PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 124, 25 May 1916, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GAIXERY. (By Telegraph— Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. DANGEROUS RAILWAY CROSSINGS. Dangerous railway crossings constitute a national rather than, strictly, a railway question, declared the Hon. W. H. Herriee, Minister for Railways, in the House this afternoon, when several members called attention to the serious uanger of many unprotected crossings. The cost of dealing with them would, said the Minister, be enormous. He did not think at this stage of the Dominion's history the country would be justified in going to this large expense. Tho Department was installing self-acting electric alarms, as far as possible, bat material was difficult to secure from England. Mr. Hornsby: Do they always work? The Minister: Yes. 1 understand they do. Tho Department U fully alive t'> the importance of the question, but more than installing alarms it cannot do. The Minister for Railways states that a certain adjustment of railway rates may be necessary to provide for increased expenditure incurred by granting a war bonus to the staff, estimated at about £20(1,000 odd rer annum. A revised rate book is now in hand, but will not be brought into operation until afte;the termination of the war. GRAVES OF SOLDIERS. Orders nave been placed with one oi the largest firms in Egypt for th-: election of suitable crosses, with inscription plates, giving the lull particulars of rank and n.ime of eac'.i deceased soldier whose remains are interred in Egypt and Malta. The Minster for Defence, answering Mr. l'oolc. stated that a similar system would eventually apply to Gallipoli. where a large number oi men were interred in a common grave. A suitable and imposing monument will be erected, giving the necessary particulars on one large slab, or, ii necessary, on more than one slab, The Department is organising a system oi giving complete information as to the exact position of graves, furnishing the next of kin with a photograph of the grave where eacli soldier lies buried, an.l the monument erected over his remaiiß. UNPROFITABLE DINING CARS. The familiar question of a dining car being desirable on the Napier mail train arose to-day. The Minister of Railways supplemented the Departmental answer with a general statement that the now arrangements for dining cars, although lessening the loss, still did not show j large profit. In these times it was not right to start innovations almost certain to result in loss. Hardly any of the dining cars paid, especially those on which only one meal was served. TOURISTS AND RAILWAYS. The Minister for Railways told the House he was strongly in favonr oi amalgamating the Tourist with the Railway Department, but did not thinlc the time suitable for .such a step. He was desiroU3 of extending the system of centra! tiiket offices "where , good site* were available in different centre*. One diftictiltv was. if lie put a railway officer into 'a' tourist office, the office would be outside bis control, coming under the Public Service Commissioner. Ho regarded the eak of tickets as a minor matter. Business men ehould be able to use the central office to secure rate quotations, and do fneir railway business in the heart of the city. CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITS. The Premier, in reply to Mr. Fletcher, stated that the Governmen considers the proposal to grant half pay to al! public servants whilst on active service to be so far-reaching as to be impracticable. THE MOTOR CAR LUXURY. Mr. Massey informed Mr. Ell to-day that the matter of taking steps to cheek extravagant importation of motor oars, in order that more shipping aceommo dation should be available for the importation of material and good* neces»arv for the use of the public and manufacturing purposes, is receiving the attention oi the Government. BANK NOTE SHORTAGE. Recently Mr. T. W. "Rhodes suggested t'nat steps should be taken to compel banks to issue only clean paper money. Sir Joseph Ward stated to-day that the banks were at present endeavouring 10 procure new notci for issue, but, owing to the war. it was impossible to get a sufficient supply printed and forwarded to New Zealand for circulation. ALIEN" SEAMEN" QUESTION. The Hon. R. MeNab informed Mr. Poole to-day that the Government haa no power to compel shipowners to dispense with foreigners employed on their ships at the termination of the war, with a view to employing British seamen and firemen who have been on active service. The question of providin" for the employment of seamen and firemen liberated by the termination of war is recognised by the Government of of great importance, and will certainly not'be lost sight of when post Waiproblem's are being dealt with. Th.j i Minister further informed Mr. Poole that action bad been taken in regard to masters and officers signing New Zealand articles on transports and traders operating in the danger zones. . THREE KINGS LIGHT. The Hon. R. MeNab told Mr. Poole to-day that, in view of the necessity for economy owing to the war, it is not proposed to make provision for a light house on the Three Kings on this year's estimates. DUTY EXEMPTED. The Hon. A. M. Myers etatcd to-day that if any duty has been collected since the outbreak of war on such articles as prizes for military efficiency, decorations for gallantry, long service, or good conduct, such duty will be refunded upon a. claim being made. THE OHi-'kUNE EXPLOSION. In reply to Mr. Wilford on the question of explosives used at Ohakune, the Hon. W. Fraser stated that gelignite had been used at Ohakune to a limited extent. Sabulitc had been offered to the Government, and had been under trial during the last two year.s. Samples of geliguite similar to that used prior to the explosion were now under examination, and until the result of the ! examination was known no information 'could be given. Some of the gelignite cases arc branded "Modderefontein" (South Africa), but whether a».y explosive factory there employs black labour is unknown. Correspondence between the Department and the Sabulite Company discloses the fact that experiments made at Otira with sabulite were not satisfactory, ac it wae found to be unsuitable for wet ground.