POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 19 June 1926, Page 5

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

DAIRY CONTROL. i; £ OPPOSITION TO COMPULSION. BY CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COBYBIGHT. (Bv Telegraph—Special to The Star.) WELLINGTON, June 18. While Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P. for Wanganui, has threatened to introduce a Bill dealing with the proposal to exercise compulsion over the.control of the export of dairy produce, Mr J. Nash, a Government member, is also antagonistic to the board's policy. He has tabled a question to the Prime Minister urging the Government to introduce legislation to provide for the repeal of the compulsory clause of the Dairy Export Control Act, "which, he declared, takes away from the producers the right they now enjoy to sell their own produce. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME. The Government is not forcing the pace at the opening of Parliament. It is proposed to introduce the usual monthly Imprest Bill on Tuesday and to commence the Addrcss-in-Reply debate on Wednesday evening.. This, it was explained by the. Prime Minister, would prevent any interference with the debate to discuss a Bill, and - the debate* he added, in a hopeful tone, will hot take long. There were many smiles, so Mr Coates declared: “I do not see why it should.” “We have plenty to say,t’ interlated a Labour member. coneluded the Prime. Minister, .“members may not. agree with me..” To-day’s sitting of the House was a brief one and was devoted to passing condolence motions in respect to deceased legislators. „

“HATS OFF.” It must have been a new messenger in the House who \yas filled with'horror at a gentleman in the; corridor actually wearing his hat.- A peremptory order to remove the headgear produced a positive refusal, .y There: was - a"? policeman, and appeal to him resulted only in a smile from the representative of the law, who recognised in the offender an old member of the Lower House who has recently been- translated to the Legislative.,CouncU., “I have never removed, my,, hat in. parliamentary corridors for 2.'1 years, and I’m not going, to. do.it now,” remarked the legislator, as he walked away. . - SOUTHERN SEATS; ' PERMANENT NUMBER SUGGESTED. " : ( ... Government attention" was called by Mr Sidey to the suggestions made by a representation commissioner for dealing with difficult positions due to constant changes in., the South Island electoral boundaries, and the loss of seats, leading to unduly'large electorates. Mr Sidey remarked .that some of the Southern electorates were already unworkable, and he hoped the Government would bring down legislation to amend the electoral law in "one of two ways which, he indicated. One is l to- settle a quota upon, a, basis for tlie Soutlr Island population in relation to the present number of seats, and to give the North Island a sufficient number of seats to represent each • quota in that Island, the southern constituencies, to remain at thirty, while the North Island seats will increase in number as required. The alternative is to adopt another suggostion from the; representation commissioner that the number of European members of the House be increased to eighty, providing 48 for the ' N ( orth Island and 36 for the South) and that this allocation be not changed for ten years, when the position will be t again reviewed. As this question was placed on the Order Paper, it will give < the Government time to prepare a reply. '