POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17297, 22 October 1919, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES.

PENSIONS FOR WIDOWS.

IMPROVEMENT PROMISED.

BILL BEING PREPARED.

[BY telegraph.— SPEClAL REPORTER.]

WELLINGTON. Tuesday

The possibility of legislation being introduced this session dealing with widows' pensions was the subject of a question"' which Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) asked the Prime Minister this afternoon.

Mr. Hornsby quoted a case of a widow v ith eight children who was receiving only £2 a week for the support of herself and her family.

The Prime Minister said a week or two ago he had promised on behalf of the Government that the matter would be considered. There was a Bill before the Cabinet now, and it would be introduced before the end of the session. He could not promise that the measure would go so far as some members had asked, but he gave the assurance that the Bill would be introduced. There would also be an amendment dealing with the sufferers from miners' phthisis. OIL FUEL SUPPLY. The desirability of arranging for a supply of oil fuel to be imported in bulk was suggested to the Prime Minister this afternoon by Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North), who said it was necessary lor the electric power plants, which might always be needed to supplement the power derived from the hydro-electric plants. The oil might bo brought in tank steamers. Mr. Massey said he would be very glad to comply with the request, both on the ground stated and because of the possibility of an oil-burning cruiser being acquired by the Dominion. He did not think there would be any serious difficulty over the matter, which he had already considered. The chief drawback was that there, were no oil reservoirs. These would have to be supplied by the harbour boards or the shipping companies. He had heard that the Auckland Harbour Board was considering the matter, and also the Union Steam Ship Company. He would be very glad to make further inquiries and let the result be known.

MINES STATEMENT. J ''Will the Minister tell us when the i Mines Statement will be laid on the table?" -was a question asked br Mr. H. .Poland (Ohineniuri) this afternoon. He , said he had in his possession a copy of the New South Wales mining statement for the same period as that covered by our I own, and yet there was no sign of our 1 own statement coming down. | Sir William Eraser: The statement is ! quite ready. ! Mr. Poland : I know. It was ready a I month ago. Sir William Eraser said he had a copy 'of the statement, but he had sent it away to be put into the proper form, for presentation to the House. Ho had not vet received it back. Mt. Ngata : A shortage of blue ribbon. STEAMER QUARANTINE. The Prirno Minister was asked this afternoon by Dr. Thacker (Christehurch East) why it was that Australian steamers were delayed for 24 hours in the stream after inspection by the port health officer. He asked whether it was done at the instance of the Public Health Department or the waterside workers. The precaution was practically useless in that there was no further inspection after the wait of 24 hours before the passengers disembarked. Mr. Massey, who replied on behalf of the Minister for Public wealth, paid he did not know what the reason was, but would make inquiries and refer the whole matter to the Department. PROTECTION OF POLICE. The line of £10 inflicted by a Welling- { ton magistrate on a man who had been i convicted ot assaulting a constab.e on the ferry wharf was mentioned in the Mouse jof Representatives by Mr. L. M. ls.tt (Chnstchurch North), who said the polica ought to be protected, and that be did not think the line was adequate. The Prime Minister replied that he was inclined to agree with the member, but he did not wisii to criticise the. action of the magistrate. He could get particulars, but be could not review the sentence. WORKERS" HOMES INSUR-a-CE. The Labour Department has notified the occupiers of some workers' homes that the amount of the insurance has been increased in consequence of the increased cost of reinstatement in the event ot lire. The change has involved an increase in , the insurance premiums. i Mr. U. Witty (Kiccarlon) mentioned this matter in the House, and stated that he considered it "an iniquitous thing" that the charges against tenants should be increased in this way. ! The Prime Minister said he would be gad to look into the matter. It appeared that there had mere.y been an .increase in insurance, and not an increase in insurance rates. RELIGIOUS OBJECTORS. A petition was presented to Parliament to-day, signed by 14 electors, setting forth":— (1) That a commission has been appointed to review the cases of objectors who are in prison for breaches of the Military Service Act, and that it is proposed to give, favoured treatment to those 1 who, because of religious convictions, failed to comply with the law, while other equally honest and conscientious objectors are to bear the full penalty of their offence. ! (2) That there should be such unfair discrimination that men who are guilty of the same offence should be treated differently, because of their views on religious questions seems to your petitioners I a grave reflection on the. tolerant spirit of .the age, and the administration of justice. (3) !i"our petitioners enter their emphatic ' protest against such inequitable discrimi- ' nation, and respectfully pray that if any relief is to be given to objectors under the Military Service Act, it ought to be given, not on the variable ground of religious belief, but on the common ground of the , honesty and re. n : conviction of the objecI tor. I The signatures were of people resident I mostly in Christchurch, and on the west coast ot the South Island. NATIVE TENCHES BILL. The Native Townships Amendment Bill, dealing with Ring Country tenures, has i been considered by the Native Affairs I Committee, which recommends that it be , allowed to proceed with one amendment. , The Bill provides that where the native owners agreed to sell land affected to the Crown, the price should be not less than the value of the estate or the interest of the native owners, as shown by the valuation roll. The amendment consists of the ! addition to that clause of the words, " pro- | vided that such valuation shall not have been made for a longer period than ens ! voir before the meeting of the assembled owners."