SESSIONAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 18333, 21 July 1923, Page 1

SESSIONAL POINTS

[From Odr Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, June 20, CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES.

Sir George Hunter gave notice to-day that he would move the appointment of Mr J. A. Young (Hamilton) as Chairman of Committees. The decision will probably be made by the House on Monday, and it is predicted that Mr Young will get a majority if a candidate is nominated in opposition. He has been chairman of the Native Affairs Committee since 1912. This body is probably the hardest-worked select committee of the House, and -Mr Young has shown good capacity for chairmanship.

* i- » * POLITICAL INSINUATIONS

'Die. cheap innuendoes which a certain seel ion of the Press has recently been making against Mr Wilford, Leader of the Opposition, were condemned by the Hon. \". Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, in the II on so. The Minister ‘.-aid Ids attention had been drawn to the fact that many newspapers had stated that his speech during the Budget debate implied that the property at tho ITu.lt known as the Wilford Settlement, to which lie alluded, was purchased by the Liberal Government from a member of Mr Wilford’a family. “I did not say so in my speech,” said Mr Nosworthy, “nor did I imply in any way that suggestion. But as that inference has been drawn from tho speech I delivered in connection with this matter, I say I had no intention of-im-plying it. I know it is not correct, and if it is any satisfaction to the Hon. the Lender of tho Opposition, I desire to say that, as far as I am concerned and the Government, wo suggest nothing of the kind ; and if newspapers make that imputation, neither I, nor tho Government, am responsible. Mr Wilford thanked the Minister for hiu explanation, and for the fair way he had replied to the suggestion. Mr Milford added that he never for a moment imputed to the Minister any intention of so misleading the country, as he had not conceived tho idea that anything the Minister said convoyed the impression indicated in tho innuendo; but certain sections of the Press had seized on the speech for the purpose of indirectly snggWlimt in the worst possible method (by innuendo) that the Wilford Settlement was cither a property belonging to him or to the Wilford family, or somebody connected with tho family. Mr Wilford thanked the Minister for his denial!, because, the property was purchased from tha Mudgway Estate, and years afterwards, before it was cut up, it was christened, by way of compliment to the member for 1 lie district, in the same way as Herriesville, was so called out of compliment to the late Sir Win. ITervics. Yet one northern paper had ai-tn.illy referred to the settlement as Mr Wilford’s settlement. thus showing how far some, papers had gone in order to score a point against him. * * * * HAIRY FARMERS AND GUARANTORS, A petition has been presented by the member for Ohincmuri on behalf of twenty-five dairy fanners, shareholders in the Now Zealand Co-operativo Dairy Company. praying that Parliament refuse tn pass ’the Companies’ Bill, introduced by Government, enabling companies to repay the guarantors of the New Zealand Meat Packing and Bacon Company out of tho Dairy Company’s funds divisible among shareholders. The petitioners state that they cannot afford to have deductions made from their butter-fat cheques for such a purpose,. « #

RESTAURANT WAITRESSES’ HOURS Seventeen proprietors of Dunedin restaurant, confectionery shops, and soda fountains have petitioned the House, through tho Hon. W. D. Stewart, asking that legislation be passed enabling them to employ their female assistants up to 10.30 p.m. They state that the 9,30 p.m. limit imposes a great Hardship on this class of business, n.s a largo proportion of their sales take place after the entertain-ment-houses close, and that a largo number of people live in flats and utgend on restaurants for their meals.

DEFAULTS AND DEFALCATIONS. Two interesting returns were called for by the Hon. J. A. Ha.nan. One of these calls for details of cases of default and irregularities on tho part of State employees reported by inspectors or other officers in the Government departments during the years ended Juno 30, 1921-22 and 1932-23, the return to contain particulars of the officer defaulting, bis position and place, the amount deficient, particulars of default, amount recovered and in process of recovery, amount provided by Treasury guarantee or ether fund, punishment or action taken, etc. Tho other return is to detail tho cases of accounts reported as unsatisfactory by inspectors c other officers in the Government departments during tho years ended June, 1921-22 and 1922-23, such deficiencies being due to negligence, carelessness, or other irregularities considered not to amount to default