NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1507, 1 August 1912, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

SELLING RAILWAY TICKETS. , Improved methods of selling railway tickets are suggested by Mr. G. M. . Thomson, in a question addressed to the Minister for I'ailways. Mr. Thomson asks that tickets should bo sold at places other than railway stations, that they should bo ava-ii-able for usu at any. time after purchase, and that they be made transferable. Tho Bailway Department iu tho post, according to the member for .Dnnedin North, has been hide-bound in its methods of soiling tickets, and'has not studied tho convenience of tho travelling public. OPOSSUMS. Mr. Atinoro intimated yesterdny that ho would ask that the protection of opossums iu tho Nelson district should 1:« withdrawn. According to tho member for Nelson, opossums ate at present doing so much damage iu thai district that it is absolutely necessary in the interests of orchardists and othfr agriculturists that tho nuisance should be abated. PICK AND SHOVEL METHODS. The member for Patea, Mr. G. V. Pearce, suggests in a question to tho Government, that an official shoujd b8 sent , to Panama, to inspect the machinery .used in the canal works, with a view to the utilisation of similar plant in New Zealand, and .an .abolition of tho antiquated ! pick and shovel methods now i-n vogus in this country. SECOND BALLOT. Mr. G. W. Russell gave notice yesterday ( that he would ask tlie Government if it , intended to repeal tlis Second Ballot. Act, and, if so, what it proposed to substitute in lieu of the second ballot. j FIRST READINGS. 1 The following Bills were read a. first ' time yesterdayDnnedin District Drain- : ago and Sewerage Acts Amendment Bill 1 (Mr. Sidey), Kew Zealand Mean Time 3 Bill (Mr. Sidey), Water-carried Goods and ' Passenger Traffic as a. State .Monopoly i Bill (Mr. Payne), Publications of the ' Press under License Bill (Mr. Payne), j Sharing of Profits of Slate Monopolies : Bill (Mr. Pavno), Auckland Harbour i Board Empowering Bill (Mr. Myers). ' CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. ! Part, of yesterday's proceedings in the ! House cf Repr-ssentatives were in com- ; irittes, and on th; Prime Minlsfar's mo- j tion, Mr. Lang (Manukau) nctc-d temperarily as chairmiui. Popular with bctii side-5 of the House, Mr. Lang has had a long term of Parliamentary experience, • and he cai-ri-.'.l out the duties most, sue- ■ eossfi'.lly. Ht> will probably be elected to < the position wh:>u the matter tonics before : the House, which ■ will proboblv be jn4 prior lo the consideration of ihe Esti- , males, I LICENSING LAW. £ Mr. A, £. Malcolffli mernKtr for Clutlm, 3 gave uotico yesterday of his iutention to 11:

inlreduce a Lie-easing Amendment Hill. This is the private Hill which lias been promised "a fair run" by Iho Government. It will provide for the. abolition of the three-liftlis majority in licensing polls, and tin; substitution of voting on a ,'w-iri per cent. b:i~is. LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. The Opposition party has not yet. surmounted the task of appointing a leader. During vesterdiiy's proceedings Sir Joseph Ward, Sir. A. M. Myers, ami Mr. (1. W. Russell all displayed a readiness to take a prominent part in sncli debates as occurred. The Hon. T. Mackenzie, who was addressed os Leader of tlio Opposition by tlio Prime Mini-tor, seemed to be almost -indifferent as compared-with his neighbours on. the front. Opposition benches. Some light, was thrown upon tlio existing position bv a well-informed Oppositionist, who declared emphatically last evening Ihat whoever might be selected as leader it would not ba Mr. G. W. Russell.