PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 225, 20 September 1913, Page 11

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FBOM THE GAUEBY. (By Telegraph.—Parnamentar? Beporter.) WELLINGTON Friday. DOMINION DAT. A question and answer suggesting the cffscement of recognition of Dominion Day in the Public Service cropped up in the House this afternoon. Mr. Wilford raised the point 'by asking the Post-master-General if it were correct, as stated in a circular issued, that membets of the general division of the department would not receive the usual holiday on Dominion Day, but wonld receive compensation later on. Members of the Postal Department were siderably concerned over the circular, declared the member. The Postmaster-General replied that the circular was correct, whereupon Sir Joseph Ward remarked: "Does that mean that Dominion Day is going to be discouraged ? Can we discuss this answer, Mr. Speaker?" A voice from the front Ministerial benches cried "No!" so, as the matter could not be talked upon except by indulgence of the House, it had perforce to close. LABOUR BILLS. The Labour Bills Committee has commenced to consider the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, but has not reported on the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill. Mr. G. W. Ruesell asked the Prime Minister if he could facilitate the Committee's work, as the Shops and Offices Bill had been referred to the Committee on July 18th. Dozens of witnesses had been called, and there seemed little chance of the bill coming back to the House, because the Committee would now be compelled to take up a more important bill. The Committee had adjourned for a week because the Chairman would not be able to preside. A point of order, raised by the Hon. Mr. Herriee, brought Mr. Russell's comment to an end, as it is irregular to refer to the proceedings of select committees until they have reported. The Prime Minister replied that the I Labour Bills Committee had worked I hard and had done everything to expo- | dite business. They had examined some i dozens of witnesses and put together a volume of evidence as large as a family Bible. They had completed the taking of evidence on the Shops and Offices Bill, and he understood they proposed to go J on with the measure. He thought that J no committee of the House worked \ harder than the Labour Bills Commit- j tee, which was saying a great deal. MOKAU AGAIN. Au echo of Joshua Jones and hia claims floated into the House to-night by a question from a member relative to an amount of £80 on theLande vote for payment to Mr. Jones in connection with his Mokau claims. The Prime Minister pointed oat that last year a sum of £1,500 was suggested- by the Government in liquidation of his claim, but subsequently toe had 'been offered as an alternative a sum of £20 a month, together with the payment of some debts he had incurred, amounting in all to about £200. Mr. Jonee accepted this latter offer, and he (the Premier) thought the arrangement to be fairly satisfactory. If he became dissatisfied with this arrangement the matter would have to be brought before Parliament for the settlement of reasonable compensation. AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. ' The Prime Minister stated to-night that £2.500 was to be spent in providing an exhibit representative of the Agricultural Department at the Auckland Exhibition, while other departments of the Crown would aleo be represented. He added that £»00 wae also to be devoted towards making the A. and P. Agricultural Show more complete. Mr Witty assured the House of the hearty good 'wishes of Swifteni members, 'who all desired to see the Exhibition made a. thorough success. A GOOD DAY'S WORK. The Houee was in a working humour to-day while the general atmosphere was "en»l and non-combative. The Estimate? were picked up shortly after three o'clock, Defence being the first class taken and the vote of £505,047 was passed shortly before the mipper adjournment. The next class taken was Lands and Surveys, and members on both sides had a good deal to say on sundry matters concerning land matters large and small. At the invitation of tire Ministry a "very pleasa.n<t half4iour was epen* by Refonnere and Liberals daring the supper adjournment. The hatchet of party was for 'the time effectually buried in some excellent Auckland oy3±ers. Refreshed, but peacefully, the House resumed discussion on th# Land Estimates, which were finally negotiated by midnight, representing a vote of £288.627. At one a.m. the Agricultural class wae in sight of passage, and after it had gone through half a dozen email accounts were passed within haVf an hour, including Stjrte forests scenery preservation, lands for settlement. Government insurance, accident insurance, and native land settlement account. The -last-named vote was passed at 1.40 a.m.. and the House adjourned. BUSH SICKNESS EXPERIMENTS. The Prime Minister announced to-night that the experiments in Tauranga district to ascertain tile cause of what is known as bush sickness among stock have come within sight of success.