POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14821, 12 November 1913, Page 13

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BFECIAI. TO "THE PRESS. ,1 ) WELLINGTON, November 11. THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. The Hon. James Alien, after a fortnight's absence from Parliament, on account of illness, was able to return to tho Chamber this afternoon. 3Lr Allen resumed bis seat and looked well, although not perhaps quite to vigorous as before his illness, SECOND BALLOT REPEAL BILL. i When the interrupted debate on the j motion for leave to introduce the Sej cond Ballot Repeal Bill was called upon to-da} , , the Hon. W. H. Herries moved: —"That the debate be further adI jonn-ned/ , Mr Nosworthy seconded this, j and it was agreed to. This motion, lit will be remembered., was "atonewalled" by tho Opposition on Friday last, and it is probable- that further blocking tactics will be pursued when the debate is again resumed. It is possible that this debate will bo adjourned for a day w two till nearer tho end of the week. TO FiXJ> NEW MARKETS. A point touched upon by Mr VT. Noswnrtliy this evening, when speaking on tho second reading cf the Board of ! Agriculture Bill, was the necessity that I would devolve upon the Board v.jien J it was in operation to open up and dei velop new markets for the producers of Now Zealand. A market specially mentioned by Mr Xosworthy wan the South American market for stud t>hecp. Because of the comparative rarity of shipment of stock there, ho said the rates which obtained wcro excessive. If tho Board would concentrate* attention upon this market, it eouJd bo considerably developed, and cheaper rates established, wlrich would materially benefit iho country's produce ii» as a whole. Mr Nosworthy hailed the establishment, Board as a desirable step, but in passing made sonic condemnatory remark* upon unduo Stato interference in realms which could bo developed amply by private enterprise. Ho did not see that it was part of a Government's duty to import stud animals. I rivate enterprise bad shown itself fully able to improve its stork by proper importations, and in this connection he instanced the introduction of the Holstcin breed by Uv John Gri-v of 1-ongbeach. " '

WOItKERS COMPKXSATION BILL. Tho Labour Bilk Committee to-day reported tho Workers Compensation Act Amendment Bill amendments Ino. first-of theso further limits the power to take proceedings in tho Magistrate's Court. Uis now provided that such actions must he by mutual consent of employer and employee, and can be taken only in respect of cases which have not occasioned tho death of a worker. A new clauso repeals section IS of the principal Act, and provides that agreements may be made between employer and employee, but «nch agreements ehajl not exempt the employer from liability in respect of any accident. It is a condition precedent that the employee shall have had competent and indepondent advice as to tho and medical questions arising out of the agreement in tho oveiit of any Haim for compensation, and shall liave understood tho agreement, tho onus to lio upon the employer of proving compliance ■with these conditions. Subject to this the agreement shall bo binding upon tho dependants of a deceased worker.

JOTTINGS. "I would rather have cheap manures than all tho science in the world," said Mr Okey this evening, in discussing tho Board of Agriculture Bill. He attributed a- great deal of the prosperity of Taranaki to tho introduction of basifc slag on the small dairy farms. According to a return presented to the House of Representatives to-day, the area of national endowment lands loased is 6,494,210 acres, while 2,123,343 arrcs arc not leased.

' Mrs McArthur, widow of the late Dr. McArthur, S.M., of Wellington, is petitioning Parliament for ft compassionate allowance in view of the fact that bad health on tho part of her husband and herself prevented adequate provision being made for her future maintenance.

Twenty-one firms engaged in importing pianos to-day petitioned Parliament, through Mr Statham. upon a matter dealing with the collection of Customs duties. It is claimed that the Customs Department lately adopted an arbitrary method of imposing an assessment varying from 2J per cent, to 10 per cent, over and above the prices actually paid to the manufacturers by the importers, and that constitutes a grievious injury to the importers. The llailwars Authorisation Bill was read a second time in tho House tonight.