POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 695, 21 December 1909, Page 8

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES.

GOVERNMENT CAUCUS.

WHEN WILL THE EMD BE'

A brief caucus of tho Government party was hold yesterday; at which all the. members ■were present' escept Mr. Baume (Auckland East), who is confined; to his house by illness. The Prime, Minster stated in an interview that, ho asked iho party, if .the necessity' should arise, and if the-business of Parliament could not be carried through otherwise.in a,,rcasonable manner, to. adjourn over Christmas,, and to stay here for that-purpose, meoting again on-Tuesday of next -. week. Tho party unanimously agreed to accede to the^request."' . "I am inclined- to think," Sir Joseph added, "that We ought to be able to : complete the programme before Christmas, but we, are going to finish our programme. If it is. not finished we will'meet again after Cbristmas.' As a matter of fact, there are only twelve Bills on tho Order Paper to-day. Some of them are not by ' any means important, but they are required for various purposes. The Public Works Statement,will-be':brought down to-night. I will make, an announcement to the House'in the'morning on-the Police Commission- and the Timber Commission's reports. Judging from the prospects: I think -w.e will finish. the work before' Christmas." , . , :'. ' ■.-.,

OLD AGE PENSIONS AMENDMENT BILL. .The ..Old.'Ago Pensions 'Amendment Bill was circulated yesterday.' It provides that no pension shall be diminished in respect both of the net capital value of a property and the aotual income derived from that property. All real and personal property owned by any person shall to the extent of his beneficial interest be deemed to be hie- "accumulated ■ property, except tha;t his interest in any life assurance policy or in an annuity purchased from a life assurance .policy, or"in any property, upon which be pennanently resides or in.any furniture;'or other personal effects belonging to him and in ; his possession shall not be : deemed to be accumulated property. On the death of a pensioner or of a survivor, the Public Trustee shall, on the application, of the person who would-have.been entitled to a property if it had not been : conveyed or : traosferred to his Department, ondV on payment by. the applicant' of the;amount pension paid in excess of the which would have been payable had no such conveyance been made, andialso on. the payment; of interest and commission convoy the property ,to tho applicant.' The capital value of tho beneficial interest of: .a perspil' in , , the property upon which, he maneittly" resides, and'the value of any furniture and ; other /personal' belonging to him arid in : his : possession, shall bo deemed, to prednoe an' annual revenue of not less, than ten:'rjer o6ntirin'.''o£: that value, and' the' : said, revenue shall be deemedi to be income, for the' purposes.of this.Act: "Provided that this paragraph, shall not, be so coris&ued 'as- to reduce the-anwunt of income-actually receivod in any year/from.such.property."■'-.'.. '.' "'■,:.""."

FIRE INSURANCE BATES. The Prime Minister, stated yesterdayj in reply to Mr. James' Allen (Bnici), that the officer in. charge, of- the State Insurance offices had attended a conference of insurance managers in regard to the reduction.of rates. The general rates for- some risks were found to be too low for all offices, and a readjustment of rates could only be made by mutnal agreement ,The State Fire Insurance office originally :i educed its: fates in consequence, of the other .'offices deciding,'in' tho way. of competition against it, to reduce their rates lower than ,-tho: State office, intended, namely,, by 23 per .cent.' .That. reduction was found to be \insatisfactoryi' and ; it seeined that a" reduction of "all the fates was necessary. : •■"...-, In reply to a the Prime Minister stated that the' State ■officeyTHis prepared to accept reinsurances from any other office .on proper.'terms. '•",'■'' ".■■'.■'.'■. '~■ ' '-■ Mr. Missey.: Will.you accept th«.m from the Farmers' Mfltual.?:' ,' : -;. /,.- '. './'. ; Sir' Joseph.'^Ward:; I don't,-know whether the Farmers' Mutual' is strong: enough to' bear its losses'. :' ■■■■■■.•-. .: •..-..'.■. ■■, -.;, ..Mr.'Massey.: Oh, it's qnite .strong enough.;. The Prime Minister: We. accept/any business from them now ■ that they, can't .■ take' .themselves..; -.... "-, '..-,• ■ :'-.l'".- . '..':•■' ~ ' —.' . ■■'■; , In' reply to■ ■' another question, Sir • Joseph Ward stated that it was not intended'to leave the State .office without' a-general manager. ■The officer now in charge was -receiving' £725 a year, the salary he formerly received as head of, another 'Department, which : bad; come under the amalgamation scheme; whereas \ the' salary of the last - general manager, Mr.:Brindley, Was £800.'. . ' ; ■".-}'■>■■. :■ ■,;';■■"■'.'■■< ' ■ "■•■••'■■. The Primp Minister •explained that tho.;loss made by the. State office .last year was due to the big fire at Christchmch, and another large fire. : i .., .' '•.. , .... :. ■~

.DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL. i '.:'i, The report of the'Special'Committee bi Mr.' Sidey's New Zealand Local Time Bill, which, proposes to put on the.clock,in summer, was brought down' in the House yesterday. ■; The Committee examined numerous witnesses,- and came to the following conclusions r-(a) That the" object."of; the,Bill .was;a desirable one and' would benefit the community generally, especially indoor workers and young people of school age. (b). That tho. proposal would effect a 'saving in expenditure on , artificiar light, (c) That the'.weieht of evidence :submitted was infayour-of the Bill.,(d) That the main objection was the public inconvenience that might result'.in connection with the Australian/cable news, (e) .That the objects of the'Bill can best be ..attained; by; legislation.- .' The.". Committee recommend-that-the'Government consider the-; matter.during': the', recess with .a' view- of legislating- next-session. /.If, it; decides- to legislate an - endeavour- should "be', made 'to- secure ■the. coroperation "of Australia. "■■'■. ■■- ■-."

;,':'•: ■•'. -CROVyN, SUITS ACT. ' ' -Mr. Field (Otaki) : voted for'the amendment which' was mov^d'by : .him dn. ; ,Saturday:bight to reduce; the vote fpr'.'the State.Coal DepartriSent in connection'with-the .Crown. Suits, Act. Mr.' Massey drew attention yesterday morning hrthe'absence of .Mr.'Field's name from the division lists, and! the latter, then stated' that he'had voted ; with the "Ayes."."The Chairman' (Mr. Wilfbrd) asked ''the', tellers to record the vote. This mokes tho voting'on tho amendment' 31-:to!28. :.:. '■;;,'; .' ■•'.; '

A LONG FRIDAY. • speaking, it was still Friday in the Houso of Jieprcsentatnes until 1110 am yesterday. The House had been m Committee on the Estimates since Friday morning, and progress had not been reported all that time. At 11,10 am yesterday it was decided to adjourn for ten minutes, and report progress The Speaker resumed the chair, and lead prayers, and a now Parliamentary day wt solemnly commenced

RANGITIKEI SECOND BALLOT. A return has been pr< tented as follows of candidates' expenses in connection with the fcocond ballot of the Rangitikei election -R VV. Smith, £48 2s. 0d , I\ T. Hocklj, £49 4s

local bills; The Lands Committee havo reported recommcDdmg that tho Wanganui School Sites BUI and Masterton Trust Lands Exchange Bill bo allowed to proceed without amendment. WELLINGTON TECHNICAL SCHOOL BILL.' The Wellington Technical School Sito Bill was willidra-nn yesterday at tho request of Mr. Luke, who said ho \ery much regretted tho necessity for withdrawal. The technical school was being earned on in verv cramped and inconvenient promises Oiving to the adverse vote of the (/ounul no other course was open to him but to nsk that the Bill should be discharged from tho Order Paper. He would brmg it forward again no\t year

SPARKS FROM ENGINES. The wholo question of sparks from railway engines should occupy the attention of tho Government without delaj, said Mr Homes in the House yesterday A great deal of damage was! done'in .dry .seasons, and it was almost imposEiblo to get redress ■ from tho Government. Mr. Hogan said tho Department had done its best to provide tho most efficient spark arrester possible An offer had been made at Home of £3000 for an improved spark arrester for tho Now Zealand Railway Dopirtmcnt, hut it was found that'the precautions taken hero already against sparks woro belter than those in any other port of the world.

- .. CUSTOMS DUTIES AMENDMENT. ■'' 'The Customs Duties Amendment ;Bfli, introduced ybstorday, proposes io put a' surtax' of one por cent, on tobacco,' cigars, and' cicarettes, and 2\ per cent" on other dutiable goods. The rociprpcal treaty with South Africa is not:to bo .affected:r No refund shall be, made of duty heretofore paid .in accordance, with the- resolu.tibns ,'of the House, in regard to primage duty and• surtax..•'•■.. /''■.'. . .-/,:,, .--. .-V . ■ „■

PUBLIC WORKS,ESTIMATES. The Public: Works Statcmout nnd Estimates wore broughl down in the llousi at 850 pni \CotcriJa>. Che in tht Estitantes will be i.omm'jncod at 7.50 p.m. today.