POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2767, 10 May 1916, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

THE TRIP HOME

> LIST OF SIEMBERS SELECTED

-The selection of the four New. Zealand members of Parliament to go Home as guests of the British members of the .umpire Parliamentary'-Association was made yesterday-by a general meeting of *?«■ New Zealand branch of the associa?"ii. .™ ere was considerable discussion a -u T? mc6tin S as to how the voting should be'arranged. Various suggestions were made—that the Legislative Council members Should'be allowed to elect the representative from the Council; that there should be Wo -representatives of each of the two parties in Parliament, that the voting should be done'by some eliminating process, so" that the four selected would have an absolute majority; but all these proposals were rejected. It was agreed in the end that there should to' one representative of the Legislative Council, and that the'selection of representatives should be by one straight-out ballot, the f6ur securing. most votes to go; provided only that there must be one' member from the Council and three from the House. 'The members selected were:— The Hon.W. C.'F. Carncross (representing the Legislative ..Council)'. The Hon. Sir James Carroll (Gisborne).' Mr. C. J. Parr. C.M.G. (Eden)." ' ' ■ Mr. E. P. Lee (Oamaru).. 'Generally speaking, mombers of Parliament'are fairly well satisfied with the selection made.' It is understood that those "next in order when the poll was' declared were Messrs. G. E. Sykes 'and L. M. Isitt. '■-~•

LENGTH OF.THE SESSION. WHAT .THU-rNDIQiTIONS-ASE. There was no indication of anything to justify -a • single hope -of a short session ■.when the House met yesterday afternoon. There; was, simply an avalanche of questions of an. embarrassing'character, and a rather larger crop .than usual of private .members' Bills. Tho private members' ■Bills manifest nothing of-great ; mport, but if the character of'the questions arid notices of motion can be taken as an indication of the temper of the. House this session may yet'develop isto oho of ordinary., length. Very few members will oppose the Compulsion. Bill on.the general ground' advanced by the anti-mili-. tarists that conscription. is . too big a .price to pay for victory. Thosemembers who hold, that view ' will bo a very small; minority. .There will be.a very much larger number, it is suggested, who Svill. take advantage, of the opportunity to cavil at.tho Defence administration and. the -alleged-.unsatisfac-tory working" of the recruiting system,sucgesting rather, than arguing that compulsion, is not necessary. There will, of course, be legitimate, committee objections to the Bill which ; will occupy no little time. The. Bill will probably be finally considered by Cabinet to-day.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS. THIRTEEN GIVEN NOTICE OP. . No fewer than thirteen prixate N members' Bills were given ■ notice of yesterday afternoon when the House met,-seven oi -them by Mr. John Payne... The ' Bills were as follow: Kent., Restriction 'Bill (Mr. R. A. Wright), Limitation of Rent During War Bill (Mr/ T. : M. Wilford), Soldiers' Voting Bill (Mr. , J; C. Thomson), Police Force Amendment Bill (Mr. W. A. Veitch), Banking Amendment Bill (Mr. W.'A. Veitch),. Von Zedlitz Grant Restitution Bill (Mr. Payne)*'War Esigeri■?ies. and Empire Preservation Bill (Mr. Payne), Rent Bill (Mr. Payne), Blind Persons' .Assistance' Bill.-(Mr. Payne), Unregistered Nurses'. Registration Bill (Mr. Payne). State "Bank--: Bill Vf , : (Mi-." Payne), Venereal Diseases Bill .(Mr. Payne). .

' QUESTIONS OF MEMBERS. Following were among the most interesting of. the questions of which members . gave notice yesterday :—.:' Air. Jennings (Taumarunui) to asik the Defence Minister, whether he will arrange for a transference of some men. in tho Defence Record Office in. this Dominion to the New Zealaad Information Bureau,, ■.Alexandria. [Note.—There are a number of men in Alexandria Office who are per" rnanently disabled for active service. Their experience here, if transferred, would bo invaluable to the New Zealand Depart;' meat.] , , ! Mr. Wilford (Hutt) to ask the Prime Minister whether he. will this session, set apart one week for a full and complete discussion of the cost of living, which ia becoming a serious question | with the pwple; and whether he will for that purpose move to suspend the Standing Orders iii order I hat resolutions may to moved by private members, in th'e ydireotinn of initiating : such .reforms as will .lighten the burdens the people are to-day having to bear, all of which aro nbt : the tlireot result of the war?

Mr. Malcolm. (Cluthaj to ask the Minis-' ter of Defence whether, in order to give the fullest possible opportunity of pro* motion to able and experienced men who fcnve teen at the front for some time, he will cease to send any more officers from New Zealand, and will arrange to have' tlT© troops taken to and from tho front by transport officers only? ' Mr. Anderson (Mataiira) to nsk . the ' Government whether there are varied Systems of medical examination at Treniliara for soldicrswho have been invalided from the front, but have recovered so far as to be -tit for■ further service in the opinion of the local Medical Boards in the districts in wllich the soldiers enlisted? ' It is stated (adds Mr. Anderson ui an. explanatory note) that in sorao of these cases the Medical Examining Board at-Trentham have'passed some of thes» Soldiers .and discharged others after « ft'.ost perfunctory examination. , Mr. Thomson (Wallace) is asking tho Minister, of Justice whether he intends fci remove the embargo against tho enlistment of officers of the Police Force?

OF MOTION. . Mr, Wilford gave notice of three motions yesterday,' as follows:— ''That this House is of opinion that I the time has arrived when legislation should be immediately introduced for the taxation of war profits, and that in such legislation a peh-d, rate shall.be provided tor those who may be showai to have been financial shirkers." "TKat there be laid before this Houae a return showing—(l) A list of the prices paid by'.the Government or by contractora lor the various articles on sale,at the 'I'rentham canteen; (2) a list of the prices charged "ti> soldiers at the Trentham cant:en for iu'ch articles; and (3) tho amount per •'■ mart, received by , tho members of the Eleventh Reinforcement (rim the profits of the Trentham cauteea." "Thait there be- laid before this House a; return showing—(l) The names, of tho pmrsons, firms, or companies who have sold war material, stores, equipment, etc., to tho Government since the outbreak of war; and (2) o. list of the materials, stores, or'equipment sold by each person, fitm,. or company (separately, sot out against their respective names), and tho prices paid to each person, firm, or company for such material, stores, oi equipment.".