POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 297, 11 September 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

ABOLITION OF GRAND JURY. The Crimes Amendment Bill, introduced by the Hon.; Mr. MacGregor in the Legislative Counoil, has for its object the abolition of the Grand Jury. Tho' solo operative clause of tho Bill xuns thus:— "Tho Attorney-General or SolicitorGeneral for New Zealand or airy prosecutor for the King in tho name of n law officer, may make presentment .t the Supreme Court of any person ..r any crime, and every such prescnt'n.L'iit may be in the form contained in the schedule hereto or Ito that effect; and shall he as good and of tho same force, strength, and effect in law as if the same had ■been presented and found by the oaths of twelve men." GOVERNMENT WHIPS. Messrs..R.' Scott and R. F. Bollard havo been appointed whips for the Government Party. THE WIDNES BY-ELECTION. "May I ask lino, Prime Minister if he haa received any communication, official or otherwise, from any source in England,, or from the Hon. P. M.. 13. Eishor regarding the /result ot tho Widnei by-election P" asked Mr. H. Holland (Groy) in the House of Representatives' yesterday. The question was greased with laughter. Mr. Massey replied that tho question had better go .on the order paper, BAD CITIZENS. • "There seems to bo a small but noisy minority ofpec-plo in this country who never lose -an ■ opportunity of belittling the-war effort 61. tho people-soldiers- or citd2ens(" said Mr. Massey in the HonsQ of Representatives'yesterday. "I think this sort of thing should be discouraged. If necessary it must be put down with a strong ■■hand. If -Now/Zealand is not good enough for one section of the people, thenthey had bettor get out.'-'