POLITICAL TOPICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 104, 29 October 1909, Page 3

POLITICAL TOPICS.

NEWS AND NOTES. LICENSING REFORM. When the second reading of Mr. Laurenson's Beer Duty Act Amendment Bill — really a measure promoted by the No-License Party — was called on last night, the member for Lyttelton intimated that as the Government had stated its intention to introduce licensing legislation next year, he would ask leave to withdraw the Bill. Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland) was evidently thirsting to express his vievrs on the question, and he rose to speak, when Mr. Speaker put the motion for leave to withdraw. Mr. Poole had started on an eloquent oration when Mr. Speaker interrupted, and asked him if he had moved the second reading. "iTou are entitled to do so if you see fit," the Hon. Mr. Guinness added, with a twinkle in his eye. Mr. Poole subsided amidst much laughter APPEAL BOARDS. Mr. Pcole yesterday gave notice to ask the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the frequent trouble between local bodies and their employees, provision could not be made in forthcoming legislation for all employees of public bodies to possess the right of appeal which railway employees and schoolteachers now tnjoy? "LABOUR AGITATORS." The Minister of Labour is to be asked by Mr. M'Laren whether his attention has been drawn to the attack made by Mr. Kettle, S.M., upon the workers' representative in a case for enforcement of award (Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union versus John Morrison, licensee of the Metropolitan Hotel), heard at Auckland on 21st September, 1909; and whether fcho Minister will u«e "all the powers at his command to prevent a recurrence of puch an incident, for the purpose of sustaining public confidence in the law and in the integrity of our Magistrates?" MADE IN NEW ZEALAND. A new departure is aimed at in the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill, j brought down by tho Minister of MarI me, m regard to locally-made ships. It is proposed that in the case of vessels of fifteen tons and upwards built in New Zealand, plana and specifications must be submitted to the Minister, without whose approval the building of the ship shall net be proceeded with. The penalty for breach of this provision is nxed at a maximum of £100. Any ship buill in contravention of this provision may be detained by the Minister until tho legal conditions aro complied with. CASUAL RAILWAY HANDS. In the House yesterday Messrs. Witty and L-aurenson asked the Minister of Railways to reconsider his decision in regard to not carrying out his predecessor's promise to place "casual" railway hands on the "permanent" list after I five years' continuous services. They claimed that Mr. Ha 11- Jones's promise was a - definite one. Mr. Laurenson suggested that some such step should be iaken, even if the requisite term were made more than five years. He admitted, however, that the Minister had to see that the department was not overloaded with men who had reached • an advanced age, in view of the possible effects of such a step on the superannuation fund. The Minister of Railways, replying at a later stage, said that this question had a more serious bearing than might appear. He believed that the promise that all "casuals" of five years standing should be made "permanents" had been made by the Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones. Such a step, however, had never been intended when the Civil Service Act was passed, because the railway service was exempted from its provisions. If the step- urged were taken, tho result would be to place on the permanent list a number of men for whom there would be no work, and a numbev of hands would have to be placed 'on half time to keep them employed at all. There was also the more serious phasethat of superannuation. When the Railways Superannuation Act was passed the fund was ee tablished on the basis of the permanent employee^, and the Government guarantee was given on that basis. Now members were wanting him to bring in casual employees as permanent hands, and much as he would like to do it, he did not see his way clear. The present charges on the fund would not permit of a single additional charge being put on it without additional rates, unless the Government gave a bigger contribution. We could not put one single fraction on to tho superannuation fund without increasing the rates. He pointed out the charges that would fall on the fund if casuals of 55 or 60 years were put on the permanent list. Mr. Wilford : Why don't you bring the proposal down and see if the House would do it? Mr. Millar : I want the House to understand that if they put anything more on to the superannuation fund the Government guarantee will have to be called up. PENSIONS. The granting of the following pensions is notified in a return laid before Parliament : — S. M. Batham, Stamps, £405 6s 8d ; J. Cameron, Customs, £47 10s ; J. Delaney, Post Office, £199 10s ; R. A. Edwin, Marine, £253 6s 8d; W. T. Glasgow, Customs, £533 6s 8d ; C. A. St. G. Hickson. Stamps. £483 6s 8d ; W. G. Holdsworth, Audit, £220; J. Mills, Customs, £400; J. F. Rogers, Printing, £203; L. C. Roskruge, Audit, £296 13s 4d ; J. H. Sheath, Post Office, £306 13s 4d ; R. Snow, Customs, £220 ; E. J. yon Dadelszen, Registrar-General, £400; W. Whitehead, Customs, £122; C. A. Wray, Justice., £373 15s. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND SHARES At the instance of Mr. H. G. Ell, a return was laid before Parliament yesterday relating to tho 75,000 Government' shares in the Bank of New Zealand. The return shows that the price paid for the shares was £500,000, and the amounts received by the Government as dividends were as follow :—: — 1905, 5 per cent., £25,000 ; 1906, o pel cent., £25.000; 1907; 7£ per cent., £37,500; 1908, 7* per cent., £37,500; 1909, %% per cent., £43,750; making a total of £168,750. POULTRY. The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie), referring in thes House yesterday to Mr. Arnold's contention in favour of the continuance of the Government poultry depot at Dunedin, gaid he would be pleased to do so if the volume of business would wan ant it. It was a surprising fact that the Dunedin merchants had not supported the Government depot in the way they should have, and present indications pointed to the probability of other depots being closed down if the returns were not more satisfactory. RAILWAY POLICY. Replying to a 'complaint by Mr. Sidey as to an anomaly in railway fares in the South, the Hon. J. A. Millar stated that th,e department intends to review the whole railway tariff at tho end of the y6&r.