POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1820, 5 August 1913, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

BUDGET IN SIGHT.

MAY BE DELIVERED TO-MORROW. The Hod. James Alien, Minister for Finance, stated yesterday that fas expected to ba able to present the Financial Statement to the House on Wednesday, or, at the latest, Thursday evening. It is the intention: of the Government to send out to oentres where thero aro newspapers, copies of the Budget, to be hold by postmasters, until authority is Riven them by telegram to hand them over to the addressees, When the Statement has been >ead in tho House, tho Estimates will be Referred to the Public Accounts Committee. The debate will probably be opened next week. THE WESTPORT INQIHRY. The Special Parliamentary Committee ..set up to inquire into the appointment of Mr. Simpson b)' the Minister for Marine to the Wesport Harbour Board will hold its first-meeting on Wednesday morning. It is'not expected that the investigation will be a long business. Tho question of whether the press should be admitted will be decided by the Committee. ELECTION OF MAYORS. , The proposal that Mayors of cities and boroughs shall be elected by the councillors from among themselves, instead of by tho''municipal electors, which ii> contained in the!. Government's Municipal Corporations' Amendment Bill, is likely to be received- with mixed feelings in the House. 'Several'members to whom the matter was mentioned yesterday expressed tihe opinion, that the proposal kj a wise one, but others voico a. different view. Two or three Government supporters said that they saw'nb'reason why the change should not bo madoj . seeing that tho chairmen of Harbour Boards aiid County Councils aro elected by the members' of those bodies. These. bddies';','it' was. pointed:out;'"have verj- ■importa.nt'functions,' and the' control of the expenditure of large sums' of public money, and no fault lias been found with,the system under which the chairmiah is elected. Two members ol' tho Opposition expressed similar views. "I do not know how. - the party will regard it." paid one of. these,, "but: I think the proposal is a good one. ' If tho Mayor is elected by tho councillors. .thftV. may:.be relied ■upon to choose a; man ;witli .the qualities •essential for the position,".liiit liritier the present system a .man'with 110 municipal experience may be elected, and thus you have always the possibility of any, Tom,' Dick,, or Harry being chosen. And, what is more, having two | votes." Another member of the Opposition when informed of the- proposal, snid: "Our party I think will be' against that all'right." 'It is understood that'tho Labour members will probably opposition to the clause'in'question. One Government supporter' also indicated that -he -would probably' not give support to the proposal'. >-"It-is true," ■ ho said,-"that Harbour Boards and County Councils aro important bodies,; but their functions are not of such a comprehensive character as those of municipal bodies, and the cases are not altogether parallel." It is. evident that the' subject will prove a controversial one when it comes before the House. ' ' .

i, ,;.COUNCIL REFORM. • SUGGESTED SELECT COMMITTEE. Before, the Hon. Leader- of the 'Lseislative Council, left ■ for . t'lio south, he.and the Hon. 0. Samuel met, ami .agreed,,to. suggest ,to. their felljow--1 Councillors the following names as thoso of a suitable . Select, Committee, to which the Legislative OouwmJ, Bill be referred.:— Hons. Messrs. .;Barr, Bell, Onrircross, Duthie, Qrmond, Sinclair, Smith, Stevens, and tho. mover (Mr. Samuel).