POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 675, 27 November 1909, Page 6

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES.

A MAORI COUNCILLOR'S GRIEVANCE. WHERE IS MAHUTA? would like to know if Mahuta has permission to absent himself • session after session, ' inquired tho Hon. Wi'Pere during, tho sitting' of the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. Ho went on to say that he had had to attend to Mahuta's work for the past four years'.' .It really seemed as if he had now to act as'the mouthpiece and protector-for all the [Maori tribes in the North Island. He must call attention'to the fact that bo was an old man now. ("No, no.") Members must, know 'that he was not able to flit about now as he did when he was younger. .The Hon. G. Jones: I rise to a, point of ordoi... The Speaker: I must see if the Hon. Mr. Wi Pere,has a complaint to make.; The Hon. Wi Pere said he was not refemng disparagingly to his colleague, but protecting his interests.' His object for mentioning the matter was that'he felt sure Mahuta was; ignorant of the dignity. of the position which he hold. ( • " The 1 Speaker: Too cannot reflect on the conduct/of. a member. ■

The Hon. Wi Pore: What I say is this: ho

forty-or_ fifty would be sent to the-. Council within the last day or two of . the session. ' A member: There will be more than that this session. . '- - •

_^f r - Jenkinson said that the way the local Bills had to be put through by the Local Bills Committeo under ' the present circumstances •could only be described,as a complete farce. Dr. Findlay: What do you suggest? - Mr. Jenkinson: That a joint committee might be set up to devise some means by which the local Bills, of which notice is given in , the House, might be sent to the Council. If, he added, the Council refused to pass a local Bill which did not reach it befire seven days before the: end of the it would . settle the matter. Similar remarks were. also made by other members, ; and; further consideration ■ of ■ the "proposal was then dropped. . ■ IN THE EARLY.MORNING. At a quarter to one tlus morning observations, of the state of the House , were taken with some care. • The subject under discussion >as the Land Settlement Finance Bill, and the speaker lyas Mr. .Ell. Twenty-five members .out of 80 were present. * The Speaker was .asleep. Mr. Witty was absorbed in a scrapbook; Mr. Siday (with his back . turned squarely on Mr. Ell) was reading a book; Messrs. Buxton and Keel wore having a quiet talk; Messrs. Guthrie, Scott, and Okoy were making a thin pretence of listening to the