NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1543, 12 September 1912, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

] COOK ISLANDS BILL. In the Cook Islands Government Amendment Bill, power is given to the Alinister s to appoint a Deputy-Resident Commissioner. It is proposed to reconstitute the . Federal Couucil as follows:— i (a) Tho Resident Commissioner for the 1 time being; l (b) Five Arikis of Rarotonga and three 1 Native residents of Rarotonga, representi iug the Island of Rarotonga; 1 (c) One Native resident of Rarotonga, rc- ; presenting the Island of Mangaia; (d) One Native resident of Rarotonga, ) representing the Island of Aitutaki; and i (e) One Native resident of Rarotonga, ; representing the Island of Atin. Provision is made for the election and ; appointment of the diffovent represcntai tives, and for the regulation of meetings. ' One clause in tho Bill provides ; that ■ where any person is sentenced by the High > Court to any term of imprisonment exi ceeding three months for any offence com- ■ mitted in the Cook Islands, the Court may order that the sentence shall bo cari ried out by imprisonment, with or withi out hard labour, in any prison in New i Zealand proper. The period of detention ■ after sentence of any such person in the : Cook Islands and during the voyage to ■ New Zealand.is to be computed as part i of the term of his sentence. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. Air. T. E. A". Seddon, member for Westland, has received advice of the following resolution having boon carried at a ' representative public meeting, held in the : Town Hall at Hokitika on September 7: "That this meeting of ratepayers and citizens of the Borough of Hokitika desires most respectfully to urge upon the Government the great importance of the East and West Coast railway to the people of the whole Dominion, aud particularly those of Westland and Canterbury, and sincere- ' ly hope that the position that has arisen in connection with the Otira Tunnel contract will riot Ik allowed in any way to. hinder the vigorous carrying out of the work." LOCAL BODY SUPERANNUATION. A Bill has bepn introduced by the Hon. A. L. Herdman to amend the Local Authorities • Superannuation . Act. It: is principally a clearer exposition of the intention of the law with regard to tho payment of additional allowances for service prior to the establishment of the fund concerned. There is also a provision that any local authority may establish out of ordinary revenue a special fund for the payment of these additional allowances. IN BRIEF. The Government proposes, during the next recess, to consider the question of amending the Workers Compensation Act. The Lands Committee reported yesterday on the New Plymouth Huatoki Stream Diversion aud Exchange Bill, recommending that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. The M to Z Committee reported yesterday on the petition of Mary Ann Stuart, .of Wellington, praying for a compassionate allowance in respect of the death of her husband, formerly a messenger, iu the Civil Service. The petition was referred to the Government for further inquiry. The Lands Committee reported on the Auckland Education Reserves Bill, recommending that it be allowed to proceed with amendments. The petition of A. H, Phillip, of Parnell, Auckland, praying'for compensation for injuries sustained while" in the Railway Department, was yesterday, on the recommendation of the Railways Committee, referred to the for favourable consideration. The committee suggested a compassionate allowance of £50.'' The petition of John Schpfield, of Christchurch, praying for compensation for injuries received while in the employ of the Post,and Telegraph Department, was reported on yesterday by the AI to Z Committee, amd recommended to the Government for favourable consideration. The Lands Committee made no recommendation on the petition of C. Johnstone and five others, of Raglan, asking that sub-section (e) of Clauso 2 of the Rating Act, ISOB, repealed by the amending Act of 1910. be re-enacted. Mr. Brown gave notice in the House yesterday that he would move for a return showing what amount of money the Colonial Alufual Life Assurance Society has deposited with the Government as a guarantee that the policies will be paid by that society.