THE COMING SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 5

THE COMING SESSION.

GOVERNMENT MEASURES. EXTINCTION OF THE PUBLIC DEBT. USE OF WATER POWER, (By Telegraph—Press Aesociation.l Auckland, June 7. In an interview to-day, Sir Joseph Ward referred to the work of the coming session. He said that one of the most important measures was a Bill to provide for the extinction of the public debt. "Another very important subject," ho said, "is that dealing with our water power, and a Bill will be introduced dealing with the control of our rivers and lakes for water-power purposes. This power will be used in connection with our manufacturing and mining industries, and the whole question is one of enormous importance. The difficulty that has hitherto stood in the way. of the country utilising the waters flowing to waste has been our finances, and for that reason, though the country retains the control of these streams in its power, it is not able to turn them to full advantage. For the reasort named Parliament will this session be asked to vote J6500,000 per year for this particular work. I do not say that it may not be possible in a few years to. expend a larger sum, as when success follows in the wake of the undertaking it will be accessary.to spend a greater sum to expedite the utilisation of water power throughout the Dominion. "The importance of anti-trust legislation is another thing which cannot be under-estimated," said Sir Joseph. "I have had cases brought under my notice showing that in connection with the sale of oil and kerosene there are trusts of considerable magnitude in operation. Tho same'iuay be said to apply to sugar, and we must make it impossible for anyone who has the disposal of wholesale articles to compel traders to deal with him or them only/'

Mr. H. 0. El!, M.P., intends to introduce /in the next session of Parliament n Bill providing for the registration of barmaids. It is intended tliat the register will be kept by the Licensing Committee in each district,' and that each barmaid will be registered and under the control of the committee to' a greater extent than barmaids have hitherto been. An important' clause in the Bill will be that prodding that after the coming into force of the Act no more barmaids shall be registered. This will mean, of course, the' gradual abolition of barmaids.