POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16041, 6 October 1915, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

WATER CONSERVATION. _ WAITAKERE CATCHMENT AREA. ""'^ [BT telegraph.— special CORRESPONDENT.} : Wellington, Tuesday. • A considerable area of land lying at the back of the present catchment area at V Waitakere; now vested in the Auckland City Council as reserves for recreation and ' for tie conservation of the native fauna '■■■; and flora, is wanted by the Auckland City f Council as a reserve for water conservation * purposes. A clause in the " Washing-np " Bill' gives the Governor power, by" Order- * in-Council, to reserve this area for water conservation purposes. The laid is mostly bush-covered, and on the elopes of the ranges towards* the Manukau. The Waitemataf County Council, in whose district the area in question lies, has instructed Mr. Parr and Mr. : Harris to oppose the proposal, which the council regards as an attempt to deprive it of one of its public parks. _r -V MOUNT EDEN LOAN. \: ,|| A special clause in the " Washing-up " Bill proposes to: give the Mount Eden Borough Council authority to ? raise a " special loan of £11,900 to recoup the district fund for moneys expended therefrom r without authority on - road construction * and other public works. v : -

ALIEN ENEMY TEACHERS. The petition of the; Victoria ;? College Council, presented when the Alien Enemy Teachers Bill was introduced, praying that no legislation of this character be fallowed >-, to interfere with the' free exercise of its -'" proper functions, has been reported upon by_ the Petitions Committee. The committee cays that as this is a question of public policy it has no recommendation • to make. . ■■ /]i'-: ■'■''"'■'■: - ,% -'['. .., -.; -■ ' - * .---' -•• . --■" - ■ INQUIRY INTO PETITION. The Petitions - Committee has reported in the case of Robert Cairns, of Auckland, - who has asked for compensation for alleged • unlawful dismissal from the Waerenga Experimental Farm, that this is a matter - that should be referred to the Government for inquiry. '■■_'■' ■«' BISHOP GRIMES' BURIAL. A clause in the "Washing-up" Bill reads V as follows:—"The burial' within the <; « Roman Catholic Cathedral at Christchurch " of the body of the late Right Rev. John Joseph Grimes, D.D., Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, is hereby declared ", to have been lawfully made." It should, ■ perhaps, be explained that no burial in ' New Zealand is legal unless made within a recognised cemetery.- ""•

SOLDIERS' UNIFORMS. Mr. J. Craigie (Timaru) asked the Minister for Defence to-day if he were making provision for returning wounded soldiers to retain their uniform*, and if not, whether he would have a badge issued to them to show that they had been at the war. The Hon. J. Allen said that when a soldier was discharged he was no longer a soldier, and was not entitled to wear the uniform. However, he thought it was a proper thing to allow such a soldier to retain his uniform. He was not quite sure whether the Department could permit returned wounded soldiers to parade in uniform, but he saw no reason why it should not be done at any rate at "the time of the return of the main body. He hoped that those who had been invalided home woald have received their service medals and would parade in uniform to meet the main body when the glorious dav of peace came. \:: r