POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14431, 12 August 1912, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

(SPECIAI. TO " IHF. rM«."I WELLINGTON, August 10.

CONTROL OF TOURIST RESOKT3. Cabinet decided to-day to mako a change in thc control of tho tourist

resorts, hitherto administered «s a section of the Agricultural Department. , The tourist section is to be placed under | separate control, and Mr B. M. Wilson, i hitherto secretary for this branch of i tho Agricultural Department, has been ! appointed general manager of tourist- ; resorts. Mr F. H. Pope retains his -xisition as Under-Secretary tor Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce. Th* Minister in Cnarge of the Tourist and ; Health Resorts will be the Hon. R. j Ileaton R_odcs.

GOVERNMENT BILLS. Two important Bills will be circulated early this wi-ok—the Land and Income Assessment Bill, and the Arbitration and Coucili.iiiou Amendment Bid. Tho

former Bill will give effect to tho proposals contained in the Budget to extend the operation of tho graduated land tax, and the latter has to do with tbo proposed changes iv the constitution or tho Arbitration Court, and in the modification of the law regarding the* settlement of industrial disputes. Tho Public Service Bill will also bo in th« hands of members in tho course of a day or two. Tbe Valuation Bill, of which notice was given in tbo Financial Statement, is not to como down next week The Land Bill will not. mako its appearance for two or three weeks.

PENSIONS FOR VETERAN SOLDIERS. During his speech in the House on Friday night, the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said- "Tbo Government is determined that justice shall be done to tho. old soldiers who fought for this country in the early days. It is quite tmo that in tho past measures have been passed on -their behalf, but thero are to-day throughout the length and breadth of this country tottering old men, whose capacity to earn their livelihood is slowly ebbing from them day by day, men who are being committed to homos and to benevolent nnd charitable institutions, men who have very few years left upon earth, and it is the determination of this Party that efforts are to be made by means of increasing tho military pension now paid to old soldiers, to see that the old men go down to thoir last resting-places with that degree of comfort, which is their duo from a grateful people. That should have been dono long ago, but it was never done." PLUMBERS' LICENSES. A Bill will bo introduced by tho Minister of Labour, iv a few days to improve the standing of plumbers. The measure will contain proposals on the lines of recent representations- to the Govornmont by the Federation of Plumbers. Tho principal points raised wero that there should be a uniform examination of candidates for licenses, conducted by a competent Board or Examiners, and that licenses should bo operative in any part of tho Dominion. At present plumbers aro given licenses by local authorities, which aro valid only in tho particular district.