PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

JOTES FROM THE GALLERY. THE GAMING BOX. Isa: A COMMITTEE PROMISED. -^β-(i-.y Telegraph.—Special to --Star." - ) WELLINGTON". Friday. It was suggested to the Premier by Mr. Witty to-day that, as the Gaming Dili is a' non-party, though a controversial matter, a select committee should >c empowered to take evidence in regard :o the whole question, including wit:iesM?s for and against gaming. Mr. Massey agreed that the bill was non[larty. and he had sufficient experience if that subject, to know it was likely to be as controversial as ever. If the House desired it. lie would be glad to set up a committee on the lines suggested. Mr. Parry: Of members of the House? Mr. Massey replied in the ailirmative. Hint to Union Secretaries. The attention of the Premier was drawn by Mr. Armstrong (Christehurch East) to the fact that trades union secretaries had been instructed by the Commissioner of Taxes, under section 103 of the Act, to supply names and addresses of members of unions to the Department. Mr. Armstrong said many secretaries had declined to comply, because they would require first of all to fret the consent of their members. Otherwise the members might take exception to their doing so. He did not think section 10:5 applied to trade unions, which had no means of knowing anything about the income of their members, apart from actual wage 3. The section referred to individual returns and for returns of a company. The Premier said the matter was one of administration. He was strongly of opinion that the commissioner had power under the Act to call for the return. And he thought it would be best for union secretaries to comply with the request from the head of the Taxation Department. . t__ Eailwaymen's Claims. The 72 demands of the Amalgamated Society of Raihvaymen are still under consideration of a tribunal, including Judge Fraser (president of the Arbitration Court). It was stated to-day by the Minister of Railways in reply to Mr. T. M. Wilford that the Railway Board meets on August 12 to complete its deliberations. Owing to the difficulty it experienced in coming to conclusions on certain vital points, and the Arbitration Court work mounting up, there had to be this adjournment. He did not anticipate that, when the Board resumed, it would take more than a few days in coming to a final conclusion. Its report would bo submitted to J Cabinet, and then made public. Rents In Newmarket. A petition signed by thirteen shopkeepers of Newmarket has been presented to Parliament by Mr. Potter, member for Roskill. The petitioners ask for leave to give evidence before a Parliamentary Commiss.on with regard to the rents charged for shops which have been erected on a Government leasehold, situated in Broadway, Newmarket. They allege that "for an outlay of £2000 the landladies are obtaining in two years the whole of their outlay, and by an additional payment of £100 a year are making approximately ±1100 per year out of a Government leasehold property. This represents a thousand per cent, being really a profit of £1100 per year on an outlay of £100 per year." The petitioners further state that in some instances notice has been given that upon the expiration of the existing ieases increased rent* will be demanded. They ask that a special Act of Parliament should be passed under which owners of Government leases should be limited to a rental not exceeding a clear ten or twelve per cent. A Policeman Wanted. •St. lielier's residents have Leen anxious to have a police constable stationed in their midst, but their efforts have not been successful so far. The Minister of Justice has informed Mr. Jordan (member for Manukau) that the Department is still looking for a suitable site for a police station. Newmarket Crossing. The Hon. J. G. Coates, interviewed by a '".Star"' representative, said that the alternative to shutting the Xewmarket railway crossing or leaving it as it is had been before the local body concerned and been rejected. The Department <vas still prepared to build a bridge over the railway, provided the Borough: Council formed the approaches. Newton East School. Referring to comments regarding , his suggestion that a portion of Symonds Street Cemetery should be utilised as a playground for children attending the adjacent school, Mr. J. A. Lee informed the 'Star' , representative that by a I slip of tongue he probably mentioned the Grniftoii School instead of Newton East. It was obvious the reference was to the latter, and he ha 4 already received a letter of thanks from a member jof the Newton East School Committee I for his suggestion.