POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

A RECENT RUMOUR. MR. MASSEY AND THE MINISTRY. Sir Joseph AVanl seized on opportunity in Parliament yesterday to refer .0 a statement attributed to Jlr. Jas. Allen, member for Brnce, that Mr. Massey hart been offered a seat in the Ministry. ILo described the statement as a brazen-faced misrepresentation. , Mr. Jas. Allen: You tell the wholo Prime Minister said ho would, nml would prove it out of the mouths oi iMr. Allen's friends. The member for Bruco was tho greatest misreprefentcr, prouably, of any man that had been in tho House. „ . . • .. Mr. Massey urged tho Premier to tell the whole story. ■ Tho Primo Minister: No ono will placo me in .1 wrong position! _ Mr. Massey: No, you took precious good care of that. . The incident terminated after tho Primo Minister had made sonio further remarks of a general character 011 the subject of misrepresentation, and tho necessity of letting tho people know about it. "HIS EXCITABLE COLLEAGUE." Noise is not argument, but the Hon. T. Mackenzie. Minister for Agriculture, appears to think that a little desk bangin" is of value in driving home an argument. In Parliament yesterday he came into conflict with Mr. Massey by accusing hiin of neglecting to mention the assets of the Dominion when, on various occasions, he had spoken critically in reference to its public debt. Mr. Massey denied the allegation, but the Minister for Agriculture persisted 111 it. At this stage he banged, his desk heavily onco or twice, apparently with tho idea of showing how much he was House was amused.' Members all round the Chamber laughed, and banged and slapped their deste in mockery. Mild uproar ensued for a brief period, but it was Quietly stilled when the Chairman of. Committees called for order, and the Prime Minister had voiced a hope that the calmness so necessary to the best interests of tho cduntry would be preserved. Mr. Massey suggested that, if the lion, gentleman wished a spirit of sweet calmness and • reasonableness to prevail, he should restrain "his excitable colleague, the Minister for Agriculture.

CO-OPERATIVE LABOUR. Mr. Okev does not intend to let the question of tho co-operative systein ol public works be dropped. He has given notice to ask tho Minister for Public Works, whether, seeing that he considers it unnecessary to make any inquiry into the mode of carrying on the public works of the Dominion by co-operative labour, ho will supply the House with the following particulars:—(l) Is any estimate mado of the different works by an experienced officer of tho Department beforo being put in hand; (2) what method 'has tlio Department of checking whether tho "work is carried out within tho estimate mado by the Departmental officers; (3) is tlio Departmental officer making tho estimate required to report to the Department reasons for any works costing over tho amount estimated to complete such work?

THE STATE AS EMPLOYER. Mr. Fisher states that employees in tho State coalyards are receiving lower wages than men doing similar work in private employ. The ivagos in tho State yards, ho says, aro Is. per hour, or <£2 2s. to X 2 ss. per week, while employees in private employ receive from Is. ljd. to Is. 3d. per hour. He lias given notice to ask tlio Minister for Mines whether the wages will bo brought into line. A PETITION. • The petition of Mrs. E. Douglas, - of Opoutere, Tairttn, which has been beforo .Parliament on several occasions, has been referred' to the Government for consideration, in accordance with a report hf 'tlie Native Affairs Committee.-'^-Mrs. Douglas is endeavouring to &ccure the payment'of tho talance of an amount awarded her bv a Royal. Commission. . Mr. HEItEIES stated that the petitioner had an incontestable claim, and that if lie had the power he would instantly right the injustice done her. An arbitrator, approved by tho Government, had awarded her JEI4OO damages. In ignoiance of this, she accepted i'DOO. That sho had a valid claim to tho balance could not be disouted. Mr. MASSET also supported tho claim. IN BRIEF. The sum of <6123,437 lis. Bd. was paid out of the Native Land Settlement Account during the year ended March 31, 1911, for tho purchase of Native land. Mr. Samuel Vai'.e, of Auckland, has petitioned Parliament to order n trial of the stage system on the Te Hana to Koforua railway line. 2-1 C miles. Mr. Fisher will ask the Minister in Charge of Mental Hospitals, whether ho has made any provision upon this year's estimates for increasing the pay of mental hospital attendants; and, if not, will hoi make provision upon tho Supplementary Estimates?