PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 207, 29 August 1912, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FBOK THE GAl____Ur. (By Telegraph.Parliamentary Reporter.) WBLLBTG-TON, ifchis day. REFORMING THE COUNCIL. The LegisL-Uve-Oouncil will this afternoon divide on tho most important constitutional question which has faced Parliament for many years. There as an amendment to the motion for the second reading of the Legislative Council Reform Bill, "That it be read this diay six mant-hs"—a procedure described toy a constitutional authority as the courteous method of killing a bill. However, this will not occur at tbe present stage, because there is a majority of at least two to one in favour of the second reading. Then the trouble will commence. Having made this admission that they agree with the general demand that there should 'be (reform of the second chamber, its members will show the greatest, .possible diversity oi opinion on the method. Chaos in committee will result, and the bill, if it gets through committee, will only do so in a form quite impracticable for actual operation. TRANSFERS AND MORTGAGES.' It is not considered advisable to extend the -functions of the -New Zealand State-guaranteed Advances Office by empowering' it to prepare transfers as well as mortgages, states the Hon. Jas. Allen (Minister of Knamce) in reply to Mr. Veitch (Wanganui). The Minister adds that such work could not be undertaken except at a much greater cost and more inconvenience than is entailed by the present>me_iod, to say nothing of the delays which must necessarily arise in .the completion of settlements with vendors. In addition, it must be borne in mind that workere receive an advance of 75 per cent of iihe value of proffered securities. The margin remaining, namely, 25 per cent, cannot be regarded' as sufficient to -warrant a further encroachment being made on the profits of this branch by undertaking the preparation of transfers, sum thereby lessening the profits and addling to the risk of loss on these securities. NOTHING TO BE GAINED. In answer to a question tfrom the member for Wangan-ui whether he will j extend the functions of the Public Trust i Office by taking out licenses for all j district agents e.s brokers under the, Land Transfer Act, thus enabling them I to prepare transfers, leases, and mort-! trapes for the public at scale charges, \ the 'Hon. A. L. Herdiaian states that it I is not intended to extend the functions j of the Public Trust Office in the direc-j tion suggested by .the bon. member. Tbe Government does not think that anything would be gained by departing from the existing practice. STATE TIMBER SUPPLIES. Replying to a suggestion by Mir. Veitch {Waaganufi that timber for workers' dwellings should be supplied st. cost price the Minister of Labour states that the pirmrary use of the .State e_wa_iils is tn provdde for the requirements of the Railway Department, and. so far as the eur>lus timber is concerned-, 'it-is disposed >f by sale at prices fixed acoonding to 3*e class of timber. The sawmills have ;o ( be worked as a commercial undorjaking, an<_ if the Government decided mat timber was to be purchased therefrom it would require to be paid for it the prices riding at the time, and no guarantee could be given that the State sawmill would be able to supply the and. THE GAMING BILL. When the House carried the adjournment of the debate on Mr. Bell's Licensing Amendment Bill, it badly prejudiced Mr. Hunter's chance of securing a, discussion for his Gaming Act Amendment Bill, which stood next but one ou the Order Paper. Tho intervening bill was one which would have been ruled out or order as being an appropriation: •bill, only capable of introduction try the Government, so that Mr. Hunter's measure would have had its chance if the House had been in a mood to go on. But when the adjournment was moved by the Prime Minister, it was, of course, wrWiaut question agreed to. The Gaming Bill sow goes down to the bottom of the list erf private members' bills ou the Order Paper hopeless position from which it can only be extricated by the goodwill of the Government, wHiieh may lllow it to toe taken to-day (Thuraday) after local bills. •NATIVE LAND AT OPOTCKI. Representations were recently made to the House by 6ettlers of the Opotiki listrict urging that steps should be taken to ensure the early settlement of anoccupded native and Grown land in the kV&imana and Whakataire Valleys. The tfatSvc Affairs Committee now reeomnends that the petition toe -referred 'to ;be Government for consideration. OWNERSHIP OF' WAIKAREMOANA. The ownership of I__ke Wankarewoana "forms the subject of a petition odged by a n___ber of natives with Parliament; The natives complain that, »y the amended boundary laid down oy the Urewera Oxmmißsion of 1907. their lake lias been taken away from hem, also the islands standing in the ake, their burial places, and food planiations. They ask that they should be riven back what thefer ancestors held. Petitioners also coi-ph-tre that Euro>eaii visitors to Wdkaremoaiia imtorferf! A-i.th their whares and plantations, and they asik.<tihe great pakeha Assembly to 'frame a few ' words to put an end lo ;he said actions." TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION. The Government fully recognises the unallness of the provision made for the widows of contributors, both in the .eaehere' and in the public service superinnuation schemes, and the question of ncreasing the annuity will be considered, states the Minister of Education in reply to Mr. Witty. THE DEFENCE OATH. The member for Avon, in drawing the ittention of the Defence Minister to the 'act that a magistrate had declared there ,vas no authority for punishing a man ivho refused to take the oath of allegimce under the Defence regulations, isked what steps did the Government _ropose to take with regard both to past jonvictions and future prosecutions. The Hon. Mr. Allen replied that the matter would be dealt with in the unending Defence Act to be introduced this season. * Mr. Russell, speaking on the question, suggested that a case should be stated or the Court of Appeal, as, unless a Supreme Court judge ruled that the present oath was legal, the Government would jiave to decide what was to be lone in the cases of those who had already been illegally imprisoned, and what ;ourse should be pressed in future. Mr. Witty <Riccarton) contended that _ie present oath was not in the Act, but ivas only a regulation, and could there:ore be altered without- legislation, ' '-\

CORONATION SAOJtrTE -MISHAP. The gramery accident that occurred at Ao-Qkh— in connection with, the firing of a royal salute in honour of the coronation of His -dajesty King George V., forms .the basis of a claim for compensation lodged by Richard' Bernard Bartleet, of Auckland. Petitioner was a gunner in A. Battery, tN._J.F__, and states that, while in the act of loading a gun, the charge became ignited, and, exploding backwards, shattered his left hand and, wrist, besides causing other minor injuries. Tlie Hate Minister of Defence considered- he was only entitled to £180 compensation under the Workers' Compensation Act. Jborcr this sum £07 had gone in hospital and surgical expenses, and, being virtually crip pled at the age of 19, he 'had received a sum that he .thought was quite inadequate. SEPARATE RAILWAY ACCOUNTS. A very heavy expenditure would be necessary to keep the accounts of the separate portions of the railway distinct from each other. Therefore the Minister of Railways does not consider it possible at present to institute a subsidiary system of accounts for the purpose of showing separately the earnings of each line. FAYMENT .OF PENSIONS. Mr. Glover recently asked whether arrangements would be made to enable recipients of the old-age pension to get their monthly instalments by post, instead of having to call for them at the Post Office? The Hon. Mr. Fisher replies that it is not proposed to make any alteration in the present method of payment of old-age pensions. If a pensioner is unable, through infirmity, to collect instalments without inconvenience an agent may be appointed. AN ADVERTISING BAND. j In response to the suggestion made Iby Mr. Myers that a band from one of the New Zealand regiments should be sent to Great Britain in order to advertise the Dominion, the Hon. Mr. ADen declares that tho suggestion is one worthy of consideration. Definite action in the matter, however, might with advantage wait until some great event of Imperial concern in which the band could take a part is in progress in Great Britain. SHORT CUT TO BOTORUA. In answer to a question from the memj ber for Waikato, asking whether steps | would be taken to obtain a report as |to the desirability of extending the I branch railway line from Ruakura Junc- | tion, and now terminating at Cambridge, I beyond that town, so as to join winu | the Auckland Rotortia main line at or j near Tirau or Pntaruru, the Minister of Public Works states that the district ! engineer was recently directed to make lan examination of this route. He has not been authorised to make a regular survey, but will traverse the suggested route and report his observations thereon. The member for Waikato thanked the ! Minister for bis sympathetic reply, and urged that this was a special opportunity to make a trial of electric railways. He pointed out that electric current would be available close by at Horabora, where electrical generating works were in progress. Mr. Young added that he believed that in the future they would have to electrify many of their lines. The Auckland-VVellington journey was particularly distressing because of the numerous tunnels. JOTTINGS." A bill dealing with acommodatiou for flaxmilling employees is at present being prepared, and will shortly be introduced, states the Prime Minister. The Auckland Harbour Bill, introduced by Mr. Brndney, was read for the first time yesterday afternoon. A Maori war veteran who saw service with the Auckland Naval Volunteers during 18H3-4, in the person of Richard Ross, of Thames, complains to Parliament that he 'has not .been fairly dealt with in respect of his military claim The Minister for Defence states that the powers of court-martials will be definitely set forth in the Defence Act Amendment Bill now being prepared. Asked if the Government wiSI permit private concerns ito construct branch railways, the Minister for Public Works stated that this is a policy question which the Government may have to take into consideration. _________"___________>