POLITICAL NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10592, 22 October 1910, Page 1

POLITICAL NOTES.

By Telegraph

(From Our, Own Correspondent.) - ' , - Wellington," "October 21. <- —Old'Soldiers' Claims. — " ' r ''<Wc have not ferfi the whole of the "reports in from nlagistrates," said the Prime Minister tolMr Taylor to-day,-re-fert'ing to old soldiers' claims, "and we can do nothing with* them." Mr Taylor remarked that it "was extraordinary to hang all the claims up for the last report to come in.,. Meanwhile many of I the old soldiers might die. —Political Pressure. — Mr Malcolm asked the Prime Minister to-day for a ruling on the length to winch he thought < members might go if they desired to express their appreciation of a member of the Defence Department. The Prime Minister said that -a member could go ns far as ho liked, but it a member came to him and wanted an officer promoted over" somebody's head or wanted an appointment made the pressure would discount the chances of the man's promotion.or appointment. There was no reason, why a member should"not give a testimonial in the' usual way. •*

—lndecent Publications. —

When the Legislative Council met this afternoon it was reported that the deadlock between the two Houses on the amendments in the Indecent Publication "Hill had been satisfactorily ended. In moving the adoption of the report the Hon. Dr Fmdla'y, Attorney-General, said that it would leave the Bill in very much tbc same condition asr when it had left the Council, with the exception that the absence of guilty knowledge would be up defence in any prosecution except where the prosecution was for distributing an indecent document. With regard to a prosecution for distributing, a defendant would be permitted to show that he had.no reasonable means of knowing that the document was indecent.

—Cylinder A protest" against*, the,' prohibition of the use of cyUnderpin duck-shooting was raised by. the Hon. H. F. Wigraih in the Legislative ''Council this afternoon when the Animals Protection Bill was under consideration. Mr Wigram said that the matter was rather serious, and he would like some reason for what was proposed;.: ..-Ji;„, ■:■■.'■ •/■'-■■< ''.'. ' f "The ejlinder:'is the' resort of the hopelessly bad shot," said the AttorneyGeneral, ' 'and it is felt that' if a man cannot kill a,bird without such an engine he : does not deserve to get one at all. This is a means of protecting a "man's self-respect against himself." | Mr Wigram said that the question was very important to Lake Ellesmere, and he did not think it was fair of the Attorney-Genera to give such a flippant answer instead of a proper reason for such drastic legislation. ! Dr Findlay denied that he had had any wish to be -flippant, adding that lie was assured that it'was unnecessary to allow the'use-of the additional device. The Hon. J. Ahstey "said "that he beilieved the use of cylinders should, be absolutely prohibited, for it was an unsportsmanlike method of killing ducks. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson said .that he quite approved of the. prohibition; but it seemed rather hard on those people who-had got cylinders built that it should be necessary to alter the law which was passed only a couple of years ago! ' . ■■-. - '. " ' i The clause was approved, . —Fruit for London.— '

The Nelson shipment of' apples tor London, on whiclv : Government granted a "bonus, was successful. According toils tatement made by the Minister of Agriculture to Parliament this morning the weaknesses and strength of method of 'shipment had, he said, been discovered, and the Dominion was to be congratulated upon having demonstrated that it could place fruit in a marketable condition on the London, market.' The Government-intended con-; sidering . the., granting of . bonuses tofurther sliipmenxs. " Low Paul- Valuers. — ' Messrs Buchanan and Field called attention to the fact'that only two out of 26 valuers employed shy the Department obtained over £3OO a vear. They said the State was rniVmng too great- risk by underpaying its' valuers, on whose reports depended the" amounts advanced on .the •security : by .'the' : State, ? ; Mr Buddo stated that, as local authorities had unanimously asked that the Department should continue their valuations, this would, be done. There were only six valuers getting less than £290, and they were recent additions. Mr Buchanan wished to; emphasise, by a reduction of the "vote, his view that many district valuers are underpaid. This was negatived by 34' votes to 14. r:;,, , —Profitable Eot'orua.— Does Eotorua payP aslied Mr Wright upon the vote of £42,396 for the Tour L ist Department. The Hon. Mr Millar I said the 'balance-sheet showed that the I town -nearly paid its way directly, or indirectly, by the people who were at-, tracted by it to "New Zealand, it paid enormously.

—Wanganui River Service. — Excessive charges on the "VYanganiu river seivice were alleged by Mr Pearce this morning, in making a request that the Government should take the matter up. He stated that differential rates existed, and some bushfellers • were (charged tourists' rates'. " The Prime Mmistei said uhat an endeavor had been | made since last session to have fixed 'rates, and also a daily service, but the .amount, although it might have 'been 'reasonable, was about £4OOO a year, Land the Government could not pay it Mi - , Pearce remarked that some limit ought to be imposed upon enormous "charges which had to be paid b> settlers when they wished to send tfut stock The Prime Minister: "That's exactly whai> jve /tried to do. and the Postal Department is trying now " Mr Hogan stated that -the a objectionable part- of the affair "was that the rates w ere continually changed. The company should piovide'-a scale of charges. "Evidently it is;;a delibeiate attempt to levy blackmail" on the settler!," said Mr Wright "The Company'lsnows they cannot get stock- out in' winter except 3>y boat " He suggested stopping the expenditure on river''"impiovements * The Prime _Minister»re'marked J that such a coiuse "would' prejudice other people, besides the Hatrick . In this he was "corroborated fr\ Mr Hogan, who said that "to '"stop- the expenditure would 1 neutralise a pasi; cvpciidituic of £26,000 upon river lmpio-comeiu.