POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19155, 11 November 1927, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

ITHB m «» to* a^j Bight of Veto to Qo. If the Railways Amendment ftn be introduced into the sentet.ves before the sessjJ '*** co mes law, the right in connexion with staff uhJl. W will not apply to any l)*?f Wtni * l « State. TheLl/De y partS?««t of the power at » the Railway Department will be removed with the m^. 1 " 4 tt » new legislation. PM- »I Of tk» Replying to questions in a *. trday, the Prii, igJtS that the new Railway, £$ *2h»* with appeal matters. Th» .*• *** to bring the Railway Derail? ** line with the other DepartS'^ 4 would be a similarly construct^'-i* Board, and fat nddftion the same rights of appeal for *«. earnin L upto£766. The rftfJ ft" would be do»e away with.. aiS rt.. I ?*' peal Board would be left'to the appeal itself. On the exercise by the MirJster ft' right of veto had led to a differed."l opinion between the Minister and n staff The right of veto Mr useful purpose; it was used only #*.. or twice, and on those ectasia situation was delicate. It was a »«» position to put a Minister in. •' ' Duties on Foreign Goods,

Stabilisation of the currencies in (fo, many, Austria, and Hungary )■ , e fl Ht ; ed in a decision of the Minister for Cm toms (the Hon. Mr Downie, Stewart) tt place goods from those countries, u fa as valuation is concerned, on the situ 1 footing as joods imported from other countries. When trade was renuM with the countries concerned their «». rency was such that Now Zealand eonlJ not accept duty on the ordinary batii on which duty is levied, namely the eir." rent domestic value in the country'af origin. Duty was taken on the £o,b export cash price, which was the amoW which the purchaser outside tin ««». tries paid for the goods. Now thit the currencies hare been stsbilirtd reversion is to be made in the dirt*!, tion indicated after Januarylst out, Railway Tares for Children.

The inability of the Railway DeparV ment to carry children under twiln > years of age free of charge wai mt&.' tioned by the Minister for Baihnp (Mr Ooates)' in the House of Bepreifo tatives to-day, when replying to a qttti- ' tion by Mr JoTdan (Manuksu)r » * Mr Jordan stated that ehlldrec ua4«' twelve travelled free on'the bM Mrvices between Auckland and the Wii« kato, and the Minister was aikedto reconsider the question of inauguttthig a similar policy on the railway!. Mr Ooates expressed regret that,the suggestion could not be accepted, ai the financial position was such that tie ' Railway Department wanted 'every penny it could get. Several eoncei* sions to primary and secondary tchool children and for family and holiday tickets had already been given, and iu many parts of the Dominion the Department carried workers at twopence a trip where the minimum bus fare was one shilling. Mr Jordan: You could not make it free under five! Mr Goates: I have had that matter under consideration'for some time, at I realised the portico. We are anxious to popularise tjhe iftUwyl, but on the other hand we-hire, td consider the r financial side for theltopartMM. . i .< i* * "J

Much Interest. l * tA Keen interest is taken in regard to Mti 1 Coates' Licensing Bill and the ptoepe«W: £ of its passing or not. Opinions dttef ** as to how the voting will g* w .!%-'| crucial clauses, and the lorn*,to m, the Bill will finally epwrge from 9Q, * Committee of the whole «■*• .xgr. Bill is likely to come up to its k i*w»a <? , reading on Monday or Taesoßy. (JJ .; *