POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 210, 22 November 1909, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

The member for Dunedin, Mr Arnold, has intimated his intention of asking the Government whether they will j early next session bring in an amendment to the Libel Act, with the view of giving the Press of this Dominion the same Immunity from prosecution as is enjoyed by the Press of England, and if not, why not? Mr T. E. Taylor stated that he intended to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the alleged frequent and apparently improper interference with the course of justice by grand juries, and the fact that persons constituting such juries are largely drawn from one class of the community, be will bring in legislation at an early date abolishing grand juries, as being class institutions, antagonistic to every right of a democracy? Mr Fisher stated that he would ask the Prime Minister whether be would bring down legislation this session which will, in the interests of the publie, empower judges or magistrates to deprive persons of the privilege of driving motor bicycles in cases where it is clear that such persons are a menace to the public, and should ! effectually be prevented from endangering the lives of tbe people? In tbe House of Representatives the member for Avon, Mr Russell, asked | tbe Minister for Agriculture whether i he would consider the advisability of ! growing experimental patches of I sugar-beet at numerous points in the ! Dominion in order to ascertain bow far i this country is adapted for a general \ development of the beet-sugar industry? The Hon. T. McKenzie replied that experiments already made in the Waikato, Taranaki, the Wairarapa, 1 and Otago, have shown that sugarbeet can be successfully firown in New Zealand. The wholr matter is at prseent under the consideration of the Government.