POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 17484, 15 October 1920, Page 8

POLITICAL POINTS

[From Oua Pabliamentab-x Rxpobtkb.}

WELLLVGTON, October 14. " There can be no doubt that the Government will have to face the question of extending the school age or adopt- ■ ing a system of compulsory continuation classes," said the Minister of Education in -,the House to-day. New Zealand in this respect lagged behind ether coiurtries, but any such, reform involved a provision for more buildings and teachers. Figures which had recently been placed before him by the Education Department as to the number of boys and girls they would have to deal with indicated that the problem was not so difficult as some people suggested. He would shortly make a statement of the Government's policy in the matter. * * * COAL OUTPUT. The Mines Department has submitted to Parliament a return showing the numbers of miners and other mining employees in coal mines. The total in 1917 was 3,983; in 1918, 3,994 ; and last f year, 3,944. The average quantity of coal produced per person employed below ground was:— l9l7, 715 tons; 1918, 703 tons; 1919, 648 tons. * * * STAFF CORPS STRENGTH. j A return presented to the House shows ] that 437 temporary and permanent members weTO attached to the New Zealand Staff Corps on May 1, 1919, but the number has been reduced bv 140, and is now 237. * * * TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS. " MORE MATERLALS AVAILABLE. In a few months there will be a decided improvement in the telephone position in New Zealand (states the Post-master-General). Some improvement in the situation as regards materials is already being experienced owing to tho energetio steps that have been taken by the department. Poles are coming to hand from Australia. Crossarms are again being turned out ,in moderate quantities il\ the Auckland and Wellington districts from New Zealand rata, but the Australian supplies most commonly used for this work have not yet been received in any quantity. Copper wire suitable for linking up the different telephone exchanges by means of trunk lines is coming to hand, and there is also a sufficient quantity of the larger insulators used in connnection with the main line work of this kind. Moderate' supplies of small insulators for smaller (magneto) types of exchanges and for private lines are being manufactured in New Zealand, and will be received shortly. Telephones are in fair supply, and as exchanges, such as Hamilton, are being cut over to the automatic system telephones suitable for magneto exchanges are being released. Tele-, phone cables, wire, and insulators suitable for extending telephone circuits from these cables to subscribers' premises are not yet in sight; but every effort is being made by the chief telegraph engineer, now in London, to expedite the delivery of these essential items, as extension in many of the New Zealand centres is seriously hampered for the want of them. While endeavoring to meet the needs of various centres, the requirements of the backblock districts are not being lost sight of, and a number of private telephone lines that have for some time been held up for want of telephones and other accessories are now being supplied with i material essential to their completion. In a number of special cases a seventh party has been permitted to connect up temporarily with the six-party country telephone exchange line. In other cases local poles provided by the settlers are being erected as a temporary expedient. * * * A POLITICAL SHOCK.

The radicalism of Mr Isitt received two shocks in the House to-day. First he was confronted with the Government proposal to grant the freehold to Rotorua Leaseholders, and assisted to talk out a favorable recommendation. Later in the day he found Government supporters standing valiantly for the retention of property votes up to three in country affairs. "It ifi a rude shock to me," said the member for Christchurch North. " I find Reformers administering Liberal measure?. but when the progressive spirit of tho age hustles them out of one spot they lie down in another. They opposed progress once, but now recognise tliev were wrong : but they hang on to old principles like limpets on a rock. They assume that property 'goes with brains'" Mr Young asked why the Liberal Government did not Teraove the property qualification? Mr Isitt: Because the Liberal Government were busy placing on the Statute Book all sorts of advanced measures in the teeth of great opposition. The final shock came when, on a division. Government supporter? retained the property qualification by 37 votes to 21. * * * SOUTH ISi.AND ELECTORATES.

It has been suggested to the Government by Mr T. K. Sidey that, in view of the further alteration of electoral boundaries, consequent upon the census to be taken next year, and in order to prevent a further enlargement of the already unreasonably large size of some of the country electorates of the Sotv'li Island, the Government should bring down legislation -to provide that the number of electorates in the South Island shall not be diminished below the number now existing ; that any further increase in the population of the North Island at a greater ratio than that of the South Island shall be met by an increase in the total number of electorates. * * * A PENSIONS POINT. New phases of the pensions claims are continually cropping up. Mr Statham raised one to-day, quoting a Dunedin case ■where a soldier who had divorced his wife died, leaving three children, who, under the present state of the law. ineligible, for a pension. Sir Win. Herries promised to look into the matter, and if there were numerous cases he would coneider it when amending the Pensions Act. "But." he added, "it is a lawyer's maxim that hard cases make bad law." * * # GOLD PURCHASES. An endeavor was made by Mr Edie to secure a return showing various phases of gol<? purchases and export since 1915, but he was informed by the Prime Minister to-day that transactions between the Imperial -Government and banks were con" Sdential, and the information was not available. * * * • CUSTOMS DUTY ON SPORTING GOODS. * If I am going to help one class of sport I shall have to help otters. I might be asked to take the duty off totalisators or golf clubs," Teplied Sir'Wra. Herries, Minister of Customs, in reply to the. request that racing boats should be admitted duty free, so as to assist rowing clubs. It was he added, an extremely difficult matter! and he was_ afraid his questioner would have to wait until a general revision of the tariff next session. Then he would be glad to support the proposal, because h<j -was aware that racing craft would not be made, in New Zealand