POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19733, 25 September 1929, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES

CTIIS 7UH tpNtai ■« n i M . ] WELLINGTON, September 84. CommisalonoTi of Cnnra lands. Replying to suggestions that the portion of Commissioner of Crown Lands I should be opened tc» men on the elcri- j cal side of the Lands and Survey De- j partment, as well as those on the sur- \ veying side, the Minister for Lands , (Hon. Mr Forbes) said, in the House of Bepresentatives to-day, that such -.vas \ the case in regard to certain appointments. He had agreed to a scheme | by which men occupying what m.ght be ■ termed junior commissionerships should j apply for the four senior commission- i erships at Auckland, Wellintrton, Christchurch, and Dunedin, while those applying for positions as Commissioner of any other district might be drawn from j either side of the service. The Public Service Commissioner made the appointments, and the claims of men in either division would be eqnally considered. To Hasten Business. The House of Representatives to-day agreed that on and after to-morrow Government business will, for the remainder of the session, take precedence on Wednesdays. It was explained by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), that the House had been sitting for a good while, and , that the Government required the additional day. So far business had not pro- j greased with great speed. i "Whose fault is that?" enquired Mr j M. J. Savage (Lab., Auckland West). | "The honourable gentelman's," re " | plied the Prime Minister, who the next second corrected himself, stating that he thought it was some other member who had interjected. In reply to questions by various members, the Prime Minister said that if the opportunity afforded itself, the Government would be able to give facilities for the dis ussion of private members' measures on the Order Paper. There was still a good deal of Goveminent business to dispose of, and he was anxious to have the important portions of the legislation indicated in the published policy of the Government, placed on the Statute Book. Prime Minister's Besidenoa, "It is proposed to subdivide the land, but to retain the residence and the area on which it st nds for Government purposes," said the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), in the House of Representatives to-day, in reply to a question by Mr B. Semple (Lab., Wellington East), who asked whether Cabinet had decided to sell the Prime Minister's residence, whether the property would be subdivided, and whether it would b? submitted to public or private auction. Bir Joseph added that the subdivided lands would be sold by public auction. Bxport of Gold. An enquiry of the Prima Minister M to the effect the reeent shipment of gold from New Zealand would have on the local bank rate was made by Mr r. B. Langstone (Lab.,. Waimarino), in a question given notiee of-in the House of Bepresentatives to-day. Mr Langatone enquired also whether the gold standard was the basis of the Dominion's monetary system, whether contraction of the gold basis following the export referred to would lessen the credit available in New Zealand, and whether the Minister would, in the absence of an explanatory statement by the bank, make a statement of the position. The Gaming Bill. The Gaming Amendment Bill will be considered by the House of Bepresentatives this session, according to an assurance given the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Coates), by the Prime Minister to-day. Mr Coates had pointed out that in previous Parliaments the sponsor of the measure (Sir George Hunter) had had an opportunity given for the second reading of the Bill. Would the tame facility be given this session f Sir Joseph Ward replied that an opportunity would be given Sir George Hunter of testing the feeling of the House on bis Bill. Exciae oa Hew ZsaJaad Patrol. The imposition of an excise duty of fourpenee a.gallon on all motor spirits produced in New Zealand is provided for in the Transport Law Amendment Bill, introduced into the House of Bepresentatives to-day. The measure also makes provision for more elasticity in regard to applications for refunds of duty. Where an application is made late for statutory refunds, the claim may be approved, less a ten per eent. reduction, if the Minister for Transport is satisfied that the tardiness was not the fault of the claimant.

Chrlstchurcß Tramway Act. The jurisdiction of tho licensing authority under the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act of 1926 la to be restored within the area of the Christehureh Tramway Board according to the provisions of part five of the Transport Law Amendment Bill, introduced in the House of Bepresentatives this afternoon. The new Bill repeals Section C of the Christchureh District Tramway Amendment Act, 1987, which provides for the modification of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act so that the time-tables and faros of the Christchureh Tramway Board shall not require to be prescribed by the licensing authority. Under the new provisions the Board will have to get permission or a license from the licensing authority to run motor buses to supplement its tram or bus services. The hew licensing authority will not be the City Council, according to the provisions of the new Bill, but a central body.