POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1919, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

FINANCIAL DEBATE • Tie debate ba the Budget was opened in the House of Representatives Inst night by Sir Joseph Ward. The Leader of the Opposition spoke for about ,an hour and a half and discussed the financial proposals of the Government. Ho pleaded almost pathetically for tihe retention of the accumulated surpluses, which he con- : sidorod ought to be invested in London and used as a revenue-producing nestegg. The Minister of Finance, Sir James Allen, replied in a speeoh tnat did , not extend far beyond tne' : half-hour.' He ridiculed the notion that New Zealand should 1 borrow' money for. war expenses and national development.iyrilh one hand while holding in tlie other hand fifteen millions of accumulated surplus, repre-, Banting the product of special war taxation imposed for war purposes. The money was going to be invested in land for occupation by returned "-soldiers.-. Both sneakers dealt with the general financial proposals of the Budget. The debate was adjourned without further speeches after the Prime Minister had ' offered to proceed if any other Opposition member was ready to speak. WELLINGTON BY-ELECTIONS.' Labour* members of the House'are fond of eayiii£- that they did great things at by-elections during the recess. The Wellington North by-election was mentioned in the-Houso yesterday, and the member . for the constituency 1 (Jlx. J. P. Luke) took the opportunity to say a few words to his Labour colleagues. They had very • often, told; him, ho said, that ho waa a minority representative. . He was convinced: that the gibe would not be'repeated aftenr the general]'election, tho people having seen something of tho Latoour -members sineo the by-election. He • would .remind .fchet Labour' 'members, in the meantime, that he had contested'the Wellington Mayoralty:'against a Labour nominee. He addressed one meeting and ; left tho people to make their Awn Choice, tho Labour' Parly organised and fought. The result wa3 a decisive win for and an ignominous 'defeat' for .Labour. • MILITARY HONOURS. A return showing the' 1 . honouTS.: and awards bestowed on officers, ladies, noncommissioned officers and men belonging' to or serving, with the New Zealand,-Ex-peditionary Force up to September; 23, 1919,r.wius. laid >011 tho table of .the House of Representatives-yesterday. The. lift was as l follows: Victoria Crosses, 11; brevet promotions, 19; K.C.8., 3; C.8.,'!); K.C.M.&., 9; C.M.G., 41; Order of tho British Empire—Comuiandei-3 45, Officer/) 69, Members 55; Distinguished Service Order, 134; Bar to D.5.0., 7;. Military Cross, 533; Bar to Military Cross, 24; Royal Bed Cross, first class, 10; Bar to Royal Red -Cross, first -class, 1; Royal Re<l Gross, second class, M; Order of St. John of Jerusalem, 1; Distinguished. Conduct Medal, 386; Bar to D.C.M.; 4; Mili- ' taiy Medal,.'2ols: Bar to Military Medal, 59; Meritorious Service Medal, 278; men- , t.ioned in dispatches, 1512; brought to the notice of the Secretary of' State for War, •184; foreign decorations, 186. ; . . COMFORT. OF MEMBERS. Not very .muohi sympathy , was shown by the Prime Minister towards a suggestion made'by Mr. Brown.:in the Ilouse yesterday for the greater comfort of members of " Parliament. In common with other people who have to como to Wellington at these times, members aro finding lodging, expensive and difficult .to . obtain. .Perhaps they have heard that in at least-one other Parliament of the Empire—at Ottawa—every member of the Legislature is provided with a room in ; the new building orected there within recent years. 1 At any rate Mr, Brown made the suggestion that ■ the ■ Government might make some 'such' provision in the complete plans of the new Housos of Parliament. 1 He understood that the previous Government had ' intended to build rooms for members.:: His sugges- ' tion was that, say, fifteen rooms'should be provided for members and let tn ' them for their accommodation. ■ Mr. Massey said that ho did not know ! what had been the intention of the previous Government. All that'ho could' 'say was that no provision for-anything ' 1 of the sort-had been made in the plana, thiit' r hM' been ' handed over-Mo' "his 'Gov--1 ernment on taking ofiico. l THE SHIPPING ACT,' The, Minister of Marine, (Mr. Herries) was asked yesterday whether -lie'.proposed this session to introduce a Bill, to amend the Shipping Act. Mr. Eraser, _ who ' asked the question, said tho Minister's predecessor had forecasted, some legisjaItion on tie'lines indicated. ; Mr. Herries said that- all would depend on the progress of tho work of the session. , It! did not'appear, that there would be much clmnco of bringing down any comprehensive • measure: :tliis session, jut possibly some of the inore pressing matters needing attention might be' provided for.