POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2828, 28 August 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TKLEGKAIMI—OWN UUKKKSI'UNDENT). Wellington, Wednosday. A SMOKER'S QUESTION. The member for St. Albans brought a curious question under the notice of the Post-master-General to-day, by asking why the officers of the Post and Telegraph Departments were debarred from smoking after t> p m., and the officers of other departments allowed to smcke although the offices are in the same building. The question specially referred to the Christchurch lelegraph officers who had required permission to smoke after S p.m., but the request had never been acknowledged by the Secretary of the depaitment. Mr Mitchelsou in reply, said that the officers of this department had no permission to smoke either before or after S p.m., the reason being that on two occasions tiros had been discovered owing t» lighted cigarettes having been carelessly thrown on the floor, and he added smoking was prohibited in all Government buildmes. As to the request from the Christchurch telegraph officers tho Postmasier-General said a reply had been sent to them, but he found that it had not been transmitted to the officers. Mr Mitchelson further stated that the Christchurch officers who had made thiscomplaint to Mr Reeves committed a breach of the regulations which provided that complaints should be made through the head of the department. THK PRIMAGE DUTY. In reply to Mr Goldie this afternoon the Native Minister said the Government were still collecting tho primage duty under authority of a resolution of the House, but they had not yet decided whether tho duty should be continued or not.