The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 11, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1145, 11 September 1913, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 11, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Pesjuky too often goes unpunished, but in a case which came before Mr Justice A’Beckett in Melbourne last week a young man named George Herbert Vincent Smith was convicted for this offence in connection with proceedings that had been taken against him for the maintenance of his illegitimate child. Smith, said the judge, had accused the mother of the child of being a perjurer and a blackmailer. He was the class of man who would think little of swearing away a girl’s character, and talking about it afterwards with men of his own stamp. The case deserved exemplary punishment, and the sentence would be two years’ imprisonment with bard labour. “I wish to appeal,” said the prisoner. ‘T have no doubt you do,” said Mr Justice A’Beckett sternly, as he ordered the warder to remove Smith to the cells.

The third week in November is the time fixed by the Prime Minister (the Hou. W. F. Massey) ior the probable end of the session. In the course of conversation, Mr Massey added the proviso that business should be completed by then if the Opposition did not resort to obstruction. The time has now almost arrived when Government business, following the usual practice, will take precedence on each of the four sitting days in the week. Taking everything into account the Prime Minister considers fairly good progress has been made. The House is now settling down to the real business of the session, and a considerable acceleration of the rate of progress hitherto attained may be expected. The two big Bills, the Eaud and labour measures, introduced this week will impose a good deal of work upon the Lands and Labour Committees, to which they will respectively be referred, but big as they are they need not take up any great amount of time before the House. The Labour Bill, as stated, is largely a consolidation, but the Laud Bill is all new. The Railway Statement is not expected to make its appearance for another week or two, and the presentation of the Public Works Statement is still further ahead.