POLITICAL NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 24 June 1927, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

JOTTINGS FROM THE HOUSE

NO-CONFIDENCE AMENDMENT.

LABOUR PARTY’S MOVE

11Y TKLKGKAI'H SPECi.iI, xO THE STAR. WELLINGBTON, June 23. Among tiie earliest motions to be tabled in tiie House of Kepiesentati\ os was that of the intention by Mr. Holland. Leader of the Opposition, to move an amendment to the Address-in. Reply The party holds a meeting shortly, when its terms will be framed. Meanwhile, one indication of the points uppermost in the mind of the Opposition was given bv Mr. P. Fraser, who asks the Government whether, in view of the serious and unexampled amount of unemployment, and the continual recurience of this in the Dominion, it intended to introduce legislation this session recognising the right to work, prm iding for every unemp.oyed person able to work employment at award rates, or, failing this, to pay such persons, either by means of an insurance fund, as advocated by the national industrial organisations of labour, or an unemployment allowance sufficient for the subsistence of himself, wife and family and other dependents.

GAMING BILL ANNOUNCED

Private members of the House have limited opportunity of securing consideration of Bills, if they introduce them early enough. No time was lost by Sir George Hunter, in giving notice within the first hour of, the session to introduce an amendment to the Gaming Act, which he nominated for first reading on Wednesday, June 29. Another familiar measure brought promptly to the front was Mr. T. K. Sidey’s Summer Time Bid, the mover raising the only laugh of the sitting when he mentioned its name. Other private members’ Bills placed on the order paper are : Motor Omnibus Traffic Act (Mr. T. M. Wilford), Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment (Mr. Wilford), and Judicial Proceedings Regulation of Reports Bill (Mr. P. Fraser), who added that it proposes to regulate the reporting ol judicial proceedings, so as to prevent iniu.v to the public morals. The first local Bill was placed on the order paper by Mr. D. G. Sullivan,this being the 'Christchurch City Sanitation and Empowering Bill.

SENSITIVE AUCKLAND MEMBER

The member for Auckland East has tabled a question to the Minister of Justice inquiring whether the alarmist statement of Commissioner Mcllveney, regarding crime in Auckland, was made with the Minister’s concurrence.

THE SMALL FARMER

The leader of the National Party, Mr. G. W. Forbes, has asked.the Prime Minister if lie will have an investigation made into the economic position of small farmers of the Dominion with a view to providing some means whereby they may be assisted in their present difficult position.

land subdivision. The Hon. D. Buddo lias suggested to the -Minister of Lands, in a question, unit lie should introduce legislation limning it possible to provide a easii equivalent to'the present provision that in the subdivision of suburban land ror building sites, live per cent, of the area mast be set aside ror public purposes. DEPORTATION POWERS. The Leader of the Opposition faced a very uncompromising ft" rime Minister in the douse to-day when lie made a nrst hour attempt to stave off tiie gazetting of a Samoan, ordinance amending an emigration ordinance of 1924, so as to comer certain powers on the Administrator to deport persons guilty ox political otfences.

ALr. Holland raised the matte.r as an urgent- question, pointing out that it was extremely important, as the ' might be gazetted that night. It was proposed, lie said, to take away from native-born Samoans or Samoan-born whites, the exemption from deportation orders, and conferred on the Administrator the power to deport them. He asked the I'rime Alinister to withhold publication of the order until the House had had an opportunity of discussing it. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, who had previously remarked that while he would be" pleased to listen to a question, lie would not undertake that day to answer it, gave a reply to this query The Order-in-Counci 1, he said, clid not plate this power in the hands of the Administrator, but in the bands of the Governor-General in Council. “The next point is whether the order will be withheld. The Government have decided that they will proceed with (the Order-in-Council, which is completed, and it is only a matter ox publication.” Air. Holland: “And you did not give the House an opportunity of discussing it ?”

The Prime Minister: ‘‘The opportunity arrives when the “Gazette” notice is tabled in the House.” Mr. Holland: “Before it comes into operation ?” Mr. are well-informed on the issue and have decided to take certain action, and I am not able to hold out any hope that we lare likely to reiax the course decided upon.”