NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1207, 16 August 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS. Mr. Arnold is to '.ask the Minister for Internal Affairs whether he will give the Electoral Department instructions to inform electors in those city electorates which have been altered by tho Representation Commissioners of the name q£ the electorate to which they havo been transferred. . The claims of Garrison Bands are being brought under the noftico of tho Government by Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P., who is to ask whether provision is to bo made for the bands under tho new defonco scheme. Definite iniorjuation as to when tho estimated cost of the new Parliamentary Buildings and the period at. which tho competitive designs that have been invited will be made available is being fought, by Mr. Poarce. . In a question addressed to the Minister for Public Works, Mr. Herdman states that the workshops used by men Employed by the Pnblic Works Department in Wellington are in a. state that would not be permitted in the case of a private employer. He asks why the Kiim voted last session for the. construction of new workshops has not been spent. The pea-rifio is mentioned in a. question irhieh' is to be addressed by Mr. Jennings to the Minister for Internal Affairs. The questioner asks tha.t the sale of this ■weapon to persons under fifteen years of eg& shall be absolutely prohibited. The Minister for Agriculture is to be asked by Mr. Witty to guarantee the continuance this year of tho bounty of one penny per lb. on fruit exported to England. Mr. Jenningsis urging tho Minister for Public Works to adopt a system, under which every Government contractor, before a progress payment 13 made, will bo required to sign a declaration showing . that no wages are due to workmen- in connection with the contract, in tho event of wages being duo a sufficient portion of the progres.s payment to bo retained to cover the claim.

Sir A. R. Guinness has been impressed by tho desire of the State school teachers for a right of appeal in case of transfers, nnd he has accordingly given notice to ask the Minister for Education whether he will favourably consider tho desirableness of amending tho Education Act frith that object.

THE PRESS ASSOCIATION, Eecent criticism of the Press Association has led to Mr. Davey giving notico tjat he will ask the Government whether fji [f>l set up a Sekct Committee to

ascertain the methods of tho Press Association in the distribution of news, especially in view of the fnct th.it Hie hon. member fnr Wellington Xordi lias declared that, the association is a tool of tho Government.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' DAYS, To-day and to-morrow are private members' days. That' is to >ay the second readings of Bills introduced by private members take precedence of oilier business, and xviLl presumably Ix- reached loday immediately after the customary two hours' discussion on Ministerial replies to question?. Mr. Hidey has retired first place for his -New Zealand Mean Time Bill, and this is to be followed by the. Gaming AinomliEcnt Bill (Mr. Jennings) and the Shearers' Accommodation Amendment Bill (Mr. M'Lare.n). For to-mor-row thoro are the Abolition of Duties on Food Bill (Mr. Hogg), and the Marriage Act Amendment Bill (Sir W. .1. Steward). DAYLIGHT SAVING. Mr. Sidey is repeating his endeavour to give effect'by legislation to the principle of daylight-saving by means of an arbitrary "adjustment of time. His New Zealand Mean Time Bill provides that during the summer months from 2 o clock mean time on the me/ning of the last Sunday in Septembor <intil the same hour on the morning o> tho last Sunday in the following M.yfch, 'New Zealand clock time would begone hour iiv advance of New Zealand mean time. During the balance of each year, clock time would correspond with mean time, A clause in the Bill proposes that this arrangement should be recognised in connection with all legal requirements into which the question of hours e'niers, but. Mr. Sidey does not intend that it should be obsorvcd for the purposes of astronomy and navigation.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 'Mr. Russell intends to ask the Government to introduce a Bill providing for the establishment of • a Local Government Board in New Zealand. If it does not propose legislation in that direction, he suggests that it should facilitate a similar, measure promoted by a private member. ' INSTRUCTING AUSTRALIA, As New Zealand has passed so much beneficial legislation which has not been imitated in Australia,. Mr. Taylor proposes that the Acting-Prime Minister should supply to the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth and of the Australian Stales information regarding a number of reforms and State enterprises instituted in the Dominion. IN BRIEF. Mr. Seddon gave notice yesterday to introduce the Boss Borough Vesting and Empowering Bill, the. object of which is to vest in the floss Borough Council somo land at Boss which is now used as a commonage. Emily Meynel'l, of Miramar, states in a petition to Parliament thnt her children were taken from her care and committed to the Receiving Home on incorrect and false evidence, on January U, 1911. She' begs for their release and the quashing of the committal. Alexander Macdonnld, a pioneer settler and miner, is petitioning Parliament for relief. He states that he came to tho Colony in 1859, and took a prominent part in prospecting and gold-mining en the West 'Coast. Ho was inspector of works on the Midland Railway and several Government railways works, being in the Public Service for 12 years. He is now retired on account of old age, without any allowance. He states that during his last six years in the Public Service he was underpaid, and met with an accident which caused him serious loss and inconvenience. \ :