POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18788, 4 September 1926, Page 14

POLITICAL NOTES

' (SPECIAL- TO THS PRESS.) WELLINGTON, September 3. Amalgamation of Counties. A new clause has been added to the Finance Bill in the House of Representatives, providing that where two or more counties unite, the subsidy payable to the new county shall not be less than the aggregate subsidy that would have been payable to the several counties bad the union not taken place. Annuities to Widows. The clause iu the Finance Bill empowering the Public Service Superannuation Board to agree with a contributor for a reduction of a retiring allowance in consideration of the payment of an increased anuuity to his widow on his death has been withdrawn. The Minister for Finance (the Hon. Mr Dowuie Stewart) stated that it was desired to go into the matter to see exactly what its effect would be. Therefore it was thought desirable to hold it over for'another year. The Public Service. By an amendment of the Finance Act made by the Uouse of 'Representatives, it is provided-that any oflicer in any classified division of the Public Service may be. paid a salary iu excess of the maximum for the divisiou, conditional on the increase being appropriated by Parliament. The Public Service Act was also amended by removing the limitation on the number of professional and clerical divisions there may be iu the service. Gaming Bill.

The Gaming Amendment Bill, which Sir Edwin Mitchelson succeeded in piloting safelv through the Upper House, is No. 24 oii the order paper of the House of Kepresentatives. It has been placed i:i- charge of Sir George Hunter. There seems to be no chance of its becoming law this session. Possibly •it may be discussed on a motion to refer it to a Select Committee, in which case that will bo the last heard of it this year.

Medical Inspection of Schools. The right of children attending private schools to have the advantage of the system of medical inspection which pupils of public schools enjoy, was debated in the House between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. pu Friday.

Mr Holland maintained that the children of registered private schools had as much right to State medical examination as had the children who happened to go.to public schools. The children had the choice as to which school they attended; that was a matter for their parents. If those childreu grew up with defects which could have been remedied, the community suffered. Their parents were taxpayers, and the children therjiselves were- the .future citizens of New Zealand-; and in that respect they had tho same, right as the children of the public schools. The Prime Minister said lie had stated fropi .the public platform that in the interests'of the'general health, was asked should be done as soon as the money was available.. But the time had not arrived when they could say that they had sufficient money to carry out the idea. The"'first call was to the children of the. State Schools, and as soon as the requirements in these sclio6ls were attended to, the requirements of the others would be. tackled. That had been stated by Sir James Parr also. Mr Coatea, said, he had spoken to the Minister,for Education,that afternoon;,- and the Minister had readily agreed to. haye the. Clause 'which was being objected to reconsidered before it'went tp another places Mr'.Frascr.. (Labour) .'thought the Prime Minister had stated.'the position clearly.-.Thev, knew they could '.'take his. word for" it," and'they; wereglad toidb so, . Mr Coatcs had done the right .thing....?. ./•. , . '. : . -

Maori Art. When the Maori Arts and Crafts Bill came up for second reading in the House * to-night, the Hon. Mr'Ngata (Eastern Maori) said he had just received -a Jetfer' from the Arawa Trust Board suggesting that its contribution to 1 the cost. of the scheme be £250 for the first:year.. Mr Ngata;expressed the opiniou'that the Government should provide £ISOO in the Supplementary Estimates to establish the Board, and niake a beginning" -with the proposed school, 'which 'should have on its at least two skilled Maori carvers. TV Aute' Maori College was erecting a ; hall in traditional Maori style, and the'suggestion'had been made, to the Trustees that, the .'carving should be.done by the - School. He hoped' that, this would be done, , , 'The Prime Minister, in reply,, re-, marked that unfortunately by an oversight the Supplementairy Estimates had been printed without any provisiou for the scheme. Sowever, he had arranged with .the'.-Minister for ; Finance" for meeting the. charges, out. of'unauthorised expenditure."This was' not a desirable procedure,' but' it 'waß justified iu Jtße circumstances;. The : Government; was auxioUß to embody Maori interiorarcbir tecture and 'ornament in public ings. The Government Architect, Mr Mair, was*an enthusiast, iri this. It was realised that the scheme; would not be-earied out in its entirety Avithont sound native craftsmanship,' and the Government looked to the new Board' to provide men, for the,"work.. Mr Coates mentioned that the first teachers of the school would almost certainly be old nieifwbo'had a knowledge of traditional Maori "art. , ' , .'.'..'.' The Bill.was r ead a second time. ..-: A Late Sitting.

'.'The House of Representatives carried ou its wrangle on the-Education Bill until . 4.12 Ji.ni.',.; at. which hour the House rose. In the meantime there had beon a long Committee., fight, on the question of the rights of appeal df teachers in the' State 'Service, and a modest .third reading'debate, for the purpose of securing a "Hansard" chronicle- of the "unreported Committee proceedings. "The Bill was -passed, in the shape desired by the- Minister. ' ■■'"