POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 119, 27 August 1910, Page 4

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

THE SESSION'S WORK. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent). Wellington, Last Night. After the busy talk of the past te® weeks men are naturally eager to gtjfc at the probabilities of the session's \\mik. Will there be any work? Tlijb is the leading question in most min<Jg. First one turns to the great licensiW question, and recalls the many statements of the Ministry there. One fe bound to admit that in these there never was any reason for expecting anything like a drastic change, but there are those who discuss the possibility of a bill making provision for DOMINION OPTION. The fact, of course, is that the programme of the Government work, barely outlined so far, will not afford a moment for this big subject. Moreover the Government are not looking for trouble. They have quite enough on hand. There will, o-f course, be no licensing bill this year of any kind that is appreciable. SOCIAL REFORMS. • The big social reforms carried through the Council to the second reading wTll take ti*;e. So will the Jiills dealing with' arbitration, shipping, land, tramways, public reserves, debt extinction, .education, local government, Crown suits, defence, harbors, and other subjects too numerous to mention. In this there is a fair enough programme for employing considerably more than the time at Parliament's disposal, even after the private member has been suppressed, as lie has been for the remainder of the session, with the approval of every member of the House.

The programme is not shaped yet, though it has been rough-hewn for' some time. "When it is shaped, it will time to discuss its probable chances." THE PREMIER AND THE VETERANS. Sir Joseph Ward, as Defence Minister, takes exception to some remarks made recently in Christchurch, alleging neglect of the old volunteers of the Dominion in the change to the new system. He has therefore drawn attention to the statement lie made on the subject ia the Budget, claiming that he therein «owed the utmost consideration and tenltion to this subject. He said in the Budget: "Having regard to the fact that the defence system of the Dominion has been entirely changed, I feel it, my duty to acknowledge the good work the men who have composed the volunteers in the past have accomplished. The officers, noncommissioned officers, and men of the volunteer forces of the past, have given cheerfully a large part of their valuable •time in the cause of defence. To one and all of them I tender, on behalf ot the country, my warmest thanks for their services—(and this is what he comments on). —No one recognises more than I do the difficulties under which the volunteers have loyally devoted themselves to their duties in the past or the recognition they deserve, and I took the opportunity of not only recording it for all time in the Budget, but of stating it publicly in the House." LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. Last night, I mentioned that certain private members had withdrawn certain bills. One of these was Mr. Russell's bill for the reform of the Legislative Council. The Post is quick to take this bill on the bbunce. This is their comment: "It was fitting in. more senses than one that Mr. Russell should ask to have his Legislative Council Reform Bill discharged from the Order Paper. The present House of Representatives has not proved its right to attempt to reform." The suggestion comes with a smack of impudence from an assembly which has DEPLORABLY WASTED WEEKS OF TIME

at a great expense to the taxpayers. I may add that everybody agrees that it is high time the Standing Orders, which offer a premium to obstructions, faddism, and tear-garden tactics, were amended. The difficulty is, who shall begjn? The evil shows no signs of abating. Nine weeks have been swallowed in abnormal waste. Every opportunity has been given and taken on every conceivable discussion, on every imaginable subject, for the airing of every possible grievance. Ye t there comes an Imprest Supply Bill, a formal thing for letting tweedledums of finance become tweedlededees, and the House spins out in hideous debate to wearisome length with the air of men fighting for their lives. It is almost evident that nothing can be done to reform a chamber that behaves in that, senseless fashion.

DESTRUCTION OF -PENGUINS. . ON THE MACQUARIE ISLANDS. Mr. George Laurenson, who has interested himself in an endeavour to prevent the wholesale boiling down of penguins for oil at the Macquarie Islands, has received the following reply. from the Hon. N. E. Lewis, Prime Minister of •Tasmania: — "Referring to your communication of July 23rd, with regard to the destruction of penguins at Macquarie Islands, I have to inform you that the attention of Mr. Joseph Hatch will be drawn to / the complaints that have been received from various scientific bodies concerning the destruction of these birds. In the event of an unsatisfactory reply being received from Mr. Hatch, my Government does not propose to renew his lease when it expires in October, 1012."