POLITICAL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 17793, 15 October 1921, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES

[From Otm Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 14. “THE MINORITY PARTY.” The criticism had been frequently "directed agaiqst the Government that it represents a minority of the electors, but when Mr Sullivan gave notice that ho intended to put a question to this effect on the Order Paper the Prime Minister quickly took r.p the challenge, anil gave in® suggestion an emphatic denial. Mr Sullivan had hardly resumed his scat, when Mr Massey replied; “ I do not acknowledge that there is a minority party in power, and I am absolutely certain that if tha Reform Party faced the electors ■ next week it would be returned with a bigger majority.” Mr .Sullivan’s question directed attention to the fact thab_ the Christchurch City Council alternatively tried the antiquated first-past-the-post system of election and then Proportional Representation, and after having abandoned the latter returned to it at the last election of councillors, when it proved a striking success. Ho asked the Prime Minister to inform the House if he desires a continuance of minority government in this country, and if not what alteration ho proposes in the electoral law to prevent thq election of a Government that is not representative of_ a majority of the electors of this Dominion. , * * * * WRITTEN OFF; PUBLIC LOSSES. ... -The Audit Office has submitted to Parliament particulars of £26,285 representing the value of deficiencies in cash stores or supply for which Parliament's authority is required to write off items. The reasons for writing off are as follows: Deficiency stores in Chalmers Military Hospital, owing to inter-mixture of mihtarv and civil equipment, leases by theft and breakages, £612; deficiency of equipment stores at Auckland Military Hospital to the value of £2,322. The Crown Solicitor advised that the responsibility could not he placed on the Auckland Hospital Board alone, and that legal proceedings could not be taken against that board for recovery of the sum. ’Neither the Hospital Board nor the Defence Department appear to have taken any steps to check the equipment supplied to or taken away from the hospital. Equipment Stolen from Queen Mary’s Hospital, Hanmer.—The losses occurred through patients taking underclothing away, and the checking system being faulty, £217. Advances, etc, under Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act----The debtors now deceased, left New Zealand, untinancial, ' £10,513. Charter of s.s. Tutanckai.—Amount outstanding against .Southern Isles Exploitation Company, which has gone into liquidation, with *no_ likelihood of unsecured creditors receiving money, £1,174. Repatriation.—Balance of loans, etc., outstanding and irrecoverable, grantees having died or left the country, £*0,675. Value of Defence stores destroyed, lost, etc., £4,570. # * * * WHEAT IMPORTATIONS. MINISTER TALKS OF SMART PRACTICE. Complaints have been made during the session that the importations of fowl wheat have been badly controlled, and that importers have been allowed to charge higher prices than New Zealand wheatgrowers secure. Air Young (Waikato) revived the question to-day, with the result that the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Ncsworthy) spoke in strong terms in his reply. Ho admitted that there had been ascarcity of fowl wheat, which had led to importations, and that there was some difficulty at first about shipping. “ I had to exercise my power as Minister,” lie continued, “to stop certain firms from handling the wheat, because I did not get a straight run. They wanted to carry on some of the games they tried in a previous season, but they were bowled out. I could give the names privately.” Air Young interjected that his complaint came from the Poultry Association. The Minister retorted that some of tho firms connected with tho poultry industry did not exercise their permit in tho interests of this industry, but in favor of a few friends. He thought that when full information was available his questioner would realise there was no cause for the dissatisfaction which seemed to exist. * * * * PUBLIC SERVICE THEFTS. NO EXCEPTIONAL INIQUITY. Seventeen defalcations by Public vants are enumerated by tho AuditorGeneral in his report to' tho House, tho offenders having in every instance been punished by the courts. Tho AuditorGeneral contends that tho publicity given to these cases should not create the impression of special iniquity on the part of Public servants. The fact is that offenders of this nature appear to bo'always more common or more commonly disclosed during periods of financial stress, tho reasons for which aro not far to seek. But it need not bo set forth that tho rcal cause of tho seemingly large proportion of Government employees involved _in these eases, ho says, arises from the simple fact that in every instance of such offence in tho service proceedings aro instituted in accordance with what is ruled to bo Audit Office duty, whereas in tho case of private or proprietary employees there is often no action taken for such misdeeds, either as a matter of policy or for some like equivalent. Evon_(Uiider these conditions prosecutions taken by audit outside tho Public Semce-ythat is with regard to local body officials and tho like—hear at least an equal proportion to those instituted against Government servants when 'the respective numbers of each aro taken into account. And I trust that hereafter a luster view will bo entertained of the reliability and integrity of the vast majority of tho officers of tho Public Service, ■* * * * LEGALISING ILLEGALITIES. WARNING TOTOCAH .BODIES. The rapidly-growing practice of using the annual Washing-up Bill, to validate violations of statutes by local bodies is strongly criticised in tho Auditor-General’s annual report. Ho suggests that unquestionably two years’ rigid enforcement of the law would have highly beneficial, disciplinary effect*?, reduce deputations, and tho demands for condoning legislation to a minimum. To pursue tho present course multiplies tho evil annually. Tho present practice constitutes one of tho most baffllno', disheartening impediments with winch tho Audit Office has to contend with in its endeavor to secure observance of statutory obligations. It is submitted that sound and, in tho main, wise principles of law cannot bo modified or overridden year after year to meet local demands without undermining that respect for them which is essential to the maintenance of tho proper standard and conduct of local body administration, or of any typo of statutory administration. Where undue hardship or unanticipated injury results from tho application of tho general law relief is warranted, but not for tho deliberately wilful contraventions thereof, which certain astute local bodies now indulge in,’ relying upon escaping from the consequences thereof by a procere which apears to bo all the more easily operated if tho matter at issue is of consteerable magnitude. * * * * LAND DELAY ON OCEAN MAILS. Tho necessity for speeding up the distribution of overseas mails on their arrival in the Dominion was urged upon tho Post-maeter-Genoral by Dr Thacker. He complained particularly about tardiness in the delivery of mails which arrived at Auckland. and Wellington, A mail that had arrived at Auckland on Saturday was not delivered in Christchurch until the following Saturday. A mail which had been landed at Wellington took throe to four days to reach Christchurch. Tho Hon, J, G. Coates promised to investigate tho maitetr.

DRILL VERSUS GAMES. Military training comes first, but provision is made to fit in games with, tho-ir duties,” was tho reply of Sir Heaton Rhodes to a strong plea from Dr Thacker that Territorials and Cadets should not bo obliged to attend drills on _ halfholidays, when thy ought to bo enjoying healthy re-creation. IMPORTED COAL PRICES. Tho Prime Minister lias agreed to furnish a return, at Air Edic’s request, showing tho price per ton of coal imported from overseas, giving tin' country Irom which the coal came, together with the price per ton. * * * * INCOME TAX HARDSHIP. BUSINESS AND FARMS. Attention was called to a remarkable | aaomalv in income-tax assessmentmctncxls l>v Mr Witty to-day. The question hinges oh tho official interpretation of tho word 1 " business.” If a man in ordinary business rims a farm and loses on farming ho can irnuip tho whole oinl tuo net result is subject to taxation; but it a salary earner conducts a farm at a mss ho is liable to income 1-a-x mi. his fahiry reranllcss of loss from the other activity. Air Witty asked the Finance Minister to correct this anomaly. Mr Massey said ho was not aware of it, but undertook to have tho matter investigated, for if it were correct it required amendment at the first opportunity. * # * * INSURING PUBLIC BUILDINGS. Several years ago the Government instituted a lire insurance fund for public buildings, which had hitherto boon uninsured. The sum of £IO,OOO had to bo invested annually against this contingency until the total readied £IOO.OOO, when the fund would ho maintained at this point. The Postmaster-General was able to in form the. House to-day that £60,000 is invested as an insurance fund with (he Public Trustee. Some public buildings had been replaced from the fund. Post offices were covered, but railway stations, for some reason, "'ere not included. -X- X- -X- ■xHELP FOR CROWN TENANTS. To assist tenants of the Crown, leaseholders especially, on pastoral country during the period of low prices for meat and wool. Air Isitt suggested to the Minister of Lands that thov might secure tho postponement of rent without a handicap of 10 per cent, m addition for non-payment to date. The Minister of Lands replied that anything the Government could do to help its tenants would be done. Ho viewed these cases sympathetically, and had been able to give this assurance to a number of firms dealing with Crown tenants who had made representations in their favor. Air Forbes ; Docs it require an amendment of the lawfl Tho Minister: No. * it * # LOCAL LOANS INTEREST. As the latest batch of Orders in Council agreeing to local bodies’ loans specifics interest of 6.j per cent., and in one case of 7 per cent,, tho lion. J. A. llanan inquired of Air Alassey what principle is followed in approving of those loans. The Prime Minister replied; ‘‘The Government gave consideration to tho special circumstances and fixed 6] per cent, as the limit of interest. They did not always agree to tho proposals of local bodies regarding interest.'’ * -if * * CHECK ON DEPUTATIONS. Afr .Massey hinted earlier in tho week that, bo intended to put a chock on the indiscriminate deputation habit. To-day lie announced that in tho future he would receive deputations on Alondays and Thursdays only. Air Witty immediately retorted that Monday was a bad day for southern members, as most of them went homo for tho week-end and did not return until Tuesday morning. Northern members suggested that the first day in the week could bo reserved for them; but their southern confreres did not altogether approve of this, and pleaded with tho Prime Minister to make another arrangement. Air Massey’s reply was as succinct as it was disconcerting. “Very well, I will confine it to Thursday.” * * * » SECOND READINGS. On tho motion of the Hon. Downie Stewart, tho House last evening read the Land .Agents Bill a second time pro forma and referred it to tho Statutes Revision Committee. The second reading of tho l/ocal Bodies’ Loans Bill was also affirmed, the Hon. Air Stewart explaining that tho measure was designed to remedy difficulties now facing local bodies in tho matter of finance.