Parliamentary Matters.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 23 July 1913, Page 3

Parliamentary Matters.

The Grey by-election resulted in the Government candidate, Mr Michel, being at the top of the poll, 83 votes in front of the Labour man, Mr Webb, and the Opposition representative, Mr Hannan, 92 votes further down. The second ballot will be a straightout fight between the Government and Labour Party. Mr C. A. "Wilkinson, M.P. for Egmont, the newest member of the House of Representatives, moved the Address-in-Reply and responded to the debate in veryeffective manner. Mr Wilkinson, though one of the young members of the Party, is expected to take a prominent position in politics when he becomes familiar with Parliamentary procedure, as he has travelled extensively, and proved himself a capable business man. His many friends freely predict honours for him in the sphere of politics, and will watch his career with interest. Prior to leaving his constituency for the opening of Parliament Mr J. G. Coates, M.P. undertook to interview the Minister for Public "Works on behalf of the tunnel men on the railway near Kaiwaka, who desired certain concessions. He waited on the Minister a few days ago, with the result that Mr Fraser agreed to raise the pay of men from 10s to 11s per day, and also to grant them sufficient timber for flooring their tents. The questions of allowing a quarter of an hour " smoke-oh " morning and afternoon instead of men smoking promiscuously at their work, and an increase of Is per day in the pay of labourers outside of the tunnel were also brought forward. Mr Fraser said that he would consider these matters. In reply to a request from Mr J. G. Coates, M.P., that a Sunday train should run between Helens* ville and Auckland, the Minister of Railways has replied as follows —" The distance from Helensville to Axickland is 37 miles. A train to run the service suggested would require to traverse at least 74 miles to make one trip each way per day. This would cost, for bare actual expenses, £22 4s. The freight on a gallon of milk from Helensville to Auckland would be I^4d, and it would require a traffic of 4,262 gallons of milk from Helensville to Auckland to cover the bare cost of running the trains. Experience had shown that such a quantity would be unlikely to be forthcoming. I regret I cannot arrltnge to run trains where the results are so problematical."