POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12328, 21 July 1903, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Monday; :

; ORDER OF BUSINESS. Thr length of the debate on the, Address-in-Reply has led to a large accumulation of business on the Order Paper. There arc no fewer than 265 questions awaiting Ministerial answers. It is expected that Tuesj day afternoon will mainly be devoted to wiping some of these off. The Order Paper also contains 29 Government Bills, 31 private members' Bills, three ideal Bills, and 51 notices Of motion. THE PIAKO SWAMP. : Mr. P. E. Cheal, Who is now in Welling-. ton, has. at the request of the Minister for Lands, obtained the consent of the .Speaker to hang in the members' lobby a lithograph Showing the position of the Piako Swairip, which it is proposed to drain and open up for close settlement. Mr. Clival has been giving members information on the subject, With a view to securing their consent to a sufficient, sum being placed on the Estimates this session to start drainage works. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE BILL. A good deal of interest attaches this year to Sir William Steward's Elective Executive Bill; which lias just been' circulated. It provides for the election of eight Ministers and one member of the Executive without Ministerial oflice by ballot of the members of the House of. Representatives. . Seven Ministers are to be elected from \ the House of Representatives arid one Minister and one member of the Executive, witJioub Ministerial Mice, from the Legislative Council. The election is to take place on the assembling of a hew Parliament, arid the Executive is to hold office till the opening of the following Parliament, unless a majority of them resign, when there shall be a new election. The voting is by ballot paper, but the member" voting his to -.sign' the ballot papery and the names of the members voting, ahd of the candidates for whom they voted, are to be recorded in the journals of the House. To secure election to the Executive a candidate has to secure a majority of the votes of the Hoilse, and there is provision for a second ballot.. The elected Executive is to-have power to select the Premier, and allocate the portfolios. On a vacancy occurring when Parliament is not ih Session the, Governor-in-Courteil shall fill the vacancy but only till Parliament assembles. Representatives of the native race on the Executive are to be appointed as heretofore, in accordance with the provisions of the existing law. r ' , JOTTINGS. ( - '•'

Mr. Kirkbride's Mutual Fire Insurance Bill is. expected to come on for second reading oil Wednesday. The Industries and Commerce Committee will sit to-morrow, when it is understood evidence Will be taken regarding the sale of frozen meat in England. The Auckland City members are arranging a deputation to Sir Joseph Waid, to urge th-j granting of a charter to the Commercial Trayeilets' Cltlb. There is, however, Some doubt, as to the Success of their mission, as the Government has previously declined to issue any fresh charters.