PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1912, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

j'BY TELSOHAPH —PEK PBES3 ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The eventful second session of 1912 came to an end about midnight and Parliament has a fairly big record of work to its credit in spite of the political distractions of a party character. Public measures to the number ot 61 have been passed and 21 local bills have reached the Statute Book. The session started on June 27th and has included sixty-nine meeting days of 552 hours, 80 hours after midnight, an average of eight daily which is about the normal. PARLIAMENT AT PLAY. While the Lower House waited last night for Mr. Speaker’s return from the Governor with the Vice Regal signature to the Appropriation Bill, members ran a parliament on unconventional . lines, their efforts to amuse the crowded galleries being fairly successful though it must be admitted that most interest lay in the contrast between these easy going doings -and the dignity of normal proceedings. The basis of the fun was a satire on the Orakei Model Suburb Bill. Hie worthy citizens of Auckland purposed establishing a model suburb in the Maori reserve at Orakei.

The Retaliatory Bill for the mock parliament’s consideration declared its purpose as the establishment of a Maori pah on the Auckland Citizen Domain or, as the Bill put it, with due regard to proper phraseology, “to build thereon a model kainga or pah in the paleolithic, Gothic, Corinthic, Graeco-Roman, Cumberland, catch-as-catch-can, or other styles and under the Marqufs of Quconsbury or Sporting Club rules.”

COMPLIMENTS FROM PARLIAMENT,

WELLINGTON, This Day,

The new Prime Minister heartily congratulated Sir Arthur Guinness last night upon the skill and ability with which he had carried out his duties this session. It was duo to his cjualilies that the Parliamentary machine had run so smoothly and well.

Sir Joseph Ward, on behalf of the Opposition, also congratulated Sir Arthur Guinness upon the combination of tact and fairness he displayed in the chair. Sir Arthur Guinness, in reply, stated it affored him, great pleasure to preside over the doings of Parliament. He was glad to say that the now members had conducted themselves with a decorum which set a good example to all and enabled the Parliament of New Zealand to stand well among those of the Empire for the dignity of its proceedings.

SUGGESTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS “SPOILS TO THE VICTORS.”

An interesting discussion' arose in the House yesterday afternoon while the Supplementary Justice votes were going through committee as to the appointment of King’s counsel. Sir Joseph Ward asked by what method the selection of K.C.’s was made. Were they appointed for political consideration?

Mr Fisher: You have made appointments ; you ought to know. Sir Joseph Ward : We have never made appointments for political consideration. 1 am merely seeking information. Mr Fraser: You are suggesting evil thoughts. Sir Joseph Ward, amid general laughter, held that his young friend was mistaken. He just wanted to know whether men were appointed who had earned distinction, or what course was followed. “I also want to know why some of the largo smaller men are ignored altogether,” said the Rt. Hon. gentleman, who went on to remark upon the preponderance of Wellington appointments. Mr Isitt suggested that • the method adopted by the present Government was ‘‘spoils to the \ictors,” which caused ironical Government laughter. This brought a very earnest denial from the Minister of Justice, who declared that the method adopted was exactly that followed by the Ward Government. In England the distinction was only given on the recommendation of the Chief Justice. The geneltmen appointed were fond of throwing wild imputations of the profession. The member for Grey Lynn declared that it was sufficient to cause a certain amount of suspicion when one of the appointments was the chairman of the Reform Party in Wellington, When in opposition the present Government Party v'ere fond of thowing wild imputations of impurity against the Liberal Government. Now their work was distinctly open to suspicio*.

After furtlior discussion, Sir Joseph Ward suggested that the Appellate Court should bo an itinerary Court, thus giving bigger chances for distinction to eminent lawyers in the different centres.