POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12968, 22 November 1907, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

(srcciAL to "th* raass.'t WELLINGTON, November 20. SCHOOL TEACHERS' SALARIES. Mr Malcolm asked the Minister oi Education whether he will, next session, bring in a Bill on behalf of State rchool teachers, on the lines of the Post and Telegraph Classification Bill. Tho Minister replied:—lt is my intention to take into consideration during the recess the whole question of the payment and promotion of public school teachers. I ira unablo at present to say whether or not the provisions of the Bill referred to will be found in any way applicable, but I will not lose fciglit of the suggestion. STATE COAL MINES. Tho Public Petition Committee reporting on a pov.vion praying for on enquiry into the management of tho State coal mines recommended that as the State coal depots come into competition with other long-establishe_i businesses, tho Department bo put on exactly tho same looting as privatelyowned concerns in regard to royalties and other charges, duos, rates, taxes, etc., and the making of reasonable profit, and that especially regarding the sales of screened coal, small consumershall receive preference. Tho petition was referred to the Government for consideration. JUDICIARY BILL POSTPONED. The reform of our judicial system foreshadowed by the circulation of the Judiciary Bill is not to be carried out this session, the Attorney-General announcing in the Legislative Council to-night that ho desired this important measure to bo discharged from tho Order Paper. The Bill had been submitted to the judges and law societies of the Dominion, and it had received tho most comprehensive criticism. The suggestions mado deserved the fullest consideration, and as tho Bill made n radical change in our judicial system, ho fc.lt it best that the Government should have tho fullest opportunity of considering both tho measure and tho criticisms. He intimated that tho Bill would be reintroduced next session. JOTTINGS. In answer to a question by MrThoe. Mackenzie regarding Mr Justice Dennistou's comments on such cinematograph shows as "Robbery Under Arms,"tho Minister for Justice replied:—l havo seen tho newspaper report of the remarks referred to. The hon. member's question apparently contemplates the establishment of a State censorship of plays and pictorial representations sutih as cinematograph exhibitions. At this stage of tho cession I can only promise thet I wall look into tho matter. Westland and Bullef licensing districts hold the record Aw hotel licenses. There are no fewer than fifty-nine in these districts. In Grey there are 51, Christehurch 46, Auckland 58, Dunedin 39, and in Wellington 48. A return presented to the Legislative Council shows tfliat <flio training ship Amokura has involved an expenditure of £4528 einwe the da*e <rf _be last return in September, 1906. The cost of maintenance at sea aanounts to £501 per month. The total acreage of education, municipal, haortbour board, ecemri-, another in New Zealand! ia 7,677,684. Tbe ureas in the different land districts- are aa follows:—Auckland 638,100 acres, Haw'kflß Bay 361,118, Taranaki 267,756, Wellington 841,428, j Nelson 285,123, Marlborough 166,780, West-land 149,372, Canterbury j 1,142,895, Otago 597,571, BoutW__d I 3 t 227,541. ; I The Public Petitions Committee of the House has referred to the Govern-! nient, «s a spatter of policy, several petitions praying for the abolition of. bottle licenses.'