POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 30, 30 October 1918, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT A discussion' regarding the workers' compensation law occupied the House of Representatives for tin hour yesterday afternoon. Several Ministerial statements wore made in reply to questions without notice. The debate 011 tjie Address-in-Reply was opened in the evening. CIVIL SERVANTS' SUPERANNUATION. Reference was made in the House of Representatives yesterday to the matter of the superannuation of Public Servants. Mr. W. A. Veitcli (Wanganui) said that the Act passed last session was, in the judgment of a good many mem" hers of the House, a serious injustice to a large number of Civil Ser« vants who were now entitled to superannuation. "I don't think the present is the proper occasion to discuss the largrf question which has been raised," remark' ed'the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell). The faatter would no doubt arise in the ■ Address-in-Replyde-bate, when the Ministers in charge of the various Departments would be prepared to discuss it from a national point of. view. 1 MAORI WAR VETERANS. The treatment accorded to- veterans of the Maori War was touched upon yesterday in the House of Representatives by Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames). He urged that fair consideration should bd accorded such men, and said that in the past they had been monstrously treated. For the great service which they had rendered to the country they should receive proper recognition. The member for Wellington Suburbs (Mr, E. A. Wright) has introduced a Maori War Medal Bill designed to remedy some of the grievances of the veterans. ABSTRACT OF STATISTICS. Mr. H.-E. Holland (Grey) asked, with- 1 out notice, in the House of Representatives yesterday, whether the Government had at any'time issued a secret supplementary monthly abstract, of statistics, and whether such would be made available to members of the House. _ The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) replied that the matter was 0110 for inquiry, and requested that the question be placed on tuef Order Paper.

LONG-SERVICE FURLOUGH. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) has given notice to ask the Minister of Defence whether it is true that New Zealand soldiers who have 6ervcd three yeaxs and upwards at the seat of war, and who have been granted six weeks' furlongh in the Dominion prior to again returning to.the front, are not allowed a short extension of their leave icxcept upon the terns that it sln'l be without pay; and whether the country could not afford to treat with more generosity these defenders of the Empire who have borne tha stress of war for so many years.

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT. The member for Wellington Suburbs (Mr. R. A. Wright) is asking the Prima Minister if, in view of the splendid wai' work which is to tho credit of the women of New Zealand, he will introduce legislation giving them the right to becomo candidates for Parliamentary honours. Mr. Wright mentions that great progress has been made in Britain in the way of enfranchising and the principle of equal rights to becoiuc candidates for Parliament has been conceded by the House of Commons. "PEACEFUL PENETRATION." Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) has given notice to ask the Prime Minister if the Government will legislate / this session to prevent aliens, by peaceful penetration, acquiring control over New, Zealand minerals and other products. THE ISOLATION CAMP. Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) read in the House of Representatives yesterday ft lengthy extract from a southern , newspaper complaining about the conditions. at the isolation camp at Trentham. A correspondent had informed this newspaper that the camp was insanitary and' badly arranged, that the'infectious cases ( and "contacts" were mixed indiscriminately, and that the patients had other grievances. The Minister of Defenco said lie gave the charges an emphatic denial. The member for Christchurch East had, '■ he said, abused tne forms of the House in rending a newspaper statement in order to create a false ■ impression. A MISSING REPORT. "This is tho third year of asking," said the member for Thames (Mr. T .W. Rhodes) wheu giving notico to a6k the Minister of Marine when Professor Prince's report upon the New Zealand fisheries would be presented to Parliament. The report should have reached the Government, three, years ago, but apparently it is still miising l . 'V •