POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1544, 13 September 1912, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

J COUNCIL REFORM. I THE 'NEW BILL. I The Bill for the reform of the Legislative Council which wns read a first b time in the Lower House yesterday on 3 the motion of the Prime Minister differs t radically from that introduced into tho ? Council by the Hon. H. D. Bell. The . new measure lins one operative clauso 3 which is as follows:— li Every nprson who, after the passing I of this' Act, is duly appointed a mem--3 ber of the Legislative Council of New Zealand shall hold his seat therein ) for three vears, to bo reckoned from 3 tho date of tho instrument of his r appointment and no longer. 1 The Hon. W. H. Hemes (Taurariga) 3 presented a petition signed by 453 resi- - dents, mostly in the Auckland district, t urging the Government to construct a i railway from Rotorun to Taupo. 3 A petition was presented to the House 5 of Representatives yesterday by Mr. John ,- Payne (Grey Lynn) on behalf of John t Davidson Cooper, of Wellington. Tho r pravei- of the petitioner was that he should be compensated for injuries sus- - taiiied in a railway accident at Kaitoke. 1 He had suffered such injuries that he 1 had to have his" left leg amputated and s he had to remain in hospital for 18 s months. He had found that he. cou'Jd s not take proceedings against the Der partmeht after his discharge from hospi- ; tal, the time-limit having elapsed. 2 Mr. A. M. Myers -,:sked the Prime ' Minister whether he did not consider that 1 the time had arrived for New Zealand 1 to follow the lead of Canada, and , ask • that a member of the New Zealand ' Cabinet should have a scat' rn the 1 Imperial Defence Committee in London.