POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 28, 28 October 1919, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES

SOLDIERS' GRATUITIES

' TIME SPENT IN NEW ZEALAND HOSPITALS The question of *he i-alcnlation of the time spent by a returned soldier in New Zealand hospitals as service within the meaning of the regulations for the payment of the war gratuity was raised again in the House hut night. Mr. G. W. HibseK asked the Minister of Defenco whether men who had not been discharged, but who were being treated as nut-patients of hospitals, would bo entitled to gratuity for the period when receiving tins treatment, ns inpatients in the hospitals were entitled: Sir James Allen said that no provision was made for in-patients or outpatients in New Zealand hospitals for the payment of gratuity up till the time of discharge. Such provision conk! not have been made been use the period would in .every ease have been an unknown quantity. There was very considerable difficulty a'unut the eases of those men who had returned sick and wounded. As honourable members knew, there was provision for a minimum gratuity to meet the eases of such men, the minimum period of srvieo being assumed In be eighteen months. Inquiries were being made regarding the men in hospitals in New Zealand to see whethei it would not be possible to adopt some general principle. He feared that so far ns out-patients were concerned the Government would iint'liechio to do more than already provided in tlio eighteen mentis minimum, because there were who had been out of hospital and who Had returned to hospital again, and son climes the second course of treatment was rendered ncee-»iry by the indiscretions of the men themselves. These men could not be provided for except in re. speev of the, period for which they wero in hospital originally, and this the Goyeimnenl: was considering.

I TEACHERS' SALARIES. "When arc (he teachers to receive the addition to their salaries promised from April last?" asked Mr. R. M'Callum (Wairau) in the House cf Representatives last night. Sir .Tames Allen replied that the question cnuld not be answered until the regulations wore' studied. These regulations would he issued as booh as the Education B.'K now before Parliament vas passed, SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS. Replying (o another suggestion that South African veterans should be given the status of returned soldiers for land settlement purposes Iho Minister of Lauds (the Hon. I). 11. Guthrie) slated in the House of Representatives last night that Iho first, task of the Government was to provide for the needs of the men who had served in the recent war. Provision could i;e made later for the South African veterans and other men who had not been to the front during Iho recent war. The matter was at present being considered bv Cabinet. Mr. Massey interjected that the question hud been before Cabinet that day. ' END OF THE WAR. Replying to Mr. E. Newman in the House of Representatives last night the l J nme Minister said that ho' had not received any notification ii-om (ho Imperial Government with regard lo the date on which hostilities villi Germany shall be presumed to have ceased. Mr. Newman had drawn-the attention of the Prime Minister to the cable news message from Paris to say that Ihe French Government had issued a decree that hostilities should be regarded as having ceased as from October IM. COAL FROM NEWCASTLE. The Christchurch City Council some limo ago set out with great hope and some fair publicity work to supply coal 'for its people of the city of Uhristchurch, but the scheme has not filled all the bins in the houses of Christchurch. They now ask that they be assisted by the. Government in respect of the carriage of coal from Newcastle. This proposal was made to the Prime .Minister by Mr. G. W. Russell last night. Mr. Russell said that the council could buy the coal in Newcastle, but could not get it transported lo New Zealand. Mr, Massey said that he had already had the matter in hand, but the difficulty was the shortage of freight. "When freight offered'he would be glad to comply with the request ol the Chrislchurch City Council. SOLDIERS' VOTES. Sir Francis Bell informed the Legislative Council last evening that he did not propose to move the further committal of the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill, as the measure was to be so largely amended that the best course might be to have another Bill up from t;ho Lower House.. The Government has been urged to make provision in the Bill for soldiers nt tea to record their votes upon tho licensing issue at general election time. It remains to be seen whether the amendment alluded to by the Leader of the Council will include such a provision. COAL MINES, The Coal Mines Amendment Bill was reported yesterday from the Mines Committee, with amendments. Clause 5 has be,ei) amended to rend that "no explosive substance in excess of the requirements for one shift shall! be stored underground in any mine." An alteration has been made'in regard to the provision for testing tho safety appliance.? of cage shafts, providing tint (here dial! bo an examination once- at least in every week, instead of every month, as was proposed. The dotaching-hcok shall be tested by an actual overwind m:ee at least in every three months. Section -JO of tho principal Act is amended to provide for a safety lamp examination .of tho mine wilhih two hours before tho time of commencing work. PURCHASE OF A COAL AREA. Mr. P. Frascr gave, notice of a question in the House of Representatives last night, referring lo tile recent purchase (made in the days of the National Government) of a coal-bearing area in tho liuntly district, for the establishment thereon of a Stat; mine. Mr. Eraser gave notice to ask tho Minister of' Mines: V.'hether 'ho is aware that certain TCuntly. recently sold by the Awaroa Land Company In the Government for a State coal mine at tho price of ,£35,000. was bought bv that company during July. 1918. for .£12,-167? ■Will the Minister inform the Bouse on whoso recommendation tie purchase was made, and whether the professional advisers o£ the Mines Department were consulted as to the price? Also, is tho person on whose recommendation the purchase was made a relative of one of the vendors in the eomnany? "Will tho Minister set up a special inquiry into this purchase? ELECTION LITERATURE. In the House last night, Mr. Malcolm asked the Prime Minister whether a clause in the Police Offences Amendment BUI, before Parliament this session, was intended to make illegal the circulation of "'how-10-votr." cards. Mr. Massey said flv.it this was not at any rate the purpose of the clause, nor did ho think it u'ould lie the eft'ecl of it. The- reason for the insertion of the clause was to preivnt tho circulation of documents similar to n very objectionable "proclamation" circulated during the liauor referendum campaign this year. That document purported to be a 'proclamation signed by (hv- head of the Public Health Department. It appeared that the publication of such matter was not an offence again-.! the law. and it was desired that such (actios should be forbidden cxp:wssly in future. He promised lo givo Mr. Malcolm definite advice later on the question of whether "how-to-vole" cards might lewdly be distributed.

SAMOAM REGULATIONS. Mr. 11. Holland (Cirev) asked in (ih« House of Representatives last, night if Ihe Government intended lo lay before tho House hefore the end of the session the regulations relating to the administration of Samoa. Sir James Allen replied thai he would circulate copies of the draft Order-in-Council among members during the present week.

Mr, Hiolland: Docs that mean the Houso will have an opportunity of discussing itf Sir James Allen: I am not promising that. Mr. Holland said that the Primo Minister had promised an opportunity for discussion, and Mr. Masscy replied that whatever ho had promised would ho done. MENTAL HOSPITALS, Replying to a question regarding the treatment of soldiers in mental hospitals, the Minister of Defence (Sir Jnmos Alien) staled in the House of Hcjfcesciitntivcs lust night that the. soldiers formerly under treatment at Avondale Mental Hospital had been removed to the new institution at Tokanni, where the classifi. cation, ho thought, was much more wit iff act ory than had been possiblo before. It had been suggested that the soldiers should he treated in a separate hospital. Ho would point out that if this were done, adequate classification would scarcely be possible, owing to the small number of men requiring treatin nit.