POLITICAL NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1929, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

WELLINGTON, September 24. COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS. Replying to suggestions that the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands should be opened to men on the clerical side of the Lands and Survey Department, as well as those on the surveying side, the Minister for Lands (Hon. Mr Forbes) said, in the House of Representatives to-day, that such was tite case in regard to certain appointments. He had agreed to a scheme by which men occupying what might be termed junior commissionerships should apply for the four senior commissionerships at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, while ,tliose applying for positions as Commissioner of any other district might be drawn from either side of the service. The Public Service Commissioner made the appointments, and tiie claims of men in either division would be equally considered. TO HASTEN BUSINESS. The House of Representatives to-day agreed that on and after to-morrow Government business will, for the remainder of the session, take precedence on Wednesdays. It was explained by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), that the House had been sitting 'for a good while, and that the Government required the additional day. So far business had not progressed with great speed. “Whose fault is that?” enquired Mr M. J. Savage (Lab., Auckland West). “The honourable gentleman’s,” replied the Prime Minister, who the next second corrected himself, stating that he thought it was some other member who had interjected. < In reply to questions by various members, the Prime Minister said that if the opportunity afforded itself, the Government would .be able to give facilities for the discussion of private members’measures on the Order Paper. There was still a good deal of Government business to dispose of, and he was anxious to have the important pnrtions of the legislation indicated in the published policy df the Government, placed on the Statute Book. PRIME MINISTER’S RESIDENCE. “ It is proposed to subdivide the land but to retain the residence and the area on which it stands for Government purposes,” said the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), in the House of Representatives to-day',’ in reply to a question by M.r It. Semple (Lab., Wellington East), who asked whether Cabinet had decided to sell the Prime Minister’s residence, whether the property would he subdivided, and whether it would be submitted to public or private auction. Sir Joseph added that the subdivided lands would be sold by public auction. 1 EXPORT OF GOLD. An enquiry of the Prime Minister .as to the effect 'the recent shipment of gold from New Zealand would have on the local bank rate was made by Mr F. It. Langstone (Lab., Waimarino), in a question given notice of in the House of Representatives to-dny. Mi Langstone enquired also whether the gold standard was the basis of the Dominion’s monetary system, whether contraction of the gold basis following the export referred to would lessen the credit available in New Zealand, and whether the Minister would, in the absence of an explanatory statement by the bank, make a statement of the position. THE GAMING BILL. Tiie Gaming Amendment Bill will be considered by the House of Representatives this session, according to an assurance given the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Coates), by the Prime Minister to-day. Mr Coates had pointed out that in previous Parliaments the sponsor of the measure (Sir George Hunter) had had an opportunity given for the second reading of the Bill. Would the same facility be given this session? Sir Joseph Ward replied that an opportunity would be given Sir George Hunter of testing the feeling of the House on this Bill. EXCISE ON NEW ZEALAND PETROL. The imposition of an excise duty of Tourpcnce a gallon on all motor spirits produced in Now Zealand is provided for in the Transport Law Amendment Hill, introduced into the House of Representatives to-day. The measure 'also makes provision for more elasticity in regard to nppli : cations for refunds of duty. Where an application is made late for statutory rein nds, the claim may he approved, loss a ten per cent reduction, if the Minister for Transport is satisfied that the tardiness was not the fault of the claimant.