POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 581, 2 July 1913, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

/a caucus of the Government Party was held on Saturday to disease matter* in connection with the baiinees of ihe session. The Government Whip (Mr D. H. Guthrie) at the conclusion of the meeting, explained that the Go-, vernment was anxious that members ahould be in possession of full information as to the work that it was proposed to carry out during the session. The principles of a number of Bills were discussed, and the party unanimously expressed approval. An understanding was also arrived at that Mr A. S. Malcolm, member for Clutha, will succeed Mr Lang, now Speaker, as Chairman of Committee!. Thue does Mr Malcolm, who is an ex-school teacher, achieve another of his ambitions.

Several revivals of more-or-less for* gotten usages rather surprised the spectators at Friday's Parliametary ceremony. The Governor came in court dres* (Which includes white silk knee-breeches, with stockings to match). When he reached the dais, the Earl of Liverpool said: "Gentlemen, pray be seated." During recent years (sayJ the "Post"), this invitation has been omitted. In the past the sitting was done quietly after the Governor had taken his chair. This time, too, Black Rod, which has survived the decay of various institutions, saw a resurrection of an old comrade, White Rod, who vanished some years ago. This functionary was resplendent with long white wand. There were other touches of days long gone. During the past decade a slow "democratising" process has been observable at then ceremonies, but this session saw a "ressurrection," a straight reversion to certain formalities abandoned in the I dim long ago. It is stated, on very good authority : that the chief reason that influenced the Government in "calling" Mr W. Earnshaw to the Legislative Council a a Labour representative was that he has a fairly-wide knowledge of Parliamentary procedure and a full grasp of industrial affairs. The question of his association with, or j dissociation from, organised Labour was not taken into consideration at all, as it is argue that he would bring to bear on industrial problems a mature mind and be in no way allied to organisation. The Minister for Railways, Writing to Mr Craigie, refers to a petition which be handed in on Tuesday of last week praying for protection at the railway crossing at Temuka. The Minister replies that he is going into the matter. Some time ago, he says, he issued instructions that reports were to be supplied to him by different local officers on these crossings in the Dominion considered by them to be dangerous. When that report came to hand he was hopeful some scheme "might be devised wQere by risks to the general public would be minimised.