WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1915, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

MUNITIONS MANUFACTURE. ;By Telegraph—Special to Daily News. Wellington, Last Night. "Is it wise that the newspapers should bo allowed to publish information regarding the manufacture of munitions in New Zealand t" asked Mr. J. Vigor Brown (Napier) in the House to-day. "Surely these matters should be regarded as confidential." The Minister for Defence said he could merely give his own opinion on the subject. He thought it very unwise to allow any particulars of New Zealand's efl'orta In the manufacture of munitions to he made public through the newspapers. The Minister of Munitions was not in the House when the question was asked, but your correspondent gathered, on making Inquiries later, that it is not intended to produce munitions locally. The Minister may find it necessary to take the public into his confidence to a certain extent, but the published reports may not represent the full extent of his activities. LIGHTS ON VEHICLES.

The Prime Minister's announcement that the Government business will be given precedence during the remainder of the session means that private members' Bills will have no further opportunity of getting before the House. Hon. D. Buddo mentioned the case of his Lights on Vehicles Bill to-day. He said that this measure, which provided a uniform law governing the lighting of vehicles on country roads, was needed by the local bodies, and had general support in the House. He suggested that the Government should take it over and put it on the Statute Book. Mr. Massey promised to look at the Bill. ABOUT RAFFLES.

If the Government attempts to prevent rafflps being conducted for patriotic purposes, the people of the Waimarino electorate are going to defy it. That was the statement made by the member for. Waimarino (Mr. R, W. Smith) to-day. Mr, Smith had a good deal to say about the narrow-minded persons who objected to gambling in the cause of our boys, and he told the talo of a turkey, an elderly and hard-working bird, which had brought £3O at a patriotic auctionabout £29 15s more than would have been paid for it under ordinary circumstances. The gambling instinct always had existed, and always would exist, he said, and he, for one, did not want to live in a world from which the "sports" had been eliminated. The House was amused, but Mr. Smith was very earnest.