POLITICAL NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10578, 6 October 1910, Page 1

POLITICAL NOTES.

By Telegraph,

(From Our Own Correspondent.) ,-. Wellington, October j>. • —Mr Hmc's Charges.— , The Opposition stonewall, niinated 11 m an adiournment- of''the \Houso at ,10.15 a.m., necessitated'- tlic adjournment of the enquiry 'into Mr "Hine's charges. It be lopene'd-at 11a.m. to-day, wheii-the~'form of- procei dure will be decided on.-It.is-''stated i~that Mr Hine may ask permission to be i represented by , counsel, i —New Parliament Buildings.

The of an-early commencement of -the new Parliament Buildings was mentioned by the Attorney-General in the Legislative Council to-day, during the consideration of the Loan Bill.. In^reply to an expression of disappointment that no specihe allocation had been made for the: purpose, -Dr Findlay said : there was a good deal of pressure in the direction ot an early commencement, and the Cabinet had recently considered the matter. The principal points were 'the' -taxpayers? pocket and . thereasonable comfort of the men who had" to carry on the work -of the country.-; Before the session was over, he could promise "Ins questioner that- a clause ot tlito' kind he desired to see would apr pear- in a Bill, and the work would, be undertaken with as much expedition as: possible. - iv ' —A Holidays Bill.— ■■'Tlio Prime Minister .states Bill to regulate public holidays has., been, -prepared, and a\ ill be submitted-this session. - >.■'■ •- i -.:■■, Summary Justice. — Uncomplimentary references to- magistrates, coupled with some piequant. ex-i ainples of "justice," .were made; in the , House ot Representatives, this evening by/Mr Wilford, rwho objected to a. stipendiary magistrate securing statutory power to detain an offender up to three years as an habitual criminal under the Crimes Bill. he said, were not to be trusted with this power. To point the argument he declared that a senior stipendiary magistrate in ■Wellington once 'solemnly determined that a fowl was'not an animal. "As there are only'three kingdoms," argued Mr Wilford; "he must have held the belief that'a fowl was either., vegetable or a mineraL" Not a hundred, miles from here : lie saw a magistrate dismiss a charge against a- man and order him to pay costs. - Mr F. M.-'B. Fisher declared that-lie did not know whcre ; the Government got its magistrates froni. He had never seen • such an incongruous selection- or, extraordinary individuals. Mr , Fisher said that there was no uniform standard of sentences. -There were most:' unreasonable terms. An Auckland tramway conductor was actually sent to prison for a, year for stealing fou'rpence, while a man who stole a. gold watch., ivortli £ls got only four months' imprison-, ment. , ■ "