POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 124, 12 October 1912, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

MOTOR HOGS

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent). Wellington, Friday. Mr. Poland, is "after" the motor fiend. Yesterday he gave notice to ask the Government whether they will so amend the law with regard to the use of motor cars on public streets and roads as to minimise the slaughter of innocent people, especially children, which at present results from the excessive speed and reckless and incompetent manner in which these ears are driven. It is quite bad enough, he says, for pedestrians to have to suffer the filthy smell and tlie abominable dust created by motor-cars, without having also to risk their lives because of the reckless disregard of the rights of the public by some of the users of such cars.

INSPECTION OF STOCK.

"Wellington, Last Night. A return was presented to Parliament this afternoon, on the motion of Mr. G. J. Anderson, showing that the number of officers engaged in the inspection of stock, rabbits and noxious weeds, on March 31, 1009, was 139, and the amounts paid to these officers for the year ended March 31, 1909, was £29,910 for salaries and £12,188 for travelling expenses. The number of officers in. these branches retired or retrenched from January, 1909, to March, 1910, was 36, and the number of officers employed iu field duties under the fields experimental and live stock divisions on June 30, 1912, was 112. The amount paid to these latter officers last year was £48,109, £32,205 for salaries, and £15,900 for travelling expenses.

MR. WILKINSON ON DEFENCE,

A MAIDEN SPEECH,

During the early hours on Friday morning Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (member for Egmont) made his maiden speech in the House on the Defence Act Amendment. He urged that straight shooting was not the only essential. Unless young men were disciplined they would go into action simply to be murdered. ° New Zealand was setting a, good example to the world with its system of military training. He was not a believer in the British Navy subsidy; a. more patriotic method would be to join with Australia and protect our own shores. Mr. Wilkinson asked the Minister of Defence if he had considered what would happen if New Zealand were cut off from outside supplies. We were not able to make small arms in this country, and he was doubtful about the adequacy of our ammunition factories He vigorously assailed the suggestion of the previous speaker that the workers had nothing to defend. What about their prospects under Asiatic domination, if, through neglect, we allowed that enemy to conquer?—Hawera Star's correspondent.