NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1196, 3 August 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS, FROM MEMBERS TO MINISTERS. An incident of the political controversies of the recess is revived by a notice tabled bv Mr. Dive, to ask' the Minister for Public Works whether it is tho intention of the Government to bring down a Railway Authorisation Bill this session, and, if so. will it include tho Opunake branch railway? Mr. Herdman will ask whether the Government is prepared to take steps to facilitate the dispatch to New Zealand of English mails arriving at Sydney by the Suez route. The Minister for Railways will be asked by Jlr. Hogg whether, seeing he has discontinued the trial trains between Masterton and Woodville and substituted a goods train running twice a week, he will arrange far this train to run on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a passenger carriage attached. Mr. J. Duncan will ask the Minister for Marine whether, in view of the loss of life resulting from (he burning of a benzine-propelled launch in the Pelorus Sound, the Minister will make it compulsory for owners of motor-boats propelled'by inflammable oil to provide a supplv of an approved fire-extinguisher. Mr.'Wilford will ask the Acting-Prime. Minister whether he will communicate with tho Admiralty wilh a view to arranging for expert opinion being obtained on the suitability of Queen C.'harlotlo Sound for a naval base. Mr. Okey is In. ask the Minister for Internal Affairs lo allow Government truants of land under the West Coast Settlement Act the right of grunting options of boring for oil on their land, subject to the approval of the Public Trustee. Mr. Wright is moving on behalf of nichl-watchmcn in the buildings containing the census paper.-. He alleges that they are being required to work 12 hours a sliil'l, and further that in addition tn their ordinary work lliey are required tn enrrv out the duties of rhanvomen. Mi-. Arnold asks that the high charges now paid by telephone subscribers in suburban and rural areas should be reduced. .As the Parliamen'ary franchise has now been extended to municipal and harbour board elections. Mr. flussell will ask tho Minister for Internal Affairs that the restrictions as to bribery and other

offences should lip applied in Hi* Of ill) loCill election?.

Mr. Arnold wains tn Know whether the adjustments of Departmental staffs :nc vol completed, and whether tho iiovcninii'iii will bring down I In' long-Icok.-d-for Civil Service Classification List without delay. Mr. D.-ivcv is In ask Ilir 1 (invornmcnl whether il 'will lake .-lops In amend Hip law >;> llinl. when a Mayor ii'liri'i oidies within three months of hi.-election his suceo.-or shall bo elected liy the People instead of In- the CuiiiU'il. Mr. Buchanan is In n.-k Hie Aiding-Postmaster-General whether hi- will arrange (hat as many post ollioo savings hanks as possible limy ho opened on Saturday between 7 and S p.m., mi as lo give working men an opportunity of making deposits. Mr. Fisher has given nntiro lo ask I lie Minister for Defence whether he will brin.? down amending legislation lo csonipt from niilitary training nil persons who though under the age of 21 years when llio Apt came into opera lion had previously qualified as cfHciout volunteers under the old Act. .Mr. rltissell is to ask the Minister for Railways for particulars of the allocation of the sum of .WO.flOfl set aside for increases in railway salaries; also how much of the sum named will lie absorbed under the new Jlailwny (,'lassilieation scheme. I REPRESENTATION COMMISSION. Mr. Fisher asked the Acting-Prime -Minister yesterday to say what the Government, intended to do in connection with Ihe report of the Keprescntation Commissioners. It would certainly 1)6 unsatisfactory to members that the report should he held up pending the preparation of plans. The speaker did not wont to raise a debate at that time, but ho wanted the Acting-Prime Minister to state whether ho would give the House an opportunity, before the end of the session, of discussing tho report of the Commissioners. Sir James Carroll (Acting-Prime Minister) replied that the question was premature. The Government had not yet received the report. When it. eamo to hand it would be considered in Cabinet. After that the question of the honourable member might bo put. PETITIONS. Mr. Newman has presented to Parliament a petition from the I'angitikei Racing Club asking that its license's may be granted as heretofore, notwithstanding that, according to the report of tho recent commission, it is to be deprived of four days' racing. Tho club owes .£2650 on mortgage on its land, and has contracted to pay off .£650 in August, 1912. If it is deprived of its four days' racing, it will be unable to meet this engagement. The assets, if realised, would barely caver tho liabilities. The not.ition also states (hat tho Royal Commission, was fully satisfied wilh the course, paddocks, and stands.

An echo of the early (lavs reached .the Houso in the petition of Mrs. Harriet Corston, who states that she arrived at Auckland by the ship Jura, in 1860, at which time every adult female ever the age of 18 was entitled to a Crown grant of 40 acres of land. She took the preliminary steps in the matter, but deferred the completion of it, and subsequently the land which would have b?en hers was included in another block, and she lost it, through the illegal act ' (she alleges) of servants of the Crown. She therefore asks for compensation or a block of land.

The widow of tho late Mr, F. A. Claude, whose brave and prompt action recently prevented a disaster to the Main Trunk express at Otahuhu, is petitioning Parliament for a compassionate allowance. It is stated that the widow anil lier two young children have been left unprovided for. The train which tho late Mr. Claude, saved was carrying his Excellency the Governor and a large number of other passengers. It is suggested that in Ibis action, Mr. Claude, who was not. quite in robust health, suffered a severe shock to his system, which Decelerated bis death. A number of residents of the neighbourhood have petitioned Parliament in support of the petition of Mrs. Claude. Cpon the appearance Of plague in Onehunga some weeks ago, the District Health Officer ordered the destruction by fire of a block of wooden shops in order to prevent the spread of the disease. The owner, John Kelsall, has now petitioned Parliament for compensation. The petition states that the cost of replacing tho buildings with a block in brick of similar dimensions would be 4)1200.

THE ALLEGED "RAILWAY SPY." sfr. Fisher will ask the Minister for Railways whether his attention has been drawn to the following paragraph which appeared in the "Hawke's Bay Tribune" on July 27: "It is persistently rumoured (says the "Herald") that a railway spy is still staying in Tiniaru, and travelling on the expresses on the section and oh branch line trains in the district. It is believed, however, that no officer has so tar been caught in the net which it is Supposed the authorities have set. On Saturday, a "Herald" reporter asked the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Kailways, if he would make any statement about the alleged espionage, and received the reply, 'I will make no statement to any newspaper, but will have something to say on the floor of the House.''" COST OF BUILDINGS. Mr. Herdman will move for a return showing—(l) The cost to date of the new Government House, at Wellington,' including the sums paid to the. Wellington City Council for repairing the defective drainage system; and (2) the price paid for any land purchased and now forming part of tho new Government House grounds. ' Mr. Herdman' will also ask for a return showing— (1) The amount expended since the fire nt 1007 upon the old Parliamentary Buildings; this amount to include all sums expended on renovating, altering, and adding to the old buildings. (2) file amount expended since the fire upon the Parliamentary Buildings at present in use (the amount to include the cost of renovating and altering the said buildings and the sums expended upon the new Legislative Council Chambers, the institution known as the lube, and upon any other additions). And (3) the amounts paid to the contractor whose contract for additions to the old Parliamentary Buildings was in progress at tho time of tho fire. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Mr. Buchanan desires a return showing particulars of derailments of railway vehicles during the fifteen months ending Juno 30, 1011. Another return wanted by Mr. Buchanan is to show tho number of deaths by accident in the course of their employment of railway employees during tho fame period, also the non-fatal accidents to employees, with particulars. COUNCIL ITEMS, Just, before tho opening of the session rumour was busy on the subject of possible appointments to the Upper House, but the subject seems now to have been dropped. It is contrary to custom to make such appointments while Parliament is in session. It is anticipated that the Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, who was elected Chairman of Committees of the Upper Rouso last session without opposition, will not have u "walk-over" thi* year. The. election takes placo next Wednesday. THE COOK ISLANDS. Mr. Wright will ask the Acting-Prime 3linister when tho Government intend to lav before this House the report, of the Chief Justice on tho administration of the Cook Islands. NATIVE LANDS, | The amendments of I lie Native Land Art which are to be submit led by I lip Acting-Prime Minister are intendfd to improve the machinery clauses and the existing law. Sir James Carroll staled yesienliiv that no change in policy was proposed. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE. The unauthorised expenditure account, ciimprisfs I he following items: —Payment lo ihe New Zealand International Kxliibiliou arcount on account of costs due to .1. A. Ca.-sidy, solicitor. Christchurrli, J;71!l; purchase, freight, insurance, etc of "Honourable Roddy" nugget. .£4IN; payment !<■ Messrs. Adams Urns.. Dunedin, for services in drafting Licensing 8i11...£369; donation Bolton Colliery disaster. Jl.'jO'J; bonus to Captain Scddcn as adjutant-general, May 23 to December 20,

ll'in. Xldfi: W. 11. Field, compensation for interest In land nu Kapifi Island, .t272.

| 11AILWAYS' SUPERANNUATION l FUND. Tin- amounts contributed bv members to IliU fund total Jr.17.0«5. Tlli. payment Mum t'linil is Jrriyiild'. Tho iill»w.im-i., actually paid during the voar amounted In JrlS.Vtii!. There was a balaure in (he credit of the fund, on March •"Il Ja.-t, ill' .k-Jfl7.'Jll!. The number nf lifikliciarios deceased ;iiice Ihe inauguration ol (he fund i, 111. One thousand and sixU-ono persons wore mi- the fund at I ha! date, involving an annual liability nf -CM,lit. ' • TOWN PLANNING BILL. 'I'he Auckland Town Planning IVill, of which imlici! was given by Mr. Arthur flyers a few days ago, will not appear nil Hie Order Paper again. Mr. Myers explained last evening that ho had given notice of the Hill in accordnnco with tho promise, which he gave to tho Auckland local bodies when he submitted his proposals to their consideration. The Government had acceded lo the applications which had come from all parts of the Dominion, and the introduction nf the Hon. Ci. Fowlds's Hill removed the necessity for n private, measure, RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD. The report published yesterday morning to the ellcct that a valueless and misleading precis of evidence was handed to tho appellant: in tho case befuro the Railway Appeal Board at Dunediu has been made the subject of a question by Mr. Field. The member for Otaki will ask the Minister for Railways whether the action of the Department's representative was taken with the sanction of tho Department, and if he will see that in the future no similar attempt is rande lo hamper the cases of railway servants'appearing before the Appeal Board, BRIEF MENTION. The actual population of tho Taiimarunui electorate is 10,150 persons, instead of 0150 as was inadvertently stated by Mr. W. T. Jennings in his Address-in-lieply speech. "The settlement, of all issues by tho bare majority is going to bo demanded by the people from one end of the country to the other," said Jlr. Poole last evening.