POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15645, 26 June 1914, Page 9

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

public: . service co NJROL.

'ON MANY j SUBJECTS.

[BY ®KIO!OIUrH.~-SPSOtAIi COHRESrONDEKI.]

Wixmngton, Thursday. The control of .. the Civil Service by the Public Service Commissioners is likely to figure largely in the opening debates of the session. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of Opposition, gave notice this afternoon.' to introduce a Bill amending the Public Service Act of 1012, whilst Mr. T. Wilford (Hutt) gave notice to ask the' Government whether., -in .view of the recent decision of the Chief Justice, at will clarify the Public Service Act bo as, to provide a free right of appeal in all cases to Civil servants. Mr. G. "W. Russell (Avon) also gave notice to move for a return showing the number of officials who had been dismissed for incompetency since tho commissioners took office. v Mr. Wilford gavo notice to move that full civic right bo given to Civil servants. I Tho Minister for Defence, the Hon. 'James Allen, has been asked by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato) whether he will cause paracfe of senior cadets to bo held in the day time instead' of at night, and whether the time devoted to such parades may be counted as school attendance. Mr. Russell (Avon) is seeking a return of the travelling expenses of Ministers and their private secretaries and messengers during tho past year. Mr. Craiffie (Timaru) has asked for a return snowing the expenses of the recent trip of the Governor and Dr. Pomare to the Cook Islands. He also wishes to know if it is true that the Europeans were not treated with the same consideration as the natives during the official trip. A question asked by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato) is whether the Minister for Railways will take steps to ensure that no railway servant shall work more than 48 hours in. any one week. Mr. T. "Wilford has asked if the reason for the Government introducing tho Licensing Bill as a non-party measure is because the Government cannot make up its mind on tho subject. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) asked the date of the next general election. The question was greeted with laughter. Mr. Massoy jocularly interjected: "If yon promise not to obstruct, I'll give yon the date/' Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) is moving for a return showing (1) the number of casual hands in the railway workshops engaged ! exclusively on December 1, 1913, in coni structine carriages and other rolling stock , for the Auckland Exhibition anu, (2) the i number of casual employees in tho railway - workshops and in the Way and Works i Department at various dates.

TAXATION RETURNS. ""

The subject of taxation, gave rise to a little passage at arms in the House to-day between the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister. It owed its tjoint to the fact that Sir Joseph Ward, in his recent speech at Auckland accused _ the Government of having increased indirect taxation bv £176,000. ... To-day, "Sir Joseph Ward was asking for a return showing the amounts received from death duties and other forms of taxation, when Mr. Massey interjected "And Customs?" meaning that the return might show also the receipts from thia form of taxation. "We have not increased customs, replied the Leader of the Opposition. " I am. very glad to hear the right hon. gentleman admit that," retorted Mr. Massey. "Wo have not increased customs, repeated Sir Joseph Ward, putting an em- : >Kr«. *»r, I St." , ' '1 mi": spdiking sor Parliament," said tho Print© Minister, and tho matter then ended. NEW ROADING POLICY. The progressive scheme of road construction outlined m tho Governor Speech will mean the raising of a special loan Probably it will bo proposed to borrow about a million pounds for the' propose, to be spread over a period of about three years. TARIFF REVISION. One of the most interesting declarations in the. Governor's Speech is the statement that the Government proposes to submit to Parliament! certain- proposals relating to the cost of living. No official information as to the nature of the proposals is obtainable* but it can only be inferred that a Tariff Revision Bill is contemplated by the Government. Should a Bill be introduced providing for the reduction of the duties] on certain article's, tho wholo tariff will be open for discussion- In the time available this year, it will'probably be found impossible to do more than deal with a few mam items of Customs revenue, and any attempt to subject the tariff to general revision would be equivalent to making con- ' ce£sion6 impossible, so far as this year ia concerned.