THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 258, 30 October 1911, Page 4

THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION.

Parliament has got through all the business that it was necessary or practicable for it to complete, rather sooner than was expected. The closing scenes of the last session before a general election are usually something' of a scramble, and in this case the House, apparently apprehensive lest the Premier should carry out his threat arid keep members in Wellington for at least another week, "spurted" through the work in a most convincing way. We have often expressed regret that our legislation towards the end of the year is constantly carried on at high pressure and under such unsatisfactory conditions; 'out on the whole less harm and more good has been done this year than is usually recorded in the annals of Parliament in the closing weeks of the session.

11l concluding the business of the session, 'Sir Joseph.Ward referred to several of the more important measures with ■which Parliament ha 3 dealt this year. Considering t'he immense mass of Libera] enactments already on the Statute Book, amending Acts naturally play a prominent part in the statutory records for 1011. The amendments of the Death Duties Act, the State Guaranteed Advances Act, and the Old Age Pensions Act, and the modification of the Land and Income Tax, have all been steps in the right direction, thoroughly consistent with the principles on Which our Liberalism is based. Among the new measures the Mental Defectives Act deserves special mention a3 a praiseworthy attempt to meet an urgent public need; the offer of State aid to t'he oil and iron industries is a distinctly commend able, step; and the practical inauguration of the Water Power Scheme is also to bo ■credited to this year's Parliamentary work. A considerable number of local Acts of special interest to Auckland have been carried, notably, the Grammar School Site Bill, the Electric Power Stations Bill, the Harbour Board Empowering Bill, the Manukau Jlarbour Control Bill; and on the whole, considering how unusual it is for any Government to introduce serious modifications of the law just before an election, this past session compares favourablj* enough with its predecessors. As to the pressure of work in the closing weeks, Ministers are :by no means solely to blame for this; and if Government had been able to make profitable use of all the time that the Opposition has -wasted during the past two sessions over such matters as the Tline charges and the Mokau land, we would have heard little about "legislation by exhaustion" toward the close of the year.

Following is Mr. D. C. Bates' weather forecast for 24 hours from 9an , day: Moderate to strong south! winds; indications for f a ? r 3 Y hours " ttlC m ° Veraent ' but after The sudden death of Mr. W,» o , ding, who for many Tears \raq ' at the Baptist Tabernacle, was" I*? the occasion for memorial services that church yesterday. The R Cv ir Ivnowles Ivempton addressed the ing congregation, and the Rev A v f," was the speaker at a wf attended funeral service held in the nlt„ noon. Mr. A. J. Hall ;olay ed th P 'S i March" in "Saul," and appropriate were sung by the choir. A large nnmT followed to the graveside at WaiHrai" including the officers of the TahenmJ' Church and Sunday -school, Baffin preachers, and prominent representative of the no-license cause. Rev lj fKempton conducted the burial' scr'vicn! Among the senders of. telegrams and me«. sages of sympathy were the Hon n Fowlds, M.P., Mr. Leonard 1 Isitt MP Mr. C. 11. Poole, M.P., Mr. R. A . son, of lnvercargill, and Mr. Leo. Mvom president Auckland Chamber of" Com' merce.

The conference between the steamsliin owners of New Zealand and the Federated Seamen's Union, to consider the demands recently filed by the men, will be held in Wellington on November's. The laying up of the smaller vessels throytrh the Merchant Service Guild trouble ba a caused a delay in the ballot papers for tho proposed cancellation of the Seamen'a Union under the Arbitration Act reaching yorne members of tho union oi stsamers affected by the strike. T] lß .result of the ballot cannot therefore be known until November 9, a day after the sitting of the conference to consider the seamen's claims.

An employee of the Auckland Gas Company, Mr. S. Francis, who came from the Old Country some eight months ago, has received a message from England to the effect that the King wishes to personally confer upon him a decoration for conspicuous bravery. Mr. Francis was a. miner, at Fhwelly, Cornwall, previous to his coming to New Zealand, and at great personal risk he rescued two fellow workmen, who were overcome by poisonous fumes after an explosion at the pit. Both of these men's lives were saved, and it is for this plucky action that His Majesty wishes to honour Mr. Francis, who leaves for England in December. i •, The Band Association's performance in the Domain yesterday was in every way a <p*cat success, and "Will result in the association 'being free of debt. The. large crowd present thoroughly enjoyed the music presented, and this various bands, under Conductors Mohr, Rowe, Stewart, and West, acquitted themselves admirably, the varied programme meeting with great approval. Collections totalled £26 13/11, Toeing made up. as follows: —10G1 pennies, 903 threepences, and £ll in larger silver.

j As an indication that the tourist traffic for the coming summer season lias set in in earnest, Messi i. Hatriek- and Co. advise us that beginning Avith Thursday, November 2nd, their Wanganui river steamers will leave Taumarunui for T?ipiriki three times a \veck; instead of twice as heretofore. This makes the days of running, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Company will next month plivoe on the Tauniarunni section of the river—that is, Taumarunui to the houseboat—a fine new steel vessel, similar in all respects to the Wairefrn, except that she has slightly more ham. and is a few fce't longer. Mr. and Mrs, Kennedy, of Massachusetts, Ij.S.A., have just made the river trip all tho way from Taumarunui to Wanganui in a Canadian canoe.. Both are expert canoeists, and have canoed over roost of the old world's most famous rivers. They state that there is no river to 'their knowledge that for wealth and beauty of forest and native flowers can compare with the Wanganui. The annual athletic sports of the Auckland Grammar School will hp held on the Domain Cricket Ground tomorrow, and, judged by the very large entries received; should be even s greater attraction than usual. Tho Invitation fta.ee, 100 yds., will he run at 2.30 p.m., and the Old Boys' Race, in which several champions of former years will compete, at 4.50 p.m. Tlm girls of the Girls' Grammar School will, as in former years, provide afternoon tea for the visitors, and the »apetfpl be rendered by Burke's Band. The committee find it impossible to send spe®« invitations to the friends of all -pa pupils, past as well as present,* they wish it to be understood that oil interested in the. sports are cordially invited, and that they hope to aoe a large muster of old pupils and the r friends. The Old Boys are havurcr their annual re union and_ supper at Tiffin on Saturday night to celchra the occasion.

Mr. F. Waldegravc (Under-Secretary for Justice), in a report on the Coo. Islands, presented to the House o present.atives, urges the appom meut ot a permanent assistant medical _ i an] that a judge of the New J Native Laud Court be the Cook Islands for twelve months to c !car ? the business of the Native Court, Sir James Carroll has announced that a judge will be. sent to the for six months. Mr. Waldegrave a U cipates no difficulty in .the CTadualtrags fer of the schools from the Undon jl) sionary Society to the and he has no doubt that he land Parliament will provi. 3 }■ sary financial assistance. An P - . ment in the steamer servicers, he 11i g » highly necessary. Tlie service to . g ington is a great boon, but ll ' great complaint as to its mcon • and the unsuitable class of the « ers. The Union Company has, ho d purchased a, steamer for thi3 > improved conditions are hoped i° • Waldegrave adds that the govorntnent of the group is in a state of tran • and every step must be tcnf ; atl , V , P ' ' " Government has to reconcile dieting interests of the Europeans the natives in the best way it can. ■ and patience alone will stlve jthese _ culties, but they are not rendered easy of solution by their rcmovtl the domain of politics. 1 »^,nin;Smade no complaint against the A tration, but on the contrary _ eN P r _ their satisfaction with it. far ,* j Waldegrave could see, the comp.ai . the Europeans were based more o ] sonal than on public grounds. _ <• ■ _ satisfied that the local Admraj-'tia.-desires to govern tho islands wit. P *• regard to the interest of all 0 ( community, but in the P ract ;£" " n if administration it is ""possible, m > it were desirable, to please . _ The charm of Warner's rust-prooi f sots lies in the fast that the figure without destroying • lines, and aid an erect and chgn , ft riage in walking, with absolute - , flf in sitting We carry an V Co. present display. —J- H. To Eoslvn "Delta" unshrinkable flannel for comfort and economy.--^'-