POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2545, 20 August 1915, Page 7

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

THE NEW MINISTRY

The galleries in the Houso of Representatives were well filled last evening when the House met for the first time sinco tho formation of. the National Oabinet. The first matter of interest t.o attract attention was the changes made in the location of members, as a conseauence of the constitution of tho new Ministry. Mr. Massey, of course, was in lus usual seat, which forms half ot a double bench. Alongsido of him was the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward), whilst on his left sat tho Minister of Defence (Mr. Allen), whose bench-mate is the Minister of Railways 1 - i P eil ' . Another front Ministerial bench which has now been, made necessary on the right, of Sir Joseph Ward is occupied by the Hons. A. L. Herdman and Dr, M'Nab. The, Ministors in tho second row of benches from loft to right aro tho Hons. \V. Fraser, J. A. Hanan, G. "\V. Russell, Dr. Pomare, A. M. Myers, and W. D. S. Macdonald. On the Opposition side of the House there have also been changes, tii (Hutt) has taken the seat ?r i? , C ' ol ' the Opposition, and Mr. loland (Ohinemuri) is sitting beside him,, iii tho place vacated by Mr. Kussell, Other members. of tho party who havo moved up to front seats aro Messrs. (i. Witty (Riccarton) and H. G. Ell (Chnstchurch South). The first half hour of the sitting was occupied with the asking and answermg of questions, most of which related to matters connected with the war. A smile was aroused when Messrs. Russell, Myers, and Macdonald asked leave to withdraw • certain motions for returns and notice of questions to Ministers in the late Cabinet, which they had -placed on the order paper before the formation of the National Government. The official statements to the House regarding the formation of the new Ministry which were made by the Prime Minister and the Minister 'of Finance, as the leaders of the two principal parties,'lost something of their interest by the time that has elapsed since the new Ministry was sworn in, but they were, nevertheless, listened to with close attention. Mr. Wilford, who followed, mado a speech of congratulation, coupled with an intimation that those on his side of the House would not treat the proposals put forward by tho new Government with other than wholesome and unprejudiced criticism, the remarks on the subject of the recent changes closed with a brief but admirable speech by the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, the only member of the Reform Cabinet who is not included in the new Ministry. That the admirable note struck by the' late Minister appealed to tho House was evident from the loud applause irtth which his remarks, were erected. DEAD SOLDIERS' AFFAIRS. Tho Expeditionary Forces Bill was laid before the House of Representatives last night with certain amendments bv the Secret Defence Committee. The most important were those providing that on the death of any member of the Force to whom any sum of money not exceeding £100 might be payable by any person, such person may. without requiring probate or letters of administration, pay such sum to any person'who is proved- to his satisfaction to be entitled by law to receivo it. LIQUOR AND THE WAR. Numerous petitions were presented to the House of Representatives last night by different members, including the Hon. A. M. Myrs, asking the Government to pass. legislation providing that the hotel bars be-closed-at 6 p.m. daily till the close of the present war. A total of 62,755 signatures have been placed on tho petition, which read:— 1. That _at this time of stress and strain it is- necessary that t*ho moral and physical fitness of tho nation, should be at its highest; and (2) That in'all parts of the Empire it has been found that decreasing the sale of alcohol is the best means of lessening temptation and increasing the nation's efficiency. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your honourable Houso will pass legislation providing that hotel bars bo closed ah 6 p.m. daily till the Close of the prosent war.