POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 19637, 17 August 1927, Page 12

POLITICAL POINTS

OPPOSITION LEADER'S HEALTH [Fjwu Our I’AKLUMii.vrAiir Urpoami.] August 10. Leave of absence for Tour days was {ranted to the Leader of the Uppostlion, Mr H. E. Holland, on the motion -jf Air Howard, ou the ground of illhealth. Mr Holland sull'crs constantly from trouble in one ley, and ho is never absolutely free from pain. Unfortunately, on a recent week-end visit to Blenheim he tripped and heavily jarred tho injured limb. For a week ho has been endeavoring, by resting, to get back to normal, but futrlier treatment is needed. * * * * HUSTLED OFF—ROYAL RECEPTION INCIDENT. An incident which occurred when the Duke and Duchess of York visited Wanganui is the subject ot a parliamentary petition presented by Air .Veitch ou behalf ot Janies Aitkcn, 15. A., a member ot the Wanganui Education Board, a retired schoolmaster. He states that he was entrusted with the duty ot superintending the provisioning ot scholars and teachers who came to Wanganui for the Royal visit. Ho accompanied them to Cook's Gardens, taking a camera to secure a photograph and mementoes, lie took six views, getting snaps of their Highnesses as they passed the spot where lie stood, and, so tar as he was aware, he did not obstruct the Royal parly in any way. Petitioner was then seized by a police sergeant, and, without the slightest warning, was dragged 25yds across the parade ground. lie subsequently made oflicial complaint, and was informed that the police bad requested him to keep out of (ho way or leave tho place, as ho had no authority to be there. This statement, declared the petitioner, is absolutely contrary to fact. He complained to the Minister of Justice, who suggested that the matter should bo allowed to drop, and that, in his opinion, Aitkon was in the wrong. .Petitioner demands that tho matter bo investigated by some authority, enabling him to prove that, yirior to being roughly handled, he had not boon spoken to by the police. Finally, ho states that be was appointed to tho commission of tho peace seven years ago, “and ventures to hope you will not consider him overfastidious with regard lo_ Ids reputation for personal veracity.” « * * * EDUCATION BOARDS—AN UNCOMMUNICATIVE MINISTER. “I shall be glad if the lion, mein her will put that question on the Order Paper,” was all the satislaction obtained by Air Jordan (Alaimkau) when lie endeavored to extract, by way of urgent question, a statement trom Air Wright (Minister ot Education) regarding the future of education boards. Mr Jordan stated that he was constantly getting resolutions irniu school committees, and he believed other members woro also being communicated with, mentioning that the statement had gone abroad that education boards were either being abolished or their powers seriously curtailed, 110 would bo glad if tho Minister would make a statement to the House on a matter .which was causing so much concern. Tho Ministerial" reply deferred the info’rmtaion. * $ * * TWO HOLLANDS, An allegation by the .Leader ol the Opposition that some of his correspondence from Samoa had apparently been interfered with was the subject ot a Ministerial statement by Mr Noswurthy (Minister of External Affairs) to-day. Reports had been secured from Samoan officials, and it was made clear that the Samoan postal officials had found it necessary to call the attention of the Hon. G. L. Westbrook to the fact that his correspondence was being posted in envelopes so flimsy that they gavo_ no protection to the contents. Mr Mcslbrook, in a letter to the Administration Secretary, remarked that bo made no accusations against the Samoan Post Office, and if the Leader of the Opposition brought up tho matter in Parliament it was his complaint, and not Air .Westbrook’s. There was an interesting sequel to the Ministerial statement. “You will have to change your name,” declared Air Atmurc (Nelson), after Mr H. .Holland (member for Christchurch North) had made a statement to tho House illustrating the disadvantage of having two “11. Hollands” in Parliament. The Christchurch member said be received a great many letters addressed “ 11. Holland. 1 ” which were obviously intended for “ IT. E. Holland,” and lie had one in lii.s pocket at that moment. There was scarcely a, day when this did not occur, and on one occasion he received a letter from the Administrator of Samoa addressed “H. Holland, Esq., ALP., Wellington,” which ho opened, and sent on to his namesake. Correspondents were exceedingly careless, and the Post Office could not be blamed. He could honestly say that he bad never revealed any of tho contents of any fetter lie had received by mistake. * * * -t WHERE ARE THOSE PROPS? The large advertisements issued on behalf of the Reform campaign last election constitute to-day a valual.de stock-in-trade of tho Labor Opposition. Their speakers are ever ready to remind the Prime Minister that lie is the much advertised man who “gels things done.”

Mr Jordan (Maiiukau) made it the subject of a Budget debate point in the House to- day, but Jio started before lie ■was quite ready, and in a stage, whisper, “Where are those props,” Jie had to explain a slight delay while he pulled from beneath a pile of papers a page advertisement of the election campaign starring Mr Coates. The interesting part of this overworked juke was that the newspaper sheet had become so tattered by hard use that it had been mounted on heavy brown paper so as to preserve it for future arguments.