POLITICAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3124, 30 June 1917, Page 7

POLITICAL NEWS.

LEADERS'REPORT ON TUESDAY IMPREST BILL THROUGH

TheHo'use is to meet on Tuesday neit 'is usual, and the Prime ■, Minister and 'Bir Joseph WaTd will occupy most gf the- day in making statements to ' House on. what they have done on freualf ' of New Zealand on thoir mission to the -Home Country. If -it- should happen that tofese" statements are finished early in tie evening, the Address-in-Keply debate' may be opened, - but this is not probable; It was 'the intention on ' Thursday' that there should be in ad- ■'' jbiirnment' over Tuesday, but this idea was abandoned in view of the fact that there appeared to bo a possibility of " getting the Imprest Bill through easily. The debate on the many stages of the ' Bill was much shorter and' more re- . stricted in range than often occurs, and • the Bill was through shortly after five ' o'clock. It'was then arranged that the House should go on with tho usual complimentary references to members and ei-membeTS who had died \ during the year,' " The list was 'an exceptionally long one, land the last resolution was not carried until 7.15 p.m.,' at- which hour 'the House rose for the day.

"■ Demands for Information. Already there are two notices of mo-tion-on, tho Order Paper asking fpr returns, of-information about the Expeditionary Force—as to the strength of the force ■ promised by-New Zealand, ■ the number of casualties; the total number to be "sent, and to on—and members of the House other than the authors of the motions' are' anxious to have this information, -It is probable that a: great■ deal of the details asked for will be supplied. ■ -By ' direction, of the Imperial--iauthorities all information ■of this character "has 'hitherto' been", withheld; but it may- now be /made avail- , able; ' The'' people of ' New Zealand know well ienough what was the Strength;:of . the original Expeditionary ■Force, but they do not know much of. the etbry cf how it came about ,that- the force was swelled to a division, and how recently a fourth brigade was added to the -division. ■;;-All the, faots inajV not. he given. -to the House, because the Imperial Government is concerned as well as our- Government, but it is.not improbr able Sir James- Allen will tell as much as he can. There is also a rule against Btatiig. the-number of men who have left New Zealand, the numbers in England,' the numbers in.hospital, and the number of- the casualties.. It does not appear that such reasons as there mny once have -been for secrecy hold good any longer. Some of the particulars may be difficult to obtain,' but. at least a. summary of the casualties may be furnished. : It may not be possible .to. give to. the House'the ■percentages, of reinforcements required lor tho different branches to make good .wastage, but in some other way it should be possible to, give the House an idea of .New •Zealand's, future .commitments. •It ■will probably : not. be possible to give the House a definite statement as to !ihe. limit, to which the Government is prepared ■ to' go in sending men .out of New. Zealand. ,

the Member for Grey. The first mention of tho.member for Grey, who is serving a sentence of three months', imprisonment for breach ofthe.War Regulations, was made in the House yesterday. , leave of.abeence is being asked' for, and it evidently occurred to one or two members sitting in about the. same-pai-t of the •House that it was somebody's duty to ask for leave for Mr. Webb. In the.end Mr. Fletcher made the appeal, on the ground of "inexcusable absence." No doubt this was a slip' of the tongue.He probably meant to say "unavoidable absence." The member for tfrey will not be free to take his £eat until after July '31, the date on -which he is due for releaee. •.■■'■■•■■ , \ : The Butter-fat Levy, A meeting of members representing 'dairying districts was. held yesterday morning for the purpose'of considering the butter-fat tax. The following members .. were present: Messrs. Anderson (chairman), Hunter, Pearce, W. H. Field, JT. W. Rhodes* Okey, Harris, Young, Sykes, Bollard, Nosworthy, Hudson, Guthrie, Malcolm, J. M. Dickson, Lee, Uenningß,. E. Newman, and R. H. (Rhodes. Apologies were received for ■the absence of Messrs. Smith, Scott, flornsby, end J. C. Thomson, who expressed their sympathy with the movement. After considerable discussion the (members decided to wait upon the Priinu Minister, the. Minister of. Finance, and , the Minister of Agriculture on the subjeot of the abolition and refund of the butter-fat levy. Mr. Anderson stated that the meeting had decided not to publish its resolutions until the deputation ■ waited upon the Ministers.

Hospital Nurses. During the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill yesterday, Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) mentioned that certain young ■women who had entered the nursing profession had been, placed in charge of infectious cases while they were still inexperienced, and had contracted disease. 'Hβ said that no probationer should bo placed in charge of infectious caees until she had acquired tho habit of taking precautions. - The danger was aggravated by the fact that the girls were worked ■very long hours. In cases of meningitis the nurses were actually isolated with the patients for twelve hours at • a stretch. Tho nurses were entitled, to more protection and better training. Ho felt himself that young women should not be put in charge of dangerously infectious cases at all.

The Minister for Internal Affairs (the 'Hon. G. W. Russell) replied that the control of the hospitals and eanitoria was not in the hands of the Public Health Department. - Hospital boards exercised control under tlw general supervision of the Department. He agreed that young girls should not be placed in charge of infectious caees, and would take steps to prevent the practice. Ho would make a statement to the House .it a later date . regarding other aspects of hospital administration. . ■

The Expeditionary Force. . In the. House yesterday Mr. •Wilford gave notice to move for a return showing:— (1) What number of men has fhe Government ot New; Zealand promised the Imperial Authorities on behalf of NewZealand?- ■•.-.•• ■.•.■••■

(a) .The strength: of main bodies to be maintained in all fields; (b) The number of men in each forcement.(2) Is any limit to be placed on the total number of men to be sent from New Zealand? (3) What is the number of men drawn in the ballots up to- the Twenty-ninth ■R?inforcementß ?•■■•". • (a) The total number of balloted men.

: reported in camp. • -. (bV The.'total/number, of voluntary, recruits reported in. camp since thecommencement of the balloting, (c) The total number of men classed as medically'•unfit. ' '■ ' V (A) The total number classed as fit for ' home service only. (e) The total number exempted as being connected \ith essential iultistries. ■ ' • (f) The total number of-clergy, laypreachers- 1 and conscientious objec- ■•■ tore exempted. .. .(g) The iobal number who havo received exemption on grounds other than those mentioned above, (h) The total number of men who havo been passed, as fit but have not re-

ported in. camp. ... (i) The .total number of men -who' have failed, to respond in any way to no. tification.

Imprest Supply,

Tbe Imprest Supply Bill passed by Parliament yesterday provided a. 6um of ,£96G,300 ' for : tha- ordinary services of the Dominion. ■ The Minister of- Finance, •in answer to a question,- stated that no. increases had been made.- -The pole new item in the Bill was ii. provision .that a sum of ,£IOO,OOO should bo applied to the purchase of wheat,, provided that any. euros eubsequehtly realised .by. the sale of the wheat should , be' paid: into .the Consolidated' Fiuid. The'Minister'of Finance ♦ipkined that, this waa an initial vote. Otner 6ums would bo -required when pay. iaente for wheat became due.