POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

PUBLIC HEALTH AMENDMENT BILL

IMPORTANT CHANGES PROPOSED

• T , Health Amendment Bill, introduced in tho House last night, en-; • ii. district health officer to exercise the jwwers conferred onhim by section 18 ot the principal. Act with the authority of the Ministor of Public Health, instead of requiring the authority of the Governor-General. It also provides that those powers ma.y be exercised for : tlie purpose of. checking tho spread ,of any infectious disease; (Tho power is nt present limited to dealing with eases' of dangerous infectious disease.) It is proposed to authorise tho district health officer,_ with tho authority in writing of the Minister of Pujilio Health, to close all public buildings and other places of public resort, and : to prohibit the .congregation of people in any place, if these precautions are considered necessary --for the, purpose of checking the spread of any, infectious disease. The; Bill further empowers the district health officer, to requisition the use of lands, /buildings, vehicles, drugs, and other necessities for the purpose of coning with an epidemic, nnd enables local authorities to make by-laws for the cleansing-,' disinfection, and. ventilation' of theatres and other 1 places :of public' amusement or resort/ An important provisiqn is that repralingthe section in the Act of 1918 that limits the hours during which picture theatres may be open. The GovernorGeneral is given power to make regulations under section 13 of the principal Act for ihiy purpose'for-which a-loral authority, may make by-laws. (It is provided by section 14 of Hip'principal Aft that in any edse of .conflict !>etween such regulations and th 4 by-laws -of a local authority the regulations shall''prevail.) In the event of nnv local authority refusing to mak§ necessarv by-laws or, having, made by-laws, failing to effectively enforce their, a proportion of the cost "of the administration of the regulations by the Department is made recoverable uiidnr the Bill .fmni the local authority nink'Ui?default. ~Th« powers ofthe local mithoritip'j to make by-laws with ' respect to .lodgii)g-lious»s' n'' 0 ,I< v clarcd. and'-section 12 of the) Public Health .Amendni'it Ant, J9IR. which 'ms proved umvorkob\e, is repealed. One, clause ■ makes it comnti'sorv upon: the' undertaker, in ease of the dpath of any person from.an.infections disease, forthwith to notify the fact to.,tho district health c iffiner. and another repeals" see-, tion 13l of the principal Act '{which exempt* vessels arrvine in New Zealand from Australia or Piii_ from the restric ; < five provisions of : sections I2t to 129 o> that Act.) ■ s ' , , '

TRAINING FOR THE SEA. In tho House of . Representatives last ' evening,- Mr.. 11. G. Ell (Christcliurch South) drew the attention of tho Minister of Marine to a statement made 'by Viscount Jellicoe.nt u, Navy League luncheon given in Auckland, < The Admiral had- emphasised the necessity for inspir-. ing the youth', of the' Dominion with a Jove for the sea, and had indicated what, might be done by tho provision of yacht harbours and other similar harbours for • the encouragement of aquatic sports. Mr. Ell wished to know whether the Government \ would assist, in the .provi6i6n of such, harbours. - '? • The Hon. W. H. Herries replied that, , if it was a. question of some naval training club being advantaged the Govern; ment might consider the question of giving assistance.. The provision of ordinary yacht harbours, however, was a matter for the different' harbour boards. •

"6HE WAIRAKEI DISTRICT. The of tho Wairakei thermal district! was urged upon the Government last night by Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikei), who said that the land was being put on the market and that a syndicate was being formed to purchase it. The district 'possessed springs that were probably, unique in the world, and were certainly one of the most valuable possessions of New ; Zealand. The Hon.'' -W. Nosworthy (Minister in Charge of the Tourist , Department) replied that he' voiUdJookMnto.thfi,matter. . :

THE HIGH COM M ISSI ON ERSHI P. "Has it yet been decided," asked Mr. T. M. Wiliord (Hutt) in the Houss of Representatives yesterday, "who is to bo the neiv High Commissioner, as the present ■ High Comtnissioner's term of office has only nineteen days to run?" Tho Prima Minister replied ,that no decision had yet been made. If the hon.' member looked into the question he would /find that the Commissioner's term had a little longer ' to run than he had stated.

AN ALLEGED MONOPOLY. Mr. S. G. .Smith (Taranaki)' yesterday stated in the House of Representatives that intending passengers by the Adolph Woermann from Wellington to • Sydney.' had been informed, when they made application- for berths, that the consent of the Union Steam Ship Company. Vwas necessary before the vessel could carry passengers.. Mr. Smith wished to-know. ' whether tSe Prime Minister would make inquiries with-v"view to breaking down the monopoly'that tho tfnion Company apparently enjoyed.,■> The Rt. Hon. W. F.Massey (Prime Minister) promised to consider the question. . , FISHERIES, The ex-Minister :of Marine, Mr. T. M. Wilford, the present Minister of Marine (Mr.l Terries) in the House last night whether tthe: Government intends.' to give effect to the recommendations of tht", Commission. . Recpminen-' dations had'been left by liiiri for Sub-, mission to, Cabinet. He suggested that the matter was one of urgency as affect-, ing the fish supply of 'Auckland. Mr. Herries said that his attention had just been called to the matter, and he would eeo that it was "brought before- Cabinet. RACING- PERMITS. Mr. A. E. Glover gave notice, in the House last night to nsk. tho. Ministfr_ of Internal Affairs to oonsider the question —of giving ■ further permits to goiintry racing clubs.' ' ' 'NO HOUSE BUILDERS. . The. scarcity.of,'carpenters-for.the very urgent work of building homes for th° peonle in Christchiirch, Auckland, and Wellington was referred to by Mr. -Ell in the House iof Representatives last night. He asked the Prime Minister whether the power' formerly taken by tho Government under the War Regulations to stoo unnecessary works was still alive, and if so .whether it could not be put into operation for the purpose of releasing men for house building. Mr. Massey'said that he thought'' the power referred to "had lapsed. At any rate it had not been put in operation for some ■ tim<>._ He. -would ascertain what the position was.