POLITICAL TOPICS. NEWS AND NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1907, Page 3

POLITICAL TOPICS. NEWS AND NOTES.

RAILWAY FACILITIES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS. 'A few tT*ys ago Mr. E. G. Allen asked ♦h«> Acting Minister for Railways whether ho would concede to junior employoos in tho post and telegraph service (who arc stationed great distances from fheir homes) the privilege of free travel on tho railways to enable them to visit their homes during annual holidays? Yesterday tho Premier replied that this question had been under consideration on numerous occasions. The adoption of such a course would inevitably lead to "very serious discontent in all branches of the Civil Service of the colony, which \vere not included in the concession, as the members of men branches would undoubtedly expect to participate, in any arrangement made for the officers of the Post and Toleg'raph Department. Any .reduction in favour of the Civil Service should not be made. FREE LEGAL ADVICE. , The question of permitting the Public Trust Office in the large centres of population fo be consulted on minor legal questions at a moderate charge, or gratuitously, by persons who cannot well afford to pay ordinary lawyers' charges, ' was suggested to the Government by Mr. Barclay. The Premier replied that this innovation would mean a large increase in tho expense of the- department, involving the salary of an experienced lawyer at each of the large centres. The present Btaff gives its clients and others overy assistance when enquiring about matters relating to administration. It would be inadvisable to undertake to give advice- on contentious matters. TRADE ENQUIRIES. Sir Joseph Ward yesterday informed iMr. Lewis, that every facility will be afforded the extension of the Commerce Committee, or a committee specially appointed for the purpose, to enquire into this colony's trade relations with British and foreign countries respectively, especially with reference t'' British and 1 foreign methods of securing trade, and ' reasons why New Zealand is obliged to obtain from foreign countries goods ■which British conntries could supply. The' idea is that tho report and evidence be sent to the British Board of Trade. 'HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID. The Minister in Charge of Hospitals (the Hon. George Fowlds) does not think it will be possible to pass legislation this "session altering the constitution of Hospital Trustees and Charitable Aid Boards, although it is admitted reform in this direction is badly needed. The whole question is a very complex one, ard it has been considered wiser to allow the newly-appointed Inspector-Gene-ral time to make himself acquainted with the various alterations needed with regard to the constitution of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards and separate institutions before bringing in a, Bill. "It is hoped that legislation will be introduced -next session." OPOSSUMS IX THE BUSH. The presence of opossums in the bush at Paraparaumu was. recently brought under the notice of tne Government by Mr. Field, who asked. Dy whose anthor- • ity.they were liberated there, and whether the Government was aware that thej wej» rapidly increasing in numbers and damaging the bnsh reserves? The reply of the Minister for Lands yesterday afternoon was that the opossums ' were liberated by tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society with the full knowledge and approval of the Government, who- hjd. .previously made full enquiry from "the various Governments of tho Australian -States as to their habits and value, and the- replies in every case wexe^topthe^ .effect that the opossun:3 could not be regarded as a pest, tha'; the damage done by them to fruit, grain, etc.*, was very small, and amply compensated by the commercial value ot their skins. THE BANKRUPTCY ACT. Several suggestions for the amendemutib of the Bankruptcy Act, says the Minister for Justice, have been leceived from the Chambers of Commerce, and they are now under consideration, fio far,- he goes on to say, the amendments proposed do not appear, to be of a very urgent nature, aor arc the Chambers of Commerce altogether agreed as to the lines upon which fresh legislation should proceed. In view of the above considerations and of the important measures which wjll require the attention of Parliament this session, ho does not think that time will permit of any am♦ndments of- the Bankruptcy 'Act this year. THE BANK OF NEW. ZEALAND. It was alleged by Mr. Ell a few days ago that the Bank of New -Zealand is charging the public,, through local bodies which ;have unimpeachable security to offer, s£, 6, 6£, and even 7. per cent, for overdrafts, an(j as high as 5£ per cent. for an advance .of £20,000 ; and he asked i if the Government would draw the attention of the' directors who represent the public on ther board of directors to the- complaint, and call the directors' attention to the fact that they are there to represent ' the interests of the public as shareholders and as customerc, as, well as- the interests of the private shareholders. - Sir Joseph Ward stated yesterday that the Government has no ■ knowledge of this complaint. In any case the Government cannot interfere with the management. of the, Bank of • New Zealand.. Directors .are specially . appointed for protecting the interests of the colony, and. the honourable gentleman will see that 'if it were possible to interfere in one matter it would also be quite possible to do so in others, and it is neither in.ths interests of the, colony nor of the bank that this should be done. BANK CLERKS AND MATRIMONY. Recently Mr. Ell asked the Premier if he would procure from tho directors representing the Government on the board of directors of the Bank of New Zealand, for the information 'of Parliament, a copy of the order issued in 1901, prohibiting the marriage of any officer is not in receipt of a salary of at. least £200 a year? Sir Joseph yesterday replied — ''This request cannot be complied with. The Government cannot interfere with the management of the Bank of New Zealand." TRAMWAY GUARDS. It is not tho intention of the Minister for Railways to grant tramway ' guards railway concessions at times o^her than, holidays. SJr Joseph Ward points out that holiday excursion tickets are issued over various sections of the New Zealand railways at frequent intervals throughout the year, and although the tramway "employees, in common with certain other members of the community, may not be ablo as a body to avijil themselves of the issue of holiday excursion tickets at Christmas and Easter time, they are. not restricted to these two occasions only, but can avail themselves' at other times of thfe year of the holiday issue made -iv connection with races, shows, sports, and other attractions. • If a concsssion such as is desired were given to tramway employees, it would require to be extended to all those sections of tho community who are unable 'to avail themselves- of the issue of holiday excursion tickets during, the holiday season. THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM. The Premier defended tho co-opera-tive system in the House the other

night. Generally, ho said, it had been a good thing for this colony. It had prevonted an excess o' labour, and in other ways had done good. The Government very properly had called for tenders for the Arthur's Pass tunnel. This had to go through a 'mountain for five miles, and no one could say what the condition of the tunnel would be ns it was bring pierced. Tho material to be bored might be soft or it might be hard granite. From every point of view it was eminently a work which should be carried out by contract. >- MR. VAILE AGAIN. Mr. Samuel Vailo is ag^in petitioning Parliament -with a view to securing a trial of his st-ago system on the New Zealand railways. He states that in those parts of tho colony where the greatest length of line haa been constructed, the largest expenditure incurred, the more centres and paying points joined up, and the most perfect equipment and transit facilities provided,, there by for the poorest results arc obtained. Tlie Hnrunui-Bluff section has far the greatest advantages, he states. It has 1283 miles fully connected Up and tapping many large cities, country towns, and districts. It has absorbed within ono million and three-quar-ters one half of our entire railway expenditure. It is more fully and b^Her equipped than any other section;^ cost, on J an average, only £9298 per mile, as against i £12,356 per mile for the WellingtonTaranaki and Hawkee Bay, section, and I £10,088 for the Auckland 'section. If. therefore, the management was right the i Hurunui-Bluff ought to, and probably would, pay the best of any in. the colony. Instead of this last year — the Exhibition year — it only paid £2 17s 3d per cent, on the money invested, while the Wellihßton-Taranaki-Hawkes Bay line paid £4 3s 4d and the Auckland line £4 Is' 9d. Mr. Vnile goes into these figures in some detail, and suggests that the present system pf the Railwky pepartment is wrong in that the "rating is made in favour of the greatest cities, which are by no means laige enough to support- New Zealand." ' * COMPENSATION CLAIMED. Eliza Stenenson. of 110, Aro-street, Wellington, is petitioning Parliament fur a further sum of £200 iv connection with the death of her husband. It will be remembered that Stenerson was drowned while helping to take sottndinaa for the Public Works Depart m.ent at Karamea on the 18th July last A case was brought before the Arbitration Court, but the widow's claim for compensation was disallowed on a technical point Since that time she was offered and accepted a sum of £200 from the Public Woifcs Department, but the money is held in trust for herself nnd her children. *It is pointed out that had it not been for the technicality refeired to petitioner would have been entitled to £400. She therefore *considers she is entitled to an additional £200. i , JOTTINGS. Ths Government docs not < intend to renew the bonus on the Estimates for an imprpved method of flax dressing, but any improved method brought forward will be investigated, and if found worthy of a bonus, iccommendation will be made to Parliament. Replying to Mr. Hujan. who suggested the construction of a branch line oi railway from Wanganui inland to connect with the Main Trunk line, the Minister for Public Woiks^ays the country that would be traversed is of a very, hilly chaiacter, and ia unlikely to produce sufficient traffic to justify the construction of a railway. The superannuation proposals for the Ci/H Service will fee biouglrt down at as ear'y a date as possible. It is> not intended, says the Minister of Agriculture, to prohibit the export of plants or seeds of the New Zealand flax. The Minister of Education fears, lie snyp, that the principle mvohed in the abolition of the franking system would benullified if grants were made to education boards for. their outlay on official stamps. The Premier admits that wharf extension ctr Nelson is a desirable work, but funds are not available for it at present. The Estimates will provide ti* grant of £200 for the Shipwreck Relief Society of New- Zealand. A Harbours Consolidation Bill will be inhodueed this eefsion, but the matter of I'arbour boards representation will be dealt willi in a separate measure.