POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13875, 8 October 1908, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

A BUSY DAY. EARING THE END. [BI TELEGRAM.-—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. Good progress has been made by both Houses to-day. The aim of the Government is to bring the session to a. close by the and. of the week, but ; t is still uncertain whether the intervening time is sufficient. for the business that remains to be done. Members are becoming seized with the " home fever," and are nnxiou.. to get away, and it is stated that a large number will leave on Friday, whether the House prorogues or not. AN AUCKLAND PETITION. The M to Z Petitions Committee reported to-day on the petition of John McLeod, of Auckland, who asks that his -son may be granted further remuneration for services performed as a commissioned officer in the Ninth Contingent. The committee reaffirmed its recommendations of last year, in respect to a similar petition, vizi, that in view of the admitted facts that this officer received a commission from the New Zealand Government, and served as a lieutenant in South Africa, and, further, that he was not responsible for the non-confirmation of his commission by ■ the Imperial Government, the committee is of opinion that the petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, ORAKEI NATIVE RESERVE. An amended report by the Native Land Commission on the Ornkei native reserve was presented to tho House to-day. la referring to the previous report, the Commissioners say:—"lt appears from subsequent intorniation and inquiries made that ! the returns as supplied to us by the Native Department were inaccurate as to the date and terms of some of the leases.'' The summary, as shown by the readjustment, is as follows:—For Maori oecuoat tion, 85 acres 21 perches; leases to bo validated, 495 acres 5 roods 6 perches: area for settlement, 62 acres 3 roods 7 perches. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. The Prim© Minister was asked to-day by Mr. Stall worthy a question relating to the medical dispute in Auckland, which has already been printed ir the Herald. Sir Joseph Ward replied that it was difficult to eee in what manner the Government could interfere in such a dispute. He hoped to be able to make the fullest inquiries into the position, with a view of securing, if possible, the'rights of friendly societies in their laudable efforts on behalf of the sick and distressed. Dr Chappie protested against the insinuation that the medical proieesion in Auckland was antagonistic to. the interests oi friendly societies. It was unfair to say that this "was the case simply because the doctors had asked a certain remuneration for their services. There had been no increase in the fees paid by friendly societies tc their doctors for several years, notwithstanding that the methods of the treatment oi disease had considerably improved. He took . exception to the statement that people died through the lack of medical attention. .There could -be no reason / for - this whilst / they had hospitals free* to all, and friendly societies who supplied their members and their families with medical services and medicine for £1 a year. Doctors generally, he said, did a very great deal ; of work without any payment at all. As for the action of the doctors in Auckland, it was not antagonistic to the interests of 1 _ patients, but was only a •proteet against the action of the societies who had tried to force them to work at a certain price. It was a -known fact that no rule of medical etiquette was ever allowed to over- . ride the interests of a patient. , The Prime Minister said that he agreed with a. great deal of what Dr. Chappie had said. Doctors often did a great deal of work without pay or recognition of any kind. The trouble between the doctors ' ' and the friendly societies at Auckland was one of long standing, but he hoped that . some satisfactory mod 113 vivendi, by which the dispute could be ended, would he shortly brought about. MONOPOLY PREVENTION BILL. The Monopoly Prevention Bill is a short measure, extending par* one of the former {Act regarding agricultural implements till ; December 31i 1910. ' THE MAORI AND THE NAVY. ..It appears that a reply has been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies -fcbout the refusal to allow a young Maori to enter the navy, but it was of a confidential nature, and its contents were conveyed confidentially to Sii William Steward, who wrote about the case of the Maori referred to. ARBITRATION AMENDMENTS. ; The conference of managers of both Houses tc consider the amendments in the Arbitration Bill is fixed for 11 o'clock to-morrow morning in the Council Chamber, ' r, THE RAILWAY SERVICE. Mr. Hogan to-day gave notice to ask the Minister for Railways, (1) Whether it is a fact that owing to provision being made /for paying married men a minimum of £130 per annum, instructions have been issued that only single men are in future to be employed as casuals in the various departments of the railway service, and that married men have already been refused employment; and (2) if these instructions have been issued without his knowledge, will he order their immediate cancellation. 1 , JOTTINGS. : The M to Z Petitions Committee recommends that the petition of Margaret Pinkerton, of Dunedin, for a compassionate allowance 011 account of the services of her lite husband in both Houses of Parliament sbould be referred to the Government for favourable consideration.