POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17295, 20 October 1919, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

NATIVE TOWNSHIPS BILL.

COMMITTEE'S EXAMINATION.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.]

v WELLINGTON. Saturday.

The Native Townships Bill, introduced in the endeavour to meet the wishes of King Country residents regarding the conversion of the native leasehold tenure into the freehold, was before the Native Affairs Committee yesterday. It is understood that it passed without amendment, but that one of the Maori members from the South { Island is pressing to have it reconsidered again on Tuesday, in order that he may have an opportunity to suggest amendments to the clause dealing with valuations. REMOVAL OF " STIGMA." I Favourable judgment has been passed by | the Public • Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives upon the petition of Stephen Shalfoon and another, of Opotiki, praying that the stigma of being, or having been, enemies of the British Empire should be removed from their names. The committee reports that the petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, and desires to call attention to the British Orders-in-Gouncil, to which reference is made in the petition. OLD SERVANT OF STATE. Favourable consideration is recommended for the petition of R. I- E. Goring Thomas, of Auckland, for compensation for services rendered to the State. The Petitions Committee bases its recommendation on : the long service of the petitioner, and the ; exceptional circumstances of the case. RAILWAY PETITIONS. ! The Railways Committee of the House ;of Representatives has recommended I favourable consideration of the petition of Dinah Pearson, of Otahnhu, for additional compassionate allowance for injuries received in a railway accident at Otahnhu station. A similar report has been made on the petifSon of J. Simpson, of Swanson, asking compensation for lose sustained by a fire alleged to have been caused by sparks from a railway engine. • | "BILL MASSEY" BOOTS. A case containing samples of the Board ; of Trade standard boots has been set- up i in the main corridor of the House of Representatives, so that members may have an opportunity of seeing what the standardised article is like. It contains some dozen or so specimens, each with its price marked. The boots range in •value from 15s 6d up to 39s 6d, according to the shape and size; the lower prices being for children's footwear. The centre piece is a military boot. It is not priced in figures. It is officially described as " Bill Massey priceless."