POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 27, 26 October 1918, Page 9

POLITICAL NOTES

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT

Both Houses of Parliament sat yesterday afternoon. The Legislative: Council, after dealing with some formal business, passed motions with reference to deceased members of ..tho Legislature and adjourned until AVeduesdey next. Th'e House of Representatives sat for over two hours. There was a brief discussion regarding naturalised ■ enemy aliens, and the. Prime Ministor and the Minister of Finance made a reference to the necessity for insisting on tho "unconditional surrender" of Germany. -Many additional questions woro placed on the order paper by members. The Ifoiiße adopted motions with reference to deceased members and adjourned until Tuesday afternoon. WAR EXPENDITURE. War expenditure is dealt with in tho leport of the Controller and AuditorGeneral dated March ill, laid on the table of the House of Representatives yesterday. "Embarkation rolls to date," he says, show- a total of 95,616, while camp records disclose approximately a strength of 11,000, making a total of about 106,000 men. Of this number about 17,500 accounts of deceased soldiers and discharged soldiers have been finally settled, and at present audit is.examining approximately 8000 of these accounts per month." After traversing the various accounts audited, the report adds: "The expenditure for the period April, 1917, to March, 1918, was ,ifi16;803,799, and the total expenditure from August, 1911, to August 31, 191S, m,m,m, of which .£3,527,558 was chargeable to equipment, £18,222,618 to pay and allowances, i! 12,435,000 to maintenance of troops in the field (AVar Office), : .C5,174,84S to hire, fitting and reconditioning of transports, .£1,698,871 to rations, and ,£106,150 to financial assistance. "INHUMAN MILITARY REGULATION," Mr. Poland (Ohinemuri) has given notice to ask the Minister of Defence it* -ho' will immediately cancol the inhuman military regulation under which allotted pay and allowances to wives and dependants are forfeited as part of the punishment owing to the misconduct-of the soldier. SCHOOL BOOKS, The member for A'v'aipawa (Mr. Hunter) has given notice, to aslc the jUinister oi Education if the Government will favourably consider the question of provid- . ing scuool books and stationery at cost price, to the public schools.' • DOCTORS AND UNIFORMS. 'like question of uniform for medical officers is raised in a question put by . Mr. Downie Stewart (Dunedin West). The member asks the Minister of liefence if he Will consider the question xrf taking all military medical officers out of uniform .so far at least as hospitals are concerned, so that seniority shall not depend on the mere accident of the date of joining the military service, but each doctor's. status, and opinion snail carry weight according to his own special training and experience. RAILWAY, PASSES, Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North) hasgiven notice to'ask the Minister of Defence, whether he will'favourably consider granting privilege passes over the railways to officers and other ranks of the Imperial Forces who may bo on furlough iin the Dominion. ABOUT TAXATION, The member for AA r aitaru (Mr. J. Anetey) wants the Minister of Finance, in framing his financial proposals for the forthcoming year, "to arrange to relieve those whose taxation is assessed and charged on their debts and who in many instabces have no incomes wherewith to pay the tax, and place this now unfair burden on tho shoulders of those who substantial incomes,, and who by cur present legislation are relieved of their just share of taxation and in many cases escape direct taxation altogether." , , A CARGO OF WHISKY. A question regarding tho whisky brought to 'New Zealand by an overseas steamer recently was placed,on the Order. Paper'yesterday by ■ "Mr. L.'-11:- Isitt (Christchuirch JNor.ti)..' Mr. Tsitt'-is asking: (1) Whether'-it is correct that the b.s. brought as cargo to this Dominion somo 50,000 cases or casks of whisky or spirits in any form? (2) If that quantity is incorrect, how much whisky and spirits did she carry? . (3) AA'as part of this cargo broached during the voyage by any of the firemen or members of the .crew? (i) As the result of this broach--ing of cargo, did some firenen and members of tho crew become so incapacitated with drink that some (f the passengers, helped with the stoking and . the vessel suffered sensible delay? (5) Will the Government prohibit under war regulations tho importation of any more spirits to this Dominion during tho con-' tinuanc.e of the war? Mr. Isitt wants to know, also, if it is true (hat certain' of the soldiers returning in the s.s. '— - were told to act as guards over -the' whisky that vessel carried, and whether they refused to perform this duty and were' couTt-inartialled for refusal. ■.

EXPORT TRADE COMMITTEE. ( , A motion for the -.constitution of an Export Trade Committee was placed on the Order Paper yesterday by the Prime Minister, who' gave notice to move that a Select Committee be appointed, con-

sisting of fifteen members, to inquire into arid report upon the present position and future prospects of the export trade of tho Dominion; with power to call for persons and papers; three to bo a quorum: the committee to consist of Messrs. Anderson, Anstey, Dickie, T. A. H.. Field, W. H. Field, Forbes, Lee, Hon. W. D. S. MacDonnld, Dr. A. K. Newman, Messrs. . Poarco, Reed, Scott, Talbot, Witty, and tho mover. RETURNED SOLDIERS. The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) gave notico yesterday to move that a committee be appointed to deal with all questions affecting returned soldiers, such as repatriation and the necessary opportunities to'train for a change in employment, temporary pensions while unable to earn additional income, settlement on land or employment in industries, taking up new business, etc. The committee is to report within one month. CENSORED LITERATURE. Prior to the adjournment of the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, the Hon. AV. Eavnshaw. gave notice of the following motion:—"That there ho laid upon the table at tho earliest date a return showing the names of all the books and publications which have been censored by the Government since .the war began to the present date; the dates upon which each book or publication was; so censored, the names of such books, etc., detained from which such censorship has been removed, and the sources from which the Government has been guided or called upon to determine such censorship." ■" * Sir Francis Bell (smiling): The hon. member should move for the books them-' selves., They should be interesting. Hon. Mr. Earnshaw: It will be my turn to smile yet.