POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2573, 22 September 1915, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

MINERS' COMPLAINT BILL TO BE INTRODUCED Members from mining districts had a further opportunity in the House of Representatives .yesterday of urging tho Government to do.more to assist miners suffering from pneumonitis (miller's complaint). -'The discussion arose on a committee report, and after' it had lasted for the better part of an- hour, on the lines of similar debates, the Minister of Mines (the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) Baid that a Bill to deal •with;- the, matter was being brought dowji this session. In the'past compensation has: been 'paid to sufferers from'the disease from the Miners' Relief Fund, the money for which was received from an export duty on gold. This fund has proved inadequate, and siiice. the export of gold has-been prohibited its revenue has stopped. The result "has- been that claims aro now in for about £1500, and there is no money to meet thom. Mr. Mac Donald indicated yesterday that in the new Bill provision will, be made for the paying of pensions of so much per week, out of the'Consolidated'Fund, and not from'any chance source of revenue. The Bill has already been drafted; and will probably be introduced in a day or two. ! . LAND FOR SOLDIERS. A Bill providing for tho settlement of discharged soldiers on Crown and ' settlement lands, tho title being the Discharged : Soldiers Settlement Bill was introduced into the House of Representatives by Governor's : Message last night-. Copies of the Bill were not obtainable, but; a summary of the proposals in it .were: given to a reporter by the Prinio Minister.. Mr. Massey said that tho Bill empowered the: Government to raise a sum of £50,000 for tile purpose of assisting returned soldiers who desired:to do so to.go upon the land.' It provided, for;:assistance being.'.given to these men in .buildingi houses, and in the. purchase of stock, implements, and other farming, requisites. , It defined the tenure urnM' .which, land might bo held;, tho tenure being practically the same as that _ prescribed for settlement lands, whicli is nowadays the optional tenure. The Bill: contained provisions against speculation in sections of land acquired under the scheme.

CONTROL OF THE POLICE. Tlio Ministerial head of the Police Force is ordinarily the Minister of Justice, and until the National Ministry was formed; the Hon. A. L. Herdman, as ■ Minister of Justice, controlled the police.' When the National Government .was formed he handed over ■ to t]je Hon, Dr. M'Nab the portfolio of Justice, but lie retained control of the police. Mr. W. A. Veitch has rais:ed/a. question,as,.ito whether he can ;,, He has given notice to ask *the ; Government. Whether they ■will tako'the'opinion of the Crown Law ..Office,as legality of the Hon. i Mr. Herdman remaining in charge of the Polico Force, seeing that, the Polico Foico Act, 1913, provides that' the Force shall'be under the Minister of Justice? ■. . -. "CAME LAWS!" ''I must enter my protest against this proposal to; introduce drastic game laws in. this , country," said Mr. : R„ ■ M'Callum, in the House last night, referring to a clause in tlie Scenery Preservation Amendment Bill which pro.poses to .make it an offence to . carry firearms in a scenic reserve. He': declared it, was a sportsman's clause, framed:, in tho interests of those who. to have huge areas reserved for deer, animals which were a nuisance to the farmer, breaking his fences and de;,SsWfflg Ms,'.crops. He pointed out,that, :easily happen:' "that a : man ; might';bs'.'siinply carrying a gun on: his L\V'#:;.throu{*h:,a scenic reserve, without jHnientioji' of shooting over it. 1 Whereupon-the Hon. W. Fraser retorta man carry a gun for? He doesn't carry it for a walking-stick I •Ho' carries it to shoot with, and that is what we. want to prevent." He said that tlie .clause was absolutely necessary'to "protect our native birds, many of which wero: almost "extinct now, as | well, as to protect the deer herds. It may., bo, explained that the law to-day is that.no person shall discharge a firearm on a'scenic' reserve, but unless a : man. is caught in the act, it is impossible 'to secure convictions under this clause. : ; As Mr. Buddo pointed out, tlio need for'the clause is urgent Irom the Department's point of view. An objection .to.it. was pointed out by Mr. C. J. Talbot. He said that many small scenic reserves ill his district (Tomuka) were breeding grounds for rabbits, and settlers often destroyed great numbers of them by organised shooting parties. Ho thought it was desirablo that this should be allowed to continue. ' The House refused to share Mr. M'Callunfs alarm about-, "gamo laws," and tlio clause was agreed to, along with the rest of the Bill. . : ■