POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2581, 1 October 1915, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES

COURAGE OF THEIR CONVICTIONS. Li tho closing stages of the debate «!ii tho second reading of tho Gaming Amendment Bill, early yesterday morning, Sir James Carroll deprecated the opposition to the Bill, and thought that everyone seemed to bo extremely virtuous on the matter. Parliament had already sanctified gambling on the totalisator, he said, and tlio Bill did not introduce a new form of gambling. It only sought to get over a difficulty. Referring to previous remarks, ho said tiiat it was all right talking about tho economic laws, .and tho magnificent response made by Wairarapa without resort to art unions. Why, the greatest contributors in that district were the biggest gamblers in New Zealand! Everyone of them planked it on tho totalisator. (Laughter.) Mr. Hornsby: Not everyone. Sir James Carroll: Nearly everyone. I know all tho big contributors, and they nearly all do it. The Hon. G. W. llusscll, in replying to the criticism, said that tho National Government had been attacked for bringing down tho Bill. Mr. M'Combs: Tho Massey Government'would not havo had the courage! Mr. Russell: Tho Massey Government always had the courago of their convictions in bringing down gaming legislation. Nobody could say that the Massey Govertrment hesitated to bring their Bills down on tho floor of tho House for discussion, and tho Government lias not lost any of its courage by tho fact that a number of the Opposition havo entered into its ranks." (Hear, hear.)

ENEMY TEACHERS BILL. Of all the Bills still left oil the Order Paper of the House of' Representatives it is expected that tho Alien .Enemy Teachers Bill will provoke tho liveliest debate. Tlio Bill should havie como up for second reading yesterday, but on tho main question wliicu the Bill is framed to deal—the von Zedlite case —a petition is still before a committee of the House. The committee was ready to submit its report to tho House yesterday afternoon, but 110 opportunity occurred because of the volubility of members concerning the report of another, committee 011 another petition. The Prime Minister therefore did not go 011 with tho Alien Enemy Teachers Bill, and lie informed the House that he would not go on with it until the committee had reported.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' FUNDS,

The Hon. J. A. Hanan, referring to tho paragraph which appeared in yesterday's Dominion outlining the proposals of the Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, pointed out that tho last sentenco of. the paragraph was likely to cause some misapprehension. Tho clauso which lie presumed was referred to was Clause 4 of the Bill, and lie pointed out that this does not authorise the consolidation of tho funds of societies and branches. It merely removes the obstacle which has been held by the Courts to be in the way of societies carrying out consolidation and giving to thorn- i.'ho same powers as they have in Great Britain. The sentenco "Tho principal clause is that authorising the consolidation of the benefits funds of societies and their branches" might create the impression that tho Bill was going out of its way to authorise a particular policy, and it could not be too strongly stressed that the clause 33 merely a permissive ono' clearing a way for the societies' independence of action. The second part of tho clause, validating made in good faith and already registered, relates only to past transactions wliich cannot now bo undone.