POLITICAL JOTTINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10718, 12 October 1920, Page 5

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

FROM THE PRESS GALLERY THE SESSION. WHEN WILL IT ENDP Mr G. Witty (Rieenrton) asked, in the House of Representatives last night, if the Prime Minister would tell the House what business he intended to go on with this session. l: We have only one private bill and four Government bills on the Order Paper. We are utterly in the dark as to what the business is going to be. We get a bill down in the morning, and pass it at night." Mr Masse? said he could not agree with the statement about getting a bill in the morning and passing it in the evening. As to the business ahead, there was a finance bill coming down. It was not a pretentious measure, but we could hardly do without it. Then there wa? a Bank of New Zealand Bill, a Mine* Bill, Coal Mines Bill, Counties Bill (which was before a committee now). Compensation for Accidents Bill, Housing Bill, Railways Bill, Land Bill (which was not at all pretentious). Mr Witty: That bill will not be a question of leasehold v. freehold? Mr Mci?sey: Only in a very slight degree, and not as the hon. member thinks. Then there was a Superannuation Bill, a Public Service Bill, Death Duties Bill, Washing-Up Bills (Native and European), Local Railways Bill (which -was intended to provide for very narrow-gauge railways for country" districts, probably 2ft or 2ft 6in), a Harbours Amendment Bill, a Rotorua Control Bill, Nurses' Registration Bill, Incorporated Societies Bill," I*aw Drafting Bill (merely formal), Education Bill, Animals' Protection Bill. A member: What about the Greymouth Harbour Bill?

Mr Mnssey: I think what the hon. member is referring to will bo in the Finance Bill.

Mr P. Fraser: What about pensions ? Mr Massey: There will be a Pensions Bill. Mr Massey said that, so far as he was able to judge, there would be no difficulty in getting business through in the next four weeks. POTATOES. AND THE EXPERT IN AUSTRALIA. Replying last night to Mr D. Jones the Hon. W. Nosworthv (Minister for Agriculture), stated that no report from the Australian potato expert had directly reached the Government of New Zealand; but tha Prime Minister had cabled to Mr Hughes, the- Prime Minister of Australia, asking him tvhether a report "had been furnished to him, and what steps the Commonwealth Government proposed taking in regard to the import of New Zealand potatoes. DENTAL_BURSARIES. A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. The objection taken by the University' of Otago authorities to a, recent statement made bv the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Publio Health), in regard to dental bursaries held_ at the Dunedin school was pressed in the House last night by Mr T. K. Sidey. In reply the Minister said that he did not find it necessary to qualify in anv material point the statement that he" had made previously. He would ask for a conference of the Dental Association and the University of Otago authorities on the matter. GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC. -.' SALE OF THEIR INTERESTS. - Proof that the Prime Minister's taste in periodicals does not altogether tally with Mr H. E. Holland's was afforded in the House last night, when the Labour leader asked a question without notice. Mr Holland wished to know if certain statements made in Stoad's ''Review" regarding purchases of German properties in the Pacific Islands were true. "I don't read Stead's 'Review, " replied the Prime Minister. "It is a publication that no decent and patriotic man ought to read. (Hear, hear, and loud .Labour laughter.) And thn statements are absolutely incorrect and the reverse of fact." WAR PENSIONS. * CASES OF HARDSHIP. The Government Is contemplating setting up a Board of Appeal to deal with cases of hardship in connection with matters of war That information was Jast night given to Mr J. "Vigor Brown, who mentioned to tho Prime? Minister several cases in his electorate where pensioners were fnder very grave Usabilities. In pw instanco a man had been discharged from hospital after iwo years because the doctors*could do no more fj>r him. He was still unable to dress himself or even to feed himself, and he had been sent home to his widowed mother, who was in a delicate state of health herself and subject to famtin.r fits. The man had a pension of £2 per week, and he was now in the position that ho had sometimes to go without meals. It was the natuial thing to send a man home, and ordinarily it was the best, that could be done for him. but special rfrciTmstances like th«o<> phonld he considered. The Prime Minister snid that if the question were repeated later on he miwht be in n position to make a definite fitnt"Tnent*on the subject of the proposed Board of Appeal. SETTLING THE 801DIEBS U.S.A. AND RESTRICTIONS. Strong indignation was expressed at tho fast meeting of the' executive of the Wellington R.S.A. at tho restriction r recently published in connection with the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act. It was resolved to ask the Dominion .Executive to deal with the question in it cdiately, and it was also decided to rail a- general meeting of the Wellington R.S.A. as soon as po&S'ble for the purpose of allowing members to present their views -on tho subject. SPRTNOTIME—.7T7XKBT-TIMK! Housewives are looking forward to tho casily-orenarcd d»ssert. Stewed Fruit with Ourd« and Whev. made with BKTTLB'S BTCNNET. How pleased the familv will he to taste it mrain! Go* a. Wtle of BETTT.E'K BEXN'ET-it nos*--1* Cd, and goes a lone way. Ask at i yonr jrrocer to-dnv. Wholesale Atrent?: P»lm6nd and Wellington.— Advt. J