POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1541, 10 September 1912, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

COUNCIL REFORM, BILL TO COME DOWN THIS WEEK. The Dill to reform tho constitution of the Legislative Council, which is to bo introduced in tlio Lower House, will not necessarily bo the measure which tho Council recently rejected. Tlio Government has dnlermined, however, that (ho principle of nn elective Upper House, which (ho Council iWelf lias' aflirmed, must lio retained in its entirely. Tho new Bill will bo infiroduced in tho ITouso of Representatives during tho present; week.

STATE INSURANCE, A R]5l>OHT OFFICIALLY DENIED. Tlio attention of tho Hon. F. 3d. B. Fisher, Minister in Charge of tliu (invernmqnt Insurance department, has been drawn to a paragraph which appeared in I he Christehnreh "livening News" of September ti, in wlncli it is staled tliat somewhat •strained relations exist between the heads ■of (ho Life and Vivo Insurance Departments of tho State, and that the Indian between tho manager of the St:ito Fire Insurance Office and managers of private companies is increasing. The paper goes on to state that apparently dual control hi\.s not been a success, and that tho Government will be compelled to review Ihe position. Speaking to a Dominion representative last owning, Mr. Fisher said that ho desired to givo tho statement an official and emphatic contradiction. There- had been absolutely no friction whatever between tho head of tho Government Life Insurance Department and tho head of the State Fire Insurance Department. The paragraph in the "News', , had been brought under their notice, mid its accuracy wns emphatically denied by both officers. "So far as tho statement about the manager of the Stale Fire, Insurance, Department and tho managers of private companies is concerned," (lie Minister remarked in conclusion, "the bc\st judi"K of that point would bo the managers i.;' the private companies, and I would suggest' that the Christchnrch 'Evening News' should interview them with a view to getting their opinion on tho subject."

PUBLIC SERVICE BILL. Tho second reading debate upon the Hon. A. L. Hcrdman's Public Service Bill, which irims at transferring control of tho Civil Service from Ministers to commissioners responsible only (o Parliament, is to commence in the House of Kepresentalives to-day. Tho debato is espected to occupy several days.

PRISONS: MORE. SUPERVISION. Gaoler Ironsides, of t!io Auckland Prison, has submitted his report on tho administration of prisons in Iho Dominion to tho Minister for Justice. TJip report isconiidential, nnd will not ljp niado public. To provide for more regular inspection of prisons Dr. Hay, InspectorGeneral of Menial Hospitals and Prisons, has been detached from hospital work temporarily, and he will bo doing nothing but inspecting gaols for Iho next two months. Tho Minister for Justice, the Hon. A. L. Herdman, stated to a reporter yesterday, that as soon as he can find tho necessary time ho hopes to bo able to put the prison service on a proper ■ footing. So far as lie could learn no attempt had been made properly to classify, prisoners. ■ ■' • WAS THERE FRICTION? In regard to the alleged friction between flio military nnd tho civil heads of the Defence Department' as indicated in the Public Service Commission's report and subsequently deuied by the Auditor-General nnd the Secretary'of tho Treasury, ivo aro informed that the Minister for Defence has sent the report to General Godley and asked him to report concerning it. CROWN TENANTS' RENTS. Mr. Dickie (Selwyn) has Tcceived a letter from Mr. Massoy (Minister for Lands) iu regax'd to tenants on tho Settlement who desiro some concessions in regard to tho payment of their rents. Mr. Massey mentions that in the Land Bill which will bo lnid before Parliament at an early dato it is proposed to ask for authority to remit rents to settlers who experience difficulty in the matter of finance on tho understanding that if at any time the settlers dispose of the goodwill of their holdings at a profit then the amount remitted by the Government must be refunded in tho ordinar- way. ■ RAILWAY MATTERS. Most of the attention of the Kailway Department at present is being occupied with the proposals for increases of pay already virtually promised to railway servants. The Minister has asked for a Departmental report on the question of whether or not it would be ndvisablo to erect a small goods shed at Te Aro. ROTO ROA ISLAND, The Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) made a short statement yesterday about tho recent allegations concerning the conduct of the Inebriates' Homo at Roto Koa Island. "When my attention was called to tho letters tlfa't have been written to the papers," said Mr. Herdman, "I communicated with the Under-Secretary for Justice, and directed him to request Mr. C. C. Kettle, senior stipendiary magistrate at Auckland, to pay a visit to the island and furnish mo with a report at his earliest convenience. I propose to go to Auckland with tho Prime Minister nfter the session for tho purpose of inspecting prisons and tho police, and if time permits I will tnko tho opportunity of visiting Roto Eoa and Pakatoa in order to satisfy myself about the conditions obtaining there."

REGISTRATION'BILL,

The Births nnd Deaths Registration Amendment Bill, a mc&siiro now before the. Legislative Council, ivns circulated yesterday. It contains numerous machinery amendments to the present law. It is 'proposed to reduce timo for notification of births from three to tivo days in a borough and from tliree weeks to two weeks in other cases. In respect of deaths Hie Bill proposes to place (bo onus of registration entirely upon tho undertaker, who is to notify tho death within three days in n borough or seven days in other instead of thirty-one as at present. Certain stipulations are alfo amended in respect of burial certificates. The Governor is to be empowered to make regulations for (lie registration of births and deaths of Maoris, such regulations to be applicable to tho whole of New Zealand or anv specified parts. A penalty of ten pounds is provided for in (he event of nny breach of this provision..