WELLINGTON TOPICS

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 10 August 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

MEMBERS' FREE PASSAGES

DECLINED WITH THANKS

(Special Correspondent.) : WELLINGTON; Aug. 9

It \v.is left to Mr T. K. Sidey, tho membar for Dunedin South, to boll tho cat in connection with the free passages, between Wellington and Lyttelton offered to the South Island ■members of Parliament by tho Union Company. During .the discussion of the Estimates'on Friday evening ho called tho attention of the Prime Minister to the matter, -and suggested very delicately the acceptance of such favors by the people's representatives from a proprietary cc.nje.in would place the beneficiaries in an invidious position and establish a very undesirablo precedent. Mr M-assey concurred with Side}-, and. after explaining

how the tree passages cam© to be

offered announced his intention to make the members' travelling expenses a charge upon tho public

funds,

THE COLL APSE.D DEBATE,

There were some recriminations in the House' on Friday night concerning the cp.ll-ip.sG. of the Financial Debate, Mr W'ilford implying that members who hjid wished to speak on the Budget had been tricked out of their opportunity to. do:-so, and Mr Ma«3ey' indignantly repudiating the suggestion" The truth of the matter appears to / be that quito a number oi 1 members were out of the House preparing their speeches and relying upon Mr J\ P. Luke, who; had moved the adjournment on the' previous day. keeping tho "pot boiling"' for his futll hour. But Sir Luke sent word to the that ho would bo unable to continue the talking and Mr Georgo Hunter,'who took his place, held the floor for only twenty minutes' or so. Then tho Prime Minister got his opportunity, and . took it, probably as any other leader would, have dene. .GETTING TO WORK, Mr Massey promises that members of the House will bo kept more fully occupied for the Vest, of the session than they have I.een .for the five or fax weeks just pa»t; To-morrow's Order Paper is a fairly full one, rii.cHjdirig the Civil List Bill and the Standard Time.Bill. The Civil List. Bill proposes the increase of Minis■'tor's' and members' sailaries, and, though it does not contain a great ideal of controversial matter a considerable number of members may wish to explain how the additional pay will benefit their constituents and the -country. The £450 a year noiv suggested is not .considered by any means excessive, indeed it is quite possible a further increase will be prow posed;, but it,is ; generally thought this is a matter for the Government to determine1. ENDOWMENT LANDS. Thero ;vas a little flutter among the (Id 'leasehold stalwarts remaining in the House on Friday when Mr D. H. " Gut brie, tlie Minister for Lands, signified his intention during tho present session of giving Parliament ":\ chance . of removing' the national endowment barrier." There would be no robbing of the endowments, 'he declared; but the Government would give tho setters the right if they brought the* land into productivity to. make it their own. Mr Guthrie did not explain how this would bo done, but in reply to. An 'interjection from Mr Witty lie said if the member for Kiccarton had a littlo experience :<n bursting up big estates he would not talk so confidently about this prfcleess. Bursting up sometimes cost more-than the value of the land. The present House,, 'with the exception of the official Labor section,, is not very keen on tho land question, and. the members of this section, unliappily, do not dirot their zeal with a great deal of understanding. -

"Ac]vantage is a better soldier than rn.shne.sis." Vn other words, a cough nipped in the bud is worth two on tho chest. Wise folk, therefore, take Baxter's Lung Preserver. This dependable preparation promptly charms away colds, coughs, bronchial and chest troubles, ensuring lasting relief. It is pleasant to the taste and children take it readily. Baxter's Lulls; Preserver has many healthj-giv-ing properties, being especially valu•\t>le a.s a tonic. Of all grocers. Got

\xrge 2s 6d bottle to-day.—Advt