were doing a good deal of work at .present in getting rid of many affected animals every year, but the necessary, advance would not ba made against this scourge as long as they reared a crop of calves every year on milk which contained the germs of tuberculosis. Such milk was plentiful, among dairy factories and creameries in this country, a fact proved by the number of pigs fed on factory skimmilk and whey found to be affected. The bane of his existence at the present time was the tubercular pig. : He waa - quite satisfied that if- dairy factories and creameries throughout the country would pasteurise thei'r by-prodncta before these were fed to calves'and piga they would not only soon make the trouble in these animals of little consequence, but would make an appreciable advance in checking the spread of the disease in dairy cattle. Mr. Reakes expressed the hope that directorates and owners of dairy factories would take up the matter and instal pasteurising plants without delay. It was a movement that would- have to come in this country somehow or another."

THE LULL BEFORE THE STORM. In view of the fact that a consider* able number of members are away in Christckurch and Auckland, and will, not be back until to-morrow, no very important business is expected to ba brought foTward in the House when it meets this evening. The foremost' orders of tho day on the proof Order' Paper issued yesterday are: — Rating Amendment Bill (to be committed);' consideration of the amendments made by the. Legislative Council in the Stone' Quarries Bill, Judicature Amendment Bill, 'Education Reserves Amendment Bill, Counties Act Amendment Bill, Local Bodies' Loans Amendment Bill, all to be committed; aJid the.' Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill, to be read a third time. The eighth order of the day is the consideration of the report' on the National Provident Fund Bill. The Public Works Statement is expected to be brought down to-morrow, and' thenceforward to the end a solid pace is anticipated.

WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW. The Minister for Justice is being asked, by .Mr..' Okey whether -his attention 1 has been called to the unfairtreatment meted out to persons com.mitted for trial, by their being kept in the cells at the different prisons at night, during the time their cases are , being heard, and before they have been, found guilty; and if he could not so arrange that such.persons.be Kept at the local police stations during the time their cases ar& being heard. ' ■ A question has been stated by Mr. Glover asking the Government whether i it is true that sergeants of police • r ' other police officers obtain bonuses for" getting convictions against hotelkeepers. In a recent case at Pahnerston against an hotelkeeper for breach of the licensing laws, says Mr. Glover, the sergeant of police declined to answer the above question, leaving the impression that it was true that the police obtained such' rewards. Mr. Wright wishes to know from the Government whether it is intended te proceed with tho Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill this session, or whotner it is:intended to drop the Bill in eousequence of tho last amendment added by the Committee. " '■ ■ Mr. Hogg is anxious to know whether effect has yet been given to the scheme' promised earlier in . the session under which workers on payment of a deposit would be able to get dwellings erected?