POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 288, 30 August 1920, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES

PASSING THE ESTIMATES

THE ADMIRALTY'S BILL

The House of Representatives sat until 1.35 n.m. 011 Saturday. After the Estimates of the Defence Department had been passed, the votes for the Customs Department and the Marine Department were taken. Members who wished to discuss Questions of fiscal policy were ruled out of order by the chairman, and the other points raised on the Customs Estimates were not important. Mr. M'Callnm accused the Marine Department of neglect of duty, particularly in connection with the survey of ships, and he moved to reduce the vote by .£5 aa nil indication of disapproval. This amondment was lost on the voices.' When the Labour vote was reached well after midnight the Labour members objected to proceeding owing to the lata hour. The Prime Minister agreed to hold over the housing items, ami the rest of the vote whs put through without much discussion. CAPTAIN KIRRWOOD'S MISSION ADJUSTING TRANSPORT CHARGES. When tho Defence Estimates wer« under discussion in the Houso of Representatives on Friday night Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hntt) asked for information re-'' garding the dispatch to England of Captain Kirkwood, who was to consult the Admiralty about the adjustment of eomo accounts. Mr. Wilford suggested that the Admiralty was claiming a very largo sum from the New Zealand Govnrnment. Ho asked what were Captain Itirkwood's qualifications for the duly, and mentioned that the officer had not served at the front.

It is stated officially that the accounts in dispute rclato to the transport of troops which was taken over at a certain stage of the war by tho British Government. Mr. Miissey mentioned on Friday night that the claim being mado against New Zealand did not exceed one million sterling- The actual amount would require to be determined by a study of the accounts and by a definition of liability. Captain Kirkwood is a qualified accountant, who has had lengthy experience of shipping accounts and shipping ,ln\v. Ho was associated with transport work during the .war, having been declared medically unfit for active service. He will be associated in London with Captain Noseda, who was transport officer at the N.Z.E.F, Administrative Headquaters, and will liavo 'he assistance and advice of tlie High Commissioner and late Minister of Defence, Sir James Al' ien. Captain Kirkwood was selected for the duty on nccount of his special knowledge aiid his ability to deal with shipping 'accounts. TOTAI/'SATOR PERMITS Tho Gaming Amendment Bill No. 2, introduced by Mr. G. Hunter (Waipawa), is at present occupying a place low down 611 the order paper. This Bill proposes to increase the number of totalisator permits in the country districts. Most 'members of the-House liolicve that somo of the country districts have not been treated fairly in the allocation of permits. but there will be some strong opposition to the Bill on the ground that the total number of permits ought not to be increased. An order paper containing about seventy proposed amendments to tin Bill has besn circulated, and has a d&idedlv obstructive appearance. MILiTARYDENTISTS During the discussion on the Defeuce Estimates fn tho House of Representatives information .was sought as to tho employment of dentists by the Defence Department so long after the close of the war. Tho Minister states that there are only two dentists employed, and that they are employed 6oleiy.in dealing with dental troubles of ex-soldiers, contracted while on active service. It is expected that they will have completed their work by the end of the present year.

REVENUE FROM INVENTORS

The New Zealand Government makes a pro'it out of inventors. The Registrar of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks collected ■E93W in fees last rear, while his expenditure amounted to te'3373. Tho credit 'balance was £5971, and this, added to the excess of receipts over expenditure since 1890. -makca a total of .£85.128. "It should bo remembered," says tho Registrar, "that the object of the patent law is tho development of manufacture by the promotion of invention, and, as the consideration for the patent granting monopoly of the use of an invention for a certain time is the full disclosure of it to tho public by means of the specification, the payment of - fees beyond those required to meet expenses, although not uncommon in various countries, does not in 0 principle seem to bp sound. As frequently pointed out, much might bo done to foster and stimulate useful invention in this country by the adoption of the recommendations mado from time to time in fee reports. and it 'S hoped that more will be effected in this respect to develop and as lav as possible direct into more profitable lines the inventive genius with which the people of this country appear to be so highly endowed. The small proportion of inventions that prove remunerative render' it very advisable for inventors to ascertain as far m POwWe ,not merely the n^. but „„™ prospect? of commercial suafcs of their inventions before going toi much expense in patenting and exploiting them here, and more especially abroad.