POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 5

POLITICAL POINTS

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, August 15, THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Questions in relation to tho electoral rolls wore asked in the House this afternoon. In reply to Mr Witty, the Prime Minister stated that he understood that tho rolls were not ready for distribution and perusal, although they were being printed. As soon as he got word floor the department that they were completed he would let the House have them. _ Mr J. R. Hamilton later asked if it was a fact that the returning officer’s fee had been reduced from £sl to £2l. He emphasised the amount of work entailed in making arrangements in country districts where there were some six to seven polling booths, and he thought the officers earned every penny of tho original tee Mr Massey said ho was not aware that the fee had" been reduced. He would bo very glad to look into the matter, and, if necessary, remedy it. .* * «■ » NOT PROFIT, BUT REVENUE. “I agree with the justice of these societies’ claim, and, though they are not out for profit, I am out for revenue,’ returned the Prime Minister when he was asked by Mr Wright this afternoon to exempt choral and other amateur musical societies from tho amusement tax. „ Mr Massey added that there would be a Bill this session on the subject, and, though he would like to c;rant as many exemptions as possible, he had to have enough money ’to carry on tho business of the country. « * * * THE MONEY MARKET. When the question whether loans should ho obtained locally or abroad was raised in tho Legislative, Council, Sir William Fraser said that during the war we pretty well exhausted the money in this country. The truth of the mat ter _ was that at present there was not sufficient liquid capital in the country, and wo simply had to go outside New Zealand to get money. Why did the Government go outside for the last loan but for this reason.: the people would not lend the money because they thought the value of our produce was not sufficiently stabilised to give stable value to the land. He thought it wonderful the amount of money Now Zealand had been able to raise ; it was a wonderful sum that had been raised for war purposes.

* « « « A DOUBTING REFORMER

Mr Clutha Mackenzie, Reform member for Auckland East, has joined the ranks of those who doubt the efficacy of the system of commissioner control of tho Public Service. To-dav he tabled a question to the Prime Minister to ascertain if, after ten years’ experience, he is satisfied tnat the "Government gets better service from commissioner control than from the old l system of Ministerial control of the Public Service, and, if so, whether the expense of the system is not disproportionate to the results. .

* * 4f « FULL POLITICAL RIGHTS,

A reminder of the Government's promise to pass legislation giving public servants full civil and political rights was provided in ilr Holland's question to the Prime Minister to-day, which left the matter somewhat indefinite. Mr Massey readily admitted that he had brought in a Bill to cover the requirements, but he pointed out that tho Legislative Council had thrown it out. But,"he added, if time and opportunity permitted, he was quite willing to bring in a Bill again this session. “Will you undertake to put it through the Upper House?” asked Mr Holland. “Ah, that’s the question,” said Mr Massey, who did not further elucidate his plans. # # * * POST AND TELEGRAPH ASSOCIATION. APPEAL TO~PAELIAMENT. “ Your petitioners pray that the Post-master-General will he instructed to produce the legal authority under which ho has, in the name of the Government, prohibited the completion of tho affiliation of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association with the New Zealand Alliance of Labor, and, failing his doing so, that ho be instructed to withdraw in toto his letter of April 7, 1922, under which ho advises the association that affiliation with the Alliance of Labor cannot be allowed.” So reads the petition of the Post and Telegraph Association presented to Parliament by Mr Holland on behalf of its executive. The petition sets out various incidents leading up to the taking of a poll among association members on the question of affiliation, and tho action of the Minister prior to and after the talcing of the vote by association members, which resulted in favor of joining the Alliance of Labor.