POLITICAL NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9090, 8 July 1915, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

THE NEXT MOVE NO REFERENCE YESTERDAY TO COALITION TOPIC. Yesterday's sitting of the House of Representatives passed without any reference having been made to the topic of coalition. The omission of the Prime Minister to make a statement to the House regarding the refusal of the Opposition to accept the ofier of three seats in a Cabinet of nine was interpreted in some quarters as an indication that the Government was considering the desirability of making a further offer, on lines hearing some relation to the strength of parties in the House, but the Prime Minister had no communication to make upon the subject. IN THE DARK. A certain amount of mystery still attaches to the election of the juegisiative Council’s new Speaker, which was completed yesterday. There seems to be little doubt that if tne old system of open nomination and election nad been pieserved the Speaker’s enuir would have been occujiied by the Hen. W. C. FCarncross. who has been Chairman of Committees for some years, and whoso qualifications for me higher office are generally recognised. The impression has been abroad ever since the opening of the session that the Government's nominee for the Speakership was the Hon- C. J- Johnston. Last week the Council, on the suggestion of the Minister of Internal' Affairs, abolished the old system of election and substituted a curious form of “blindfold ballot" behind closed doors. Under this system the Hon. C. J. Johnston was yesterday elected Speaker by eighteen votes to sixteen. the newly-appointed Councillors, the Hons. Sir W- C. Buchanan and JA. Miliar, voting with the majority. MILITARY PENSIONS. Tho scheme of military pensions proposed by tho Government lias gone before the Secret Defence Committee, ana it is not likly to reach the House of Representatives this week. The committee held a further sitting yesterday, the Prime Minister in the chair. ' THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Probably the Minister for Finance will* place the Financial Statement before parliament next week. The aocument, which is understood to be complete, will deal with a peculiarly difficult period, hut the figures which have been published already indicate that the Minister will bo able to disclose -i fairly satisfactory financial position. NEAV PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. Tho pertinent question was put to the Minister for Internal Affairs m the

Legislative Council yesterday by the Hon. S. T. George (Auckland) “whether the Government are considering alterations to the plans of the new Parliament Buildings; and, if to, is this the reason why work on the buildings has practically ceased?” Sir /Francis Bell in the first instance said his reply to both inquiries was in the negative, but afterwards condescended to rend a tie-’ partmental explanation that the delay in. operations was due to tho marble for the superstructure proving defective. A new quarry had, ho n ever, been opened up in the vicinity of Sandy Bay in the Velson district disclosing, an abundance of marble of excellent quality, and as icon as a tramway was completed in ,tho course of a few weeks, full operations would be resumed. Mr Wilkinson, tho member for Egmont, put a question to tho Minister for Public Works oi( the same subject in the Hourand Mr Fraser, replying, stated mat '.he first section of tho building would be finished some time prior to June (917, and it was hoped that tho legislative chambers would be ready for occupation for next year's session. COLONIAL AMMUNITION COMPANY An agreement made in May between tho Now Zealand Government and the Colonial Ammunition Company was laid before Parliament yesterday. The company undertakes to supply 800,0C0 rounds of .303 service ammunition and 105,000 rounds of blank ammunition monthly during the next fifteen years, the price payable by the Government to bo the price paid by the War Office to British contractors, plus 15 per cent. The company is to provide plant sufficient for double the normal output, and the Government reserves the right to purchase the works on six months’ notice being given the compan3'', the price to bo fixed by arbitration. THE LATE MB BOYD GAELICS. The widow of the late Mr T. B. Boyd Garliek. Director of Physical Education, is petitioning Parliament for a grant in 'consideration of the sendees rendered the State by her husband. The petition asserts that Mr Boyd Garliek sacrificed a lucrative position in order to assist in raising the standard of health and strength of the youth of the Dominion, and that his death was hastened “by the worry caused by the proceedings at a Parliamentary inquiry with reference to h : s appointment.” A STRIKE ECHO. An. echo of the strike of 1913 was contained in several petitions presented to the House of Representatives yesterday. Arthur James Edwards, farmer, of Ohaupo, asked for compensation in respect of a bay gelding which he had lent to tho Farmers’ Union as a mount for a special constable. Th'> animal had fallen dead when required to go on parade with the temporary owner, and the union had refused to admit any responsibility, Two other petitioners mentioned that they had lent saddles to the Farmers’ Union for the use of the “specials,” and had failed to recover the articles after the strike had been ended. They suggested that Parliament should foot the bill. EXPEDITIONARY FORCES BILL. The Expeditdonarv Forces Bill, which the Minister for Defence has introduced, is a, measure rendered necessary by the war. It increases the nominal strength of the territorial force in order to provide for the growth of the expe{Utlonarv force and makes provision for the maintenance of discipline abroad and other matters.