POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 584, 12 July 1913, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

SIR JOSEPH WARD. The programme drawn up for the ' welcome home of Sir Joßeph Ward ' provides that the ferry buat Duchess ' will be chartered to take the com- ! mittee out to meet Sir Joseph s ateamer. If the weather be unfavourable for an outdoor demonstration, it has been arranged to hold the welcome in one of the Harbour Board's big sheds. Sir Joseph wil be conducted to the Post Office Square if the day be fine, and addresses will be given. There will be three bands preents. In the evening a big reception will be held in the Town Hall, at which Mr J P. Luke, Mayor, will be asked to preside. It is also intended to escort Sir Joseph to the Parlimentary Buildngs after the reception. LEVEL CROSSING. Answering a suggestion advanced by Mr Myer? regarding automatic warnings at level crossings, the Hon. Mr Herries states: —Tire question of installing warning bells or other signals at level crossings is engaging attention with a view to seeing whethei it is practicable to devise a scheme that will be reliable, as it will be readily understood that any automatic appliance which failed at a critical moment would be a source of danger rather than a safeguard to persons using crossings." In reply to a further query, (he Minister explained tha 1 . a comprehensive report on the dangerous crossings throughout the Dominion is being obtained by the department on the receipt of which the whole question of minimising the dangers of such crossings will be considered. The Minister explained, in the course of the afternoon, that wherever possible, he was reducing the number of level crossings and refusing to sanction new ones. If also he could get a Bill through this session, relieving the Government of responsibility in the event of failure on the part of the apparatus, he would probably instal automatic warning signals at level crossings. AUSTRALIAN RECIPROCITY. When the Commonwealth Labour Government was defeated at the recent elections it wa9 felt that to some extent the chances of the reciprocal trade agreement between Australia and New Zealand, which had been negotiated between the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher and Mr Tudor had been destroyed. The latest advice from Melbourne, however, is more encouraging. Mr Tudor, the defeated Minister for Customs, has announce that he will still do hia best though in Opposition, to see the proposals realised. More important is the declaration of the new Prime Minister, Mr Cook, that his party will do all that is possible to advance the reciprocal agreement in favourable lines. "Inter-Empire trade is our idea," he said. "We believe there Bhould be as much preferential trade as possible." With this declaration on record, the prospects of the agreement being introduced to the House this session are improved.