POLITICAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 314, 2 July 1912, Page 8

POLITICAL

MR. PAYNE'S UTOPIA. (From our own correspondent.) Wellington, Yesterday. Some facetious members promptly christened a 'batch of new Bills fathered by the Labor .member for Grey Lynn, "Mr. Payne's Quartette." This' is constituted by four Bills entitled Workers' Right to Workers' Wages Bill, Workers' Minimum Wage Bill, Prevention of Unearned Increment Bill, and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill. The first of the batch of four is very comprehensive. It provides that any person! of either sex who has been not less' than five years in New Zealand, and who is temporarily out of employment,, shall be entitled to a weekly, wage equal to that person's average we'ekfy earnwhen, employed. Any such person receiving such payment of wages shall perform in return therefor such work or service or duties as the officer administering the Act may be able to allot to the payee. As far as possible the administering officer shall prow, for each applicant for a weekly wage work that he or she has been accustomed to. Where there is any difficulty as to this the officer shall as soon as possible transfer those receiving the benefits under the Act into suitable channels of employment. In connection with this portion of the Act free railway passes are to be supplied to persons sent to work in the country. If allotted work, the applicant must faithfully perform it for a period of three months (unless other avenues of employment open to him), and at the end of three months shall have the right to transfer to more suitable occupation. The Workers' Minimum Wage Bill provides that no worker in New Zealand of whatever grade shall he paid less than £3 per week. As the Bills have not been circulated, the House is left in wondering doubt as to how this workers' Utopia is to be achieved, but Mr. Payne is at any rate sincere.

PENSIONS,

The late Under-Secretary of Lands, Mr. William 0. Kensington, retired on a pension of £506 per annum. Other pensions granted recently under the Civil Service Act were those of Mr. J. L. Bush £246, and Mr. B. N. Martin £316. Both officers were formerly in the Post Office Department.

INEBRIATES AND REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. Inmates of the Inebriates' Home on Roto-Roa Island, in. Auckland Harbor, have petitioned Parliament for a grant of £l5O, so that a piano and books may be provided as necessary adjuncts to the reformative treatment. They also ask that if a first offender hag been in the Home for six months he may be discharged if he is physically and mentally fit, and has a good record for conduct and industry, and that any offender who has been nine months detained may be entitled to discharge if the' Sanation Army officers or the visiting doctors approve. PUBLIC DEBT AND REPAYMENT. According to a report of the Controller and Auditor-General, the amount of the public debt on March 31 was £66,793,360. The public debt extinction fund is now in operation, and under this scheme the sum required to be invested each year at compound interest at £4 per cent, per annum, which, would in 75 years repay the debt, is £149,343. Last year the Treasury paid £144,885 to tlie'debt extinction fund credit; and the Administrative Board has made the following investments: £61,410 invested on mortgages, returning £4 10s per ceit., and £83,474 temporarily invested with the Advances to Settlers Department at £4 5s per cent, interest.