PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 230, 27 September 1911, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLEBY.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. NO GOOD AND SUFFICIENT REASON. A remark from a member of the Opposition to the effect that, a fair share of the Government advertising did not go to the newspapers having Opposition principles, drew a vigorous protest from Sir Joseph Ward this afternoon. He pointed out that a. fen- years ago the money hag of the Opposition was opened for the purpose of kicking away the "New Zealand Times" from its Li'beral footing, and, failing in their effort, a paper was started with the sole object of trying to kill the Government.

Mr. Massey: When was this effort made to buy the Liberal paper? Sir Joseph: About four years ago. Mr. Massey: I have never heard of it. Sir Joseph Ward: Well, it is so, anyway, and you cannot get away from the fact that the people who put their money into the other paper did so to try and kill the Government. (Opposition laughter.) The Premier went on to point out that in the big centres the Opposition papers got more money for Government advertising than did most of the Liberal papers, while, of the 83 papers in the country which were not on-the advertising list, the majority were in favour of the Government. The money at "present expended in advertising was as much as was considered warrantable, and the Government did not propose to increase the list of papers, not even to assist certain Opposition owners to fight the Government. THE POISONED AIR.

The air space limitations of 'the Parliamentary chamber are apparent enough to the least susceptible. AVhen the House is sitting the atmosphere between the dinner and supper adjournments wonl<? pretty often drive a Hottentot to plain talk. The. Hon. members are not Hottentots, and murmur visibly on several occasions. This afternoon the pot of discontent boiled over. The Leader of the Opposition enumerated ■with emotion the members of tiis side who were, had been, or promised to be, prostrated through the germ-ridden atmosphere of the chamber, while Ministerialists were not behind in their clamour for relief from threatened pestilence. "Let us have fresh air and short sittings," a-sked Mr. Massey. "Let us have fresh air to cool the heads of the Opposition debaters," returned a frivolous Liberal from a rising tide of suggestions, serious and light. Sir Joseph Ward extricated the House by moving that the question of limiting the issue of visitors' tickets to the seating accommodation provided for them 'be referred 1 to the Standing Orders Committee. The motion was carried on the voices, and ■another crisis had passed. The Prime Minister incidentally informed the House that the designs for the Parliamentary ■buildings "were being considered by Col. Vernon, and' his report -would 'be presented to the House as soon as possible. VETERANS AND INVETEEATES.

The old soldiers and their claims upon the country's gratitude are becoming a more and more frequent topic, of discussion in Parliament as the elections draw near. This afternoon Mr. Okey 'brought it along, and several members of the Opposition and one or two Ministerialists took the opportunity of pushing along the talk on the subject. When honourable members 'had exhausted- the immediate tap of their eloquence, Sir Joseph Ward got up and reminded them that orders had already been issued for the tabling of reports concerning tfhese claims. "It is nothing more nor less than political hypocrisy," he said, "this professed solicitude for the old soldiers. Members know very well that the report is in the printing oflice, and -will be tabled as soon as it is available. This sort of rubbisTi is dished up the country 'bv members on the Opposition ■benches for political purposes,""declared the Premier. One member had suggested that a sum of £IO,OOO should be. put on the Estimates to meet the claims, but Sir Joseph declared that lie would not put- on money for indiscriminate disbursement. He would not put down f 1000 until he was satisfied that he had a right to do so." OUR LOCOMOTIVES. Tn reply to a query as to the life of a locomotive engine the Hon. Mr. Millar (Minister of Railways) explained that he could not say, as an engine which was up-to-date to-day would be obsolete to-morrow, and relegated to a branch line. He said, in passing, that at the present time there, were ten new 94-ton engines being built, while the Hepartment also had on order a number of 74-ton engines class A from Messrs. Price Bros. These engines, he said, were a verv useful type, being suitable for both passenger and goods traffic. The policy of the Department, explained the Minister, was to build more powerful locomotives. It "was found that it was better business to have an engine which could haul, say, 80 trucks than one which could haul only 60 trucks over the same distance. THE RACING " The Prune Minister informed Mr. Hemes this afternoon that the preparation of the reconstitution of the Racing Commission was still in the hands of the Crown law officers, and had yet to be approved by the Executive. Th«! order would probably be issued on the following day. NORTH .ISLAND TRUNK TALK. Several references were , made this evening to the speed and comfort of the Auckland-Wellington express. Mx. Seddon raised a protest against puttimg the sleepers on the end of the trains, by which device those occupying sleeping berths, he declared, were, kept thoroughly awake during the night by the continual whizzing round corners. Another member t-6ok the speed of the AucklandWellington train in vain, holding it up to scorn by comparing it unkindly, to the. speed of the Napier express, which is a bv-word among train travellers. The member for Otaki wished to know why a, stop could not be introduced between Wellington and Palmerston, a distance of 87 miles. The Minister pointed out that the sleepers had been put on the end of the trains because of the complaint of sleeping passengers at the disturbing promenade of other passengers when the sleepers were in the middle of the trains. While on the question of speed, he contended that it was .pretty well up as New Zealand speeds went. In reply to the member for Otaki he held out no particular hope. JOTBTINGS. The Auckland Electric Power Station Site Bill has been reported back from the local Bills Committee with several typographical amendments. The committee recommends that .the-ljill jber~al-.. lowed Icrjtroceed- - - *

The Public Petitions Committee haw reported upon the petition of ■ Lairsi Andersen, of Waikawai, Awakino. Petitioner asked that £244 and interest, being part of a loan from the Advances! to Settlers Department, of which he alleges he has been defrauded bv an individual who was acting as agent for the Department, be refunded to him. The committee report that they air" satisfied the money was never paid to the petitioner, and recommended that petitioner be paid £244 and interest to date.