POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 18, 16 October 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

THE PATRIOTIC FUNDS

M'r. G. W. Russell, lately Minister iii charge of the War Funds, asked his successor (Mr. Hine) in the House yesterday whether ho proposed to bring down legislation during the present session dealing with the present nnd future position of tho patriotic funds of the Dominion. A paper laid on the table of tho House a few days previously disclosed the fact that on March 31 no less limn was hold by tho patriotic societies. He did not propose (o go ''into details, but if 'honourable members would examine the return they would see that some societies held enormous suine of money, while their disbursements had been disproportionately small. In his opinion, it was time that the rate of' expenditure was accelerated. One society holding ,£300,000 had expended in the whole period of the war only ,£89,000 in relief, and .£15,000 in.comforts. He hoped that the Government would see Mint tho moneys were, not hoarded now that the bnyswere returning. He also would like to fw=k about the relationship of the Red Cross funds to tho foldiers. There was a very Inrgo Aconnmlption of the=e funds in New Zealand, nnd the time, had come when somo provision should be made for f.ho ultimo I p disposal of tho money. He asked whether the Government would net un eonip organisation, on which the returned soldiers would have representation, for the oontrnl or narh'nl control of the pitriotie funds and the societies holding them.

Mr. Hine said that already the Government had irivon most ("prions consideration to this limlter. The inoneva hnd '•<>f>n collrcM for the benefit of .the finldiors. but the lime bid almost nnfwd when the molWs Miii'd be i">ed for fhi« purnoop. tl'«n"h nf cnnrse. th" sielt and v-minilof? stil 1 hod n c.\nim upon the moneys l«ft. ■ 'rhf Gorprninnnt lind to study in this niflttp ,, not only H>? ?o!(]icr». but the •rr"!'*' bodv of peonle who hnd sub> spi-ilwfl fnnrU, who wfrp int< > ''pH , prt in cnointr Hifif th" Tuo" n y was uspd in a P"ni)e- 'innne" - . Tl>» Onvprnnippt would •(jive full consideration to the question.

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT. A conference of managers from the two Houses should have been held Inst evening, but it had to Ik .adjourned because ono of tlio representatives of the i Council 'was not present, it is pretty cerhiiu Unit the deadlock will be got over at this conference. It should be understood that the Legislative Council amended the Bill in the first instance because it was considered that tho House had no/right to initiate legislation affecting tho Council, and on this question of privilege certain clauses, rotating to the nomination of women to the Council, were deleted: It has never beep indicated that the Council would have voted to exclude women if the question had lione to the vote, on its merits. It is understood now that the House managers will bo prepared to concede this privilege point to the Council, and agree to the amendments. This will allow the Bill to pass in such form as to provide for women sitting in the Lower House, but not in the Upper House. It is also probable that the difficulty regarding the appointment of women .to tho Council will bo got, over by the introduction of a email Bill in the Council to provide .for the nomination of women to that Chamber. Even if this Bill should be defeated the point is not really of supreme importance, because the nominative system in tho Council cannot be continued for very many years, and in tho Act already passed by the Legislature, but for the present suspended, making provision for nn elective Upper House, there is provision for the election of women to the Council.

LORD JELLIGOE'S REPORT The- Prime Minister, replying to a question in the House yesterday, said tlnit lie hoped to be nble to present to the House on the following nay tho noiioonfideniial nart of the report of Admiral Viscount Jellicoe on New Zealand's part in the naval defence of the Pacific. NOT PRACTICABLE. A, suggestion that tho Government' should provide assisted passages to relative? of Now Zealand eoldiera desiring to v'sit the graves of their dead in France was made |o the Minister of Defonce by Mr. Witty in the House, yesterday. Sir Jnnies .Allen said that ho would be very glad to ffivc this concession, but he feared that ;'t would not bo practicable. Tt was feared that the payment of the whole or even part of the passage money of nfntives of dead soldiers wishing to (jo to Europe, would impose on the country a very heavy burden.

RATING |N CITIES, ■ This session Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North). introduced into the House., u Bili the purpose of which was to enable niuiiic'pnlities to merge all special rate into the general rate. The Bill had special reference to tho case of Wellington, and it was intended to remove ono of tho b'ggest obstacles from the path to amalgamation of tho suburban boroughs with the city. Mr. Liike .said that be was advised that it might not bs possible under the forms of the Hon.«e for tho Bill to procoed as a 'local Bill, on,l hi! linked tho Prime Minister to take up the JVII. Mr. Massoy nsked'thot notice should be given.of the question, in order that he might have fc'me to examine tho Bill. LAND VALUATIONS. K question regarding land valuations was n?ked in the House ypsterday by Mr. Hornsby. His request to the Pninp Minister was tliat ho should give strict iilshuetions to the Valuation Department that in every instance where a farm property changed hands at an advanced price tho -property should be valued at thid pnlianecd price for general and local taxation. He <aid that this practice, if followntl, would go far to sfop_ the present prevailing mad specula-ton in' Hand. Mr. Massey Faid that h« believed that there was too much speculation' in land, and that the efffct of it would not be in the interests of tilie eountrv. He had discussed tit's nnntter with the head of tho Valuation Department on morp than ono oceas-'on, and tlie head of the Department had (iflsureil him that he took no notice of the.se extreme prices paid for fond. His view was that it was much better to nsse.w taxation on fair values rather than on theso extreme prices paid by unwise purchasers.

INTERNATIONAL ÜBOUR CONFERENCE. The Hon. J, T. Paul n*>d in tlio Lefrislativo Cpiinci : l yesterday: "Whether tho Gei eminent rpcsivwl an invitation to arrange for the replantation of New Zealniwl lit the international Labour Conference in contipot.ion with Uip League of Niilioiis. which will ho held in Washington on Oetobw 2.1: and, if so. why havo not steps been taken in comply with tho iwupyr to bo re-presented!" Sir Francis Iteil (Attornpy-Oiwal) replied tint the United States had not yet rntiM Hip TVnop Treaty (which pi-ov'ded for the holding of the conference referred to',, and it was not (/'ear how the conference had been, or could he, convened nt the present time. ROLLS OF HONOUR. A sugircstion made to tho Minister of Defence bv Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikeii la that. Hie Government should havfl a roll eomuiled of the nnmes and services of each soldier who wrnt to the war from the date of his enlistment until his <ientli or difchnrße, such roll to be placed in the principal centre of each military district, and to be preserved as a permanent locnl record of the services of New Zealand soldiers in the Great War." BENZINE AND KEROSENE. Mr. K Newman (Rnngitikei) has given noiico to -isle the 'Prime Ministur whe. Iher he will instruct thf> Hoard of Trade to make a »oarf;liin(f iiw|niry into Ihe hiiili prices now being charged for benzine and kerosene, both of vhieh lire now largely uwd by dairymen throughout Iho Dominion in connection with their business, mid wiil take ivluit ple|W are necesNirv In have Iho price of Ihese articles reduced.