POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1223, 4 September 1911, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND THE SESSION. "The session, I think, will last until nearly the middle of October," Mr. AY. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, slates, "and all tho heavy work lias still to bo done. It will begin with the appearance of tho Financial Statement," he added. "I think, by the indications, we aro likely to have the Statement on Tuesday, or, in any case, certainly this week." Mr. Massey did not dissent from a suggestion that tho appearance of the Statement will be the signal for a heavy cannonading from tho Opposition batteries. HUTT ROAD BILL. A member who should know stales that the further passage of the amendment to the Hutt Road and Railway Empowering Act is unlikely to be opposed in tlio House. It provides for tho retention, within tlio area liable to pay for the road, of tho territory of local bodies which have been separately constituted out of that area since the Act was passed. Tho same member considers it practically certain that tho allocation of tho liability between tho local bodies and tho Government will ultimately bo settled by litigation. A PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATE. Mr. E. AY. Alison, who is now on a visit to Wellington, lias been warmly received by his former oolleagues iu Parliament. The Opposition members, remembering Mr. Alison's usefulness and ability, have urgently pressed him lo accede to the persistent requests that ho should again stand for the AYaitemata seat. Mr. Alison has stated that to consent would entail a considerable sacrifice on his part, but that if his business arrangements permit he will favourably consider the proposal. He declines to give a more delinito reply at present, but will do so when he meets a deputation of representative AYaitemata electors, which has arranged to wait on him on September 15. THE MOKAU INQUIRY. Mr. Massey is of opinion that tho Native Affairs Committee cannot possibly complete its inquiry info tho Mokau lanil transactions this week though it may possibly do so in tho week following. Tomorrow tlio examination of Mr. E. It. Hardy will be continued. Probably the next witness called will be Mr. Hermann Lewis. "THE REAL BUSINESS." Notice has been given by Mr. Russell (Avon) of a proposal that tho Government should consider the advisability of giving precedence to Government business for the remainder of tho session, in order that tlio House may concentrate its attention to tho "real business" of the session. IN BRIEF. Mr. Jennings will ask whether arrangements will be made to extend the privilege of using tho General Assembly Library to ex-members of tho House who have held their seats for two Parliaments, as a slight recognition of their services to the country. AYoll-iufornied members do not speak hopefully of tho prospects of the Gamiug Act Amendment introduced by Mr. Jennings. It is freely stated • that tho chances are 100 to 1 against the measuro reaching the Statute Book unless the Government takes it up which it is not likely to do. Mr. Herries is to ask the Minister for Railways to reduce the freight on'flowers and eggs so as to make tho rates equal to those on fruit. Messrs. J. C. Gleeson and M, J. Savage have announced themselves as candidates for tho Auckland Central seat (Mr. A. E. Glover's) at tho coming elections.