POLITICAL NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 153, 28 June 1912, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES

TRIBUTES TO DECEASED EX-MEMBERS MATTERS UNDER- REVIEW. Apart from th« formal proceedings yesterday little business was transacted in Parliament. There was the usual flood of questions, petitions, and motions, and both branches of the Legislature then adjourned after a tribute had been paid to several deceased ex-legislators. In moving a motion of condolence with the relatives of the deceased and appreciation of their public services, the Prime Minister said that since the House last met no fewer than six ex-memben* of the Legislature had passed away. The late Hon. James M'Gowan was a man who, had endeared himself to all ivho know him. His name had been identified with many of the advanced legislative Acts of Parliament. He- moved that the House should record ite appreciation of the late member's public services. The motion was seconded by Mr. Massey nt a kindly, well-phrased speech, which was at once- an eloquent tribute to the memory of the late Mr. M'Gowan. Sir Joseph Ward also added his tribute, and specially mentioned the fine spirit shown by Mr. M'Gowan when circumstances required that he should retire from Cabinet rank- That ha would never forget, and he would always hold Mr. M'Gowan'e memory in reverence. The memory of til© late Sir John Logan Campbell was similarly honoured. The Hon. Mr. M'Kenzie referred at 1 length to his public services and the munificent gifts he had presented to the public. He also specially referred to his bequeeb of £20,000 to found a Chair of Agriculture. Mr. Massey, in seconding the motion, said that Sir John Logan Campbell was one of the grandest men New Zealand had ever known. His name would never be forgotten in Auckland. The Hon. A. M. Myers also spoke in appreciation of the late Sir John's sterling services. Subsequently tie lato Dr. James Wallis and Mr. R. Monk (Auckland), the late Mr. Henry Hirst (OrepuM), and the late Mr. W. L. Rees , (Cisborne) were all honoured in tJie same manner, appreciation of the service* of each being placed on the records of the House after various sneakers had eulogised their good work! The House adjourned out of respect to the memory o£ the deceased till 2.30 o'clock tonday. Similar resolutions were adopted by the Legislative Council, on the motion of the Hon. 0. Samuels, who gave a waian tribute to the memory of the late legislators, and the council adjourned at 4.10 a« a, mark of respect tor the deceased members.' BILLS fO COME. Notice to introduce the following bills was given yesterday : — Land Agents Registration Bill (Mr. Witty), Workers Minimum Wage Bill (Mr. Payne), Public Service Reform Bill (Mr. Herdman), Workers' Right to Work and Wages Bill (Air. Payne), Marriage Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Fisher), Prevention of the Acquirement of Unearned Increments Bill (Mr. Payne), Arbitration. Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Payne), Legislature Act, 1908, Amendment Bill (Mr. Hindmarsh), Limitation of Distress for Kent Bill (Mr. Hindmarsh). PROFIT SHARING. Mr. Wilford yesterday gave notice to move r — "That it be an instruction to the Government to at once obtain for this House full information and statistics in reference to the profit-sharing and co-partnerehip operations of the thirty gas companies »» Great Britain, and to furnish to this house, at once, any information it may be in poeseasipn of in relation to the same; and especially the statistics produced by Sir George Liversay in relation to Earl Greys suggestion re profit-sharing and co-partnership." COST OF LIVING. Mr. Pearco' wants, the Government to arrange forthe Royal Commkeioa on the cost of living to sit in some of the country district*, so that the farmers may have facilities for giving evidence — at Hawera, for instance, it being the centre of a large dairying district. COMFORT FOR INFANTS. "Will the Minister of Railways, on the lone-distance trains, have a carriage reserved for the exclusive use of mothers and others travelling in charge of children?" This question was yesterday ask«d by Mr. George Hunter. MILITARY TRAINING. Mr. Witty (Rkcarton) yesterday gave notice to ask the Minister of Defence : Whether^ he will favourably consider the advisability of simplifying the military regulation regarding administering the oath to lads under eighteen years of age, or the alternative of doing away • with it altogether? LOCAL RAILWAY TRAFFIC. Will the Minister of Railways have a report made as to the cost of a tunnel from the Hutt-road to Tawa Flat, and also the cost of making a railway from Paremata to Paekakariki, in order to obtain a level railway line from Wellington to Manawatu? Question asked by Mr. Newman yesterday. RECENT TRAMWAY STRIKE IN WELLINGTON. . Has the fine of £100 which the Wellington Tramways Union ivas .ordered to pay in connection with the recent tramway strike in Wellington been collected? Enquiry by Mr. Herdman. THE LATE MR. SEDDON. Sir Joseph Ward occupied a eeat in the rear benches yesterday. The only question ho asked was the following, which will be answered in due course on Wednesday nest : — "Will the Prim& Minister make the requisite provision this tyCEsion for the erection of the- pro inked public monument to the memory of the lat© Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, towards the coat of which a considerable sum of money contributed by. the public and by the employees of tlie Railway aorvice is lodged in the Public 1 Account?" TELEGRAPH SERVICE. The telegraph receipts for the financial y?ar ; including telephone exchange subscriptions, private-wire rente, etc., amounted to £474,458 6» lOd, as compared with £434,115' 19s 84d in 1910-11 —an increase of £40,342 7s*~l£d, or 9.29 per cent. The expenditure was £469,716 17s 7d ac against £446,709 • 17s Id for the previous year — an increase of £23,007 0s 6d, or 5.15 per cant. There were 11,805 miles of line and 39,370 miles of wire at the close of the year — an increase of 489 and 2158 miles respectively. The net expenditure out of Public Works Fund for telegraph extension was £147,--692 6s Bd, as compared with £111,867 13s Id in 1910-11. The number of private wires and'eubsidised lines was 519, as compared with 536 in 1910-11. The amount received for rent and maintenance, etc., of such lines was £3325 17s 4d, as against 33712 ISs 4tl in 1910-11. Tli© total number of te-legraph and telephone offices open at the close of the year was 2081. Of these, 310 wore Morse telegraph offices and 1771 were telephone offices. The total number of telegraph and telephone office*, combined with post offices was 1717 ; not combined, 334. The number of telegrams of all codes forwarded during the last financial year was 9,060,138— au increase of 702,180, or 3.40 per cent, over 1910-11. Bureau communications increased 'from 2,031,376 to 2,360,UH.