POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 12013, 14 October 1904, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PBES3.") WELLINGTON, October 13. A NOVEL SUGGESTION. The House was equally divided to-night on the proposal in the Shops and Ofßcea Bill that a vote- of the electors be taken oh the compulsory Saturday half-holiday. Thirty-six to thirty-six was the voting on tho second reading of the clause, and theChairman gave his casting vote for tho clause. Then the Premier realised that with such a small majority it would be difficult to carry the clause through the further stages, and he proposed to exempt the districts represented vy the members who voted against the clause. At first members thought it a joke, but the premier pressed his proposal, and offered toh'scrt a schedule in the Bill intimating the districts in which the poll thall bo taken, every member to put in his own district if ho gleased. The House, liowever, would have none of it, and threw out the Premier's proposal by 43 votes to 29. Then came the vital division, and tire whole proposal to take a poll on the Saturday halfholiday question was rejected by 40 votes ti 32. PRACTICE AND THEORY. There was a little sparring in the House this afternoon between Mr Taylor and Mr T. Mackenzie on the land question. Mr Taylor had expressed some doubt about Mr Mackenzie's competency to deal with farming questions. Mr Mackenzie, howe\er, retorted that he had been a farmer, and stfll owned a farm. Thereupon he threw out a challenge to the member for Christchurch. "Let liim throw up his littlo tiddly-winkin job in Christchurch and go on the land," Kiid the member for Waikouaiti. "I'll give him this challenge," he added, "let each of us take a bush farm in the Catiins district; I'll give him £300, and I'll take only £200, and I'll warrant that at the end of two or three years he will be willing -to give hit immortal soul to get out of it, w:hilo I will be living in comparative comfort." THE TWO SHOWS. While the Premier waa stating to the House this afternoon that ho hoped to close the session during the firft week in November, a member asked if they would get away in time for the Canterbury show. The Premier «iid they would, whereupon Mr Symes remarked, "Thank God thwre's a show in Chrkstchuroh, or this show would be here till next year." MR LAURENSON'S BOAST. Mr Laiireruson to-day declared in tlie Hoase his willingness to stand for a country constituency in Canterbury at the next election. He- did not care where it wa«; he would take any part of Canterbury, and lie declared that ho would win against any of the so-called fanners' friends they"cared to put up against liim.