POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14224, 22 November 1909, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE LICENSING PROPOSALS.

WAITING FOR THE BILL. {BT TELEGRAM.— CORBESrONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. There is very little discussion in the lobbies at present regarding the licensing proposals, members being content to await the arrival of the Government's Bill, which may be looked for in the course of the next few days. The law draughtsmen are now engaged on the Bill, and Messrs. C. P. Skerrett (representing the " trade") and A. S. Adams (representing the New Zealand Alliance) are also as counsel assisting in the drafting of the vital clauses and watching the interest* of their respective parties. In the meantime the leaders of the two sides are not disposed to make any statements for publication. "We must wait for the Bill," they say. It is said that the measure may alter the general opinion in regard to some of the clauses of the agreement as already published, and it is oven stated that the " no-license no-liquor" clause may not be found to be so drastic as it has been represented to be. It is still an open question, judging by the opinions expressed by members, whether the Bill will go through this session.

NEW LAND POLICY. The leaseholders in the House are still talking of opposing tlie freehold proposals to the utmost of their ability- when the Land Bill gets into committee. Mr. Hogg, who is, of course, one of the extremists on the question, stated that the leaseholders are hopeful of being able to prevent the Bill being made law during the present *&«- sion. A meeting of the leasehold supinators *fs to be held in Wellington during the coming week, and steps are to be taken by a platform propaganda and other means to test the feeling of the country on the question both during the session and in the recess.

LEAVING THE NAVY. A proposal for forming a naval reserve was made in the House on Fridav night bv Mr. T. E. Taylor. Mr. Taylor said he had heard on good authority that 40 men were recently paid off from H.M.S. Pioneer after having served their term, and that they had received £10,000, receiving each £250 that had accrued to them on the New Zealand scale of wages. He was told that not one of these men was willing to remain in one of His Majesty's ships, and the whole number quitted the navy the moment they got their pay. If this was so, it was a serious matter whether the Government should not open some inducement to these men to remain in some vessel in the Australian squadron. They should endeavour to ascertain why these "men preferred not to stay in the navy, and legislation might be passed so that they should be employed in the Dominion on the land or in State employment, forming a naval reserve force which would be available whenever it was needed. OLD SOLDIERS' CLAIMS. Mr. Davey reported in the House on Friday that the Public Petitions Committee recommended that the Government institute an inquiry into the claims of old. soldiera. In reply to several members the Prime Minister said the Government proposed to set up an authority in each district to enable each . case to be reported upon by a magistrate and have them settled next session. He hoped this would meet the claims of old soldiers. ,

In answer to Mr. Jennings the Prime Minister said he would consider the granting 'of war medals to those old soldiers entitled to them, but he considered it better to keep this separate from the claims for compensation. ' '

UNEMPLOYED LEGISLATORS. A tilt at the Legislative Council was indulged in br Mr. T. E. Taylor on Friday evening. He did not know, he said, how the members of the Council could find it in their hearts to take their honorarium. The only sat about an hour a day on the average, and he did not know how they filled in the remainder of the. time. Two or three of them, he said, were often seen wandering about the lobbies, but where the others were the Lord only knows. (Laughter.) Three members of the .Council were in their gallery while Mr. Taylor was speaking.

THE MANUKAU HARBOUR. The Manukau Harbour Control and Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill,' which has been circulated, provides for the vesting of the control of the Manukau Harbour in the Auckland Harbour Board. The Onehunga Borough Council is given the right to elect one member of the Board. The Harbour Board is also empowered by the Bill to raise the balance of £15,000 authorised to be borrowed under the Act of 1899, and such sum may be used for any of the purposes specified in the Loan Act of 1908.- .;;• y,-ru ';:-.--.v. i- -t/. r ■..■•::.

JOTTINGS. ■■';

As asked for by Mr. Henries, a return is to be prepared showing the number of appeals still unheard by the Appelate Court that have been lodged against decisions of the Native Land Court :up to the present date. ' *"" '" " r 'v.m

"In politics Governments always take the line of least resistance."Mr. J. C. Thomson. "This one does, anyhow."— Massey. ' ' .*, . • '' "; '•"''.<.-'' - '*' The Prime Minister has been asked by Mr. Smith to state when the discussion on the report of the Timber Commission . will take place. > ■ , , .•