POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 303, 18 September 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

BOARD OF TRADE BILL After Tile Dominion went to press on Wednesday morning tho Houso of Representatives read the Board of Trade Bill a second time, rising at 2.20 a.m. The last hours of the debate were occupied by the Labour members, but tho last speaker was Mr. I?. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), who took the opportunity lo' challenge many of the statements winch had been made to a very tired House by Mr. Holland and his friends. Mr. Wright fought back with much vigour, and said some hard things about Bolshevism, industrial unrest promoting, and such subjects. SURPLUS PROFITS ON WOOL. . Sometime iVgo lur. E. Newman' (liangitikei) made a proposal to the farmers of Kew Zealand that they should show their appreciation of the men of His Majesty s Navy ami of the mercantile marine by givin* their share of the surplus profits realised on the re-sale of New Zealand wool in England to a fund for the beneiit of the dependants of the sailors of the Koyal' Navy and mercantile marine who lost their 'lives during the war. It ia now desired that this fund should be set up as fooii as possible. Mr. Newman asked the Prime Minister in the House whether he will give an indication of the amount of this Dominion's share of tho surplus profits that have ibeen made b.v the Imperial Govern, ment on wool sold for other than military purposes-fa) from t!le m 6 "17 B rensy clip, and (h) from the 1917-18 groasv clip; and when a, proportion of same will be available for distribution to woolgrower?-? . . Mr. Massey replied: Latest adyicco from the Imperial • Government indicate ihat the amount of this Dominion's share of the surplus profits ' that- have been made by the Imperial Government on wool sofa for other than military purposes will not bo ascertainablo for some considerable time.' The enormous turnover and complexity of the accounts, including the operations of. scouring, top. making, and will probaolj. render an early settlement in the matter impossible. As a matter of fact, woo] of the 1916-17 clip vras still in-New Zealand in December, 1018, and a portion of that clip was only (submitted to miction iu London at the April sales of this year. Immediately definite'information is received from the Imperial Government regarding the amount available for distribution wool-growers will be advised.

VOTES FOR SOLDIERS' WIVES. The Government was urged 'by Mr. S. '(*. Smith to cillow wivj of soldiers coming out from England to New Zealand to vote at the next general" oloction, notwithstanding that the law may not have been complied with as regards length ot residence in New Zealand. Mr. Massey has replied: It is not pro■pose'tl to introduce "lefjislation to permit of wives of soldiers claiming enrolment without having first resided twelve months iii- New Zealand p.? required by tlv- T/"riplatnve Act. IMS. • Mr y, Newman said the trustees of the soldiers' and sailor.-:' fund were anxious to Fi>t. cxnot information as .soon ns possible The eiim involved must be considerable. A much lniyv f.nioun. of wool was being'sold for civilian purpose than had been expected at one tint". The extra profit was to so largely to the widows and orphans, and if the Imnerial -anthovilics understood that point they misht expedite the arrangement. , .vSCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. . Keplyin? to a question br Mr. Tfnliert : Semple yesterday, the Minister nf E:lnca-. t'on made this statement •.-'The question of increases of the salaries of teachers hns for some time bepn under conridP'Mtioi. anri provision is beii" mace in thn Education Amendment Bill, now in coi rso of preparation, for certain increases: A very inuch Inrjwr provision than usual for school buildings atid equipment will be Submitted for approval of .Parliament." HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP. The twin of office of the present' High Commissioner expires on October 22. Tho member for Avon (the Hon. G. W. Enssell) asked the Government what it proposes to do about the , filling of the vacancy. Ho' wanted to know whether (•.he Government intended to appoint a resident Minister in London in addition to ih? High Commissioner, and whether it is intended to offer Sir Thomas Mackenzie reappointment for the full ne.riod of three years. The Prime Minister replied vesi»r<lay that he would give a reply to these queries later'in the- session.

.FICTION. TV advocates of the coal minors, notably Mr. R. Semple. M.P., have, nil along , declared that shortage of coal is not tho real reason for the railway cut, and have supplied other.reasons such js tho state <if rlisronnir of locomotives aim rollin.T stock." Mr. R. A. Wright <kew tho attention of tie Minister of Railways (Mr. Massey) to n series of such statements by Mr. Semple at a local picturo fhpntre one evening recently. M.r. Mafsey deals with Mr. Semple s erntpments as follows:—The statementsto the effect that there was moro coal in the railway yards than ever' and that the curtailment of the rnilwnv service was not due. to tho coal shurfa.w; but to the fact flint so many engine. o , caw, and trucks being , badly in need of repair, are' not correct. -, The cu.rtoi!ment of train services was tine solely and entiroli- to the short.i<;o''of conl and. the impossibility of ma!d"'r satisfactory arrangements for a regular arid sufficient pnpplv.. The miestion ns to whether the Railway Department has any le,?al redress in respect of such defamnto'ry statements Iws-wot been considered. The having now been nppointed it will l)e asked to report on the whole question. SUPERANNUATION' PAYMENTS. Several members of the House asked the Government yesterday to take into consideration llio hard , case of ; anmiated Civil- Servants who found their ' allowances, tn be inadequate. nivinir to tho increased cost of liyinji. The Hon. J. B. Hiue said he was having inquiries made in nrdpr to ascertain the position. Some of the Public Servants undoubtw'Jv were receiving very small allowances. -He had askeil for a memorandum on i the subject, which would be brmisht IμI fore Cabinet at the earliest opportunity. The wages of iensual. employees, in the Public Service was another matter that demanded* attention. THE SAVINGS BANK. The investments of the Post Office Savings Bank are recorded in a return placed before Parliament yesterday. The total amount standing to the credit, of all open accounts, inclusive of accrued interest, on December 31 last was .£33,418,125.- Tho total nominal value of the securities standing in the name of the Postmaster-General on account of the Post Office Savings Bank Fund on December 31, 1918, was ,£31,900,936. the cost price having been The securities include a few small parcels of overseas dominion securities, and some local government securities, but most of the millions nre invested in New Zealand Government debentures and stock;