POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10147, 21 September 1898, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH, t

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CO:inE.3PONDENT.) WKLLINGION,. September 20. TEMPORARY CLERKS.

The much-vexed question of temporary clerks occupied the attention of the House for some considerable time thia evening. Mr Montgomery asked the Premier Tor particulars of the extra clerks in the friendly societies department. He wanted to know if they had passed the Civil Service, and what tliey were. The Premier vouchsafed the information that they were clerical clerks, at which the House laughed. Mr Montgomery returned to the charge immediately afterwards by asking how many temporary clerks there were iv the Laud and Income Tax Department. This, he understood, was a department that reeked with temporary slerks. The Pivniicr said when a Government took on a few men for temporary work there were some members who thought they should be pbleaxed. (Laughter.) He was not one to encourage boy labour. At present they were pouriisg in boys at the rate of about fifty a year, and in a few years'time Parliament would have to cut down the Estimates, and these boys would then be men, and have to be turned out in the street. Mr Montgomery said, a great many men who were out of employment went to the Premier, who generally sent them to the Land and Income Tax Department with pieces of paper, on which was written : 'VJPlease find], this man employment.—R..T.S." (Laughter.)' The Land and Income Tax Department was i he said, the'dumping ground for unfortunate people who asked for Government assistance. Mr Pi rani here told a good story about one West Coast- constituent of his. This man met two of Ins old friends on the Coast who were now in this department, and he asked them -What they were doing. They said, "Oh* we're temporary clerks." "But," he replied, "you have never done any clerking in your lives. You can!t even.writc;a legible hand." (Laughter.) " '.That doesnft 'matter," they replied, " we're getting ten bob a day,- and we're having a real good time:" (Laughter.) Mr J Seddon explained that the number of tern-* porary' clerks in this department ranged from fifty down iSk twelve. Mr George Hutchison— ,, Twelvehnndred ?" 'Laughter.) Other members complained bitterly of the scandal of appointing such large numbers of temporary clerks when there .were so many boys who had passed the Civil Service who conid get nothing to do. There> we're temporary clerks who hod been in ;tJve v Government employ:as long as nineteen years, r .

SUPPRESSION OF BETTING. In reply to anxious enquiries.by Mr Goo. Hutchison this afternoon regarding the probable fate of his Restraint of., Wagering Bill, the Premier .stated that the Government intended to <& measure in the Legislative-. Council which' wouH practically give effect to the recommendations of the Commissioner of Police in regard to the suppression of betting and tote shops. Mr Hutchison expressed his satisfaction at this announcement. In the report referred to, the Commissioner declared that; "as the law is at present, the police; are unable. to cope -with - the evil.- In" the streets of* ' the principal cities of the colony, street betting is becoming an intolerable nuisance to the inhabitants, who have no sympathy with the persons conducting the traffic. ;~lt is also becoming a danger to young peison's using the streets, who would probably never think of betting if the law made it possible for the police to cleanse the thoroughfares of these men, and thus remove in a measure the great facilities that' now exist for indulging in this form of gambling." This wjll give an idea of the Scope of the Premier's promised Bill, but in view of the enormous amount of Government business at present on the Order Paper it can have .very little chance of being dealt with by the House this session.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.' A return was laid on the table cnis afternoon showing the * number of advances authorised by the Advances. to Settlers office iip to the 31st of -March, 1898, on different classes of leasehold security, with the value of securities held under eacli class, and the amount advanced thereon.- On property held under lease in perpetuity and the Lands for Settlement Act, 1894, -forty-one advances were made, amounting to £2360, value of security £6156; educational leases, fourteen advances, £2065, value of security £5840; West Coast settlement reserve leases, fifty-one advances, £8840, value of security £22,054; ordinary Grown leaseholds, 1675 advances, £216,825, value of security £537,552. The superintendent adds that in the first of these sets of advances, only one applicant- was in arrears with his rent at the time the loan was granted. Under ordinary Crown leaseholds, it is stated, the Board as a general rule declines to grant a loan if more than the current half-year's rent is due to the Land Office, and the rent is payable to the Crown half-yearly in advance. All applications are, however, treated on their merits, and where the margin of security is ample, and the rent has previously been regularly paid, an advance is sometimes made when the,rent for the previous half-year is still unpaid. It is stated that- in "the earlier days of the Department this matter of rent was not strictly treated, but it is also added that the Department has in no case suffered loss thereby.

Mr Lewis has received a note from the Department of Justice stating that his seat on the Riccarton Licensing Committee having become vacant by his absence from two consecutive quarterly meetings, the Governor has re-appointed him a member.