Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1901. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 September 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1901. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In these days of compulsory insurance, old age pensions, and other ideas for the protection of the individual against a “ rainy day,” the annual report of the Friendly Benefit Societies of New Zealand and a comparision with like institutions in the Australian will be interesting, and it is pleasing to note that in New Zealand in so far as solvincy is concerned we are very far ahead of any of the colonies, as the following table will show :

New Zealand with £l9 per head stands out in bold relief and shows that our aeturies have certainly performed their part well, for if the Australian colonies are solvent with the amount per head placed opposite them, then members in this colony need have little doubt but that their lodges are well able to stand all the charges that are made against them.

Parliament appears to be getting a "trifle mixed." The Privilege question in regard to the Dunedin Star doG3 not reflect much credit upon our legislature ; indeed Mr. Cohen and the Star came out first, the House a very bad second. The incident, however, tends to show how advisable it is to get rid of the old and antiquate rule preventing committee proceedings being reported. When it is remembered that the British House of Commons which compared with the New Zealand House of Representatives is certainly conservative in tone, has long ago admitted the press to committees —other than secret ones—surely New Zealand with its radical tendencies need not fear to follow. But on two points the New Zealand Legislature has been consistently conservative. The first point is in adhering to a Nominee Upper House, and the second in its endeavour to hamper, harass and curtail the legitimate rights of the Press. In regard to the latter it is notorious that whenever a question affecting the Press comes np in the House, a number of members—and some of them prominent ones—are "there every time" in opposition to any legitimate reform. Parliament has had a ■ two days' farce over the Dunedin Star, and we are now promised an early production of two comedies over articles appearing in the newspapers guided by Messrs. Pirani and Hornsby, M.H.R.'s. Possibly the good sense of the House will sooner or later assert itself, and allow to the Press of this colony like privileges to that given in Britain, Canada and Australia.

i Number Amount Capital Colony. of of pei Members Funds. Member. £ £ s. a. Victoria 93,700 1,257,362 13 .8 5 N. S. Wales 09,124 595,403 8 12 7 S.Australia 42,703 475,054 11 2 9 New Zealand 38,202 728,249 19 1 3 Queensland 29,099 222,084 7 12 8 Tasmania 11,871 95,202 8 0 5 Westralia 1 5,554 40,644 7 6 4