POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[From Our Special CoEßEsroxnF.XT.] ' WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. FACTORIES BILL.

As amended by the Labour Bills Committee the Factories Bill provides that the maximum hours of employment for women end children shall be forty-five hows per week, and for adult males forty-eight. The restrictions on overtime far .anale labour are to be done away -with, and wages are not to be allowed to male adults fcr 'holidays on New Year's Day, Christmas Day, Good'Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, and the birthday of the reigning Sovereign. Freezing works and dairy .factories are included in the industries exempted from the operations of the Act. MEMBERS' HONORARIUM.

As a result of a canvass of the House, only a small majority of members was found to be in favour of increasing the honorarium to £3OO, but, in view of the session being extended well into November, it is understood that the Premier will introduce the measure.

LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY. A counterblast to the numerous petitions against the sale of liquor in the King Country was presented to the House by Mr Lang, yesterday. The petitioners, 500 in number, urge that the time 'has now come when the restrictions placed upon the sale of liquor in the King Country should be removed. They urge in. support of, this that during the last few years there has been an exceptionally large increase in. the European population"'in that district owing to the settlement of Crown lands, together with the construction of railway end road works, that both the settlers and the travelling public suffer great inconvenience, owing to the want of proper accommodation in the different centres, and they are of opinion tlnvb sufficient and proper accommodation can only be provided by the granting of licenses, that according to police reports it would appear that the illicit sale of drink is largely on the increase and the petitioners submit that the granting of licenses in the various centres would be the best and only means of checkthis great evil. Finally, they protest against residents in other parts of the colory w'ho aire personally unacquainted requirements of settlers in the aistr'ict, continually petitioning the House against the granting of licenses an the King Country.