PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14685, 19 November 1909, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

NOTES MOM THE PRESS GALLERY. (Fnoa Ora Own Corkespokdent.) • WELLINGTON, November 18. Jessie Anne Henderson, of ChristchuTch, widow of Detective Henderson, petitioned Parliament to-day for an allowance in view of her late husband's services ui the Police Force. COST OF THE SECOND BALLOT. A return presented to Parliament to-day gave the cost of the second ballots in connection with the recent elections. They ranged from £198 to £416. The total cost of second ballots at tho general election was £6171, and the two bye-elections' second ballots cost £611. The cost is greatest in the country districts. ADDINGTON WORKSHOPS. Attention was directed 1 by Mr Witty to-day to the fact that the Minister of Railways had stated, in reply to a question by him, that "there is no present intention of putting off the whole of the casual hands at Addington." He said' that there appeared to have been far coo many dismissals in view of tho large amount of work ahead. Everybody knew that there had been a shortage of trucks for ■years,'and if repair hands were to-be dismissed the position would be worso this year, when there promised to be a record harvest. It seemed unfair to dismiss casual hands who had had some years' service, and .then a week or two later for the department (o take on a lot of youn" single men, He trusted that .where possible casual hands who had previously been in the service would be reinstated. THE FRUIT RING. Regarding auctioneers, reference was made by Mr Witty to an intimation by the Government that it could not undertake to introduce legislation this session whereby auctioneers would be compelled to take the bid of any person who was willing to pay cash. The member for Riccarton asserted that m Canterbury certain auctioneers would not accept bids for fruit unless the bidders belonged to the fruit ring. He contended that auctioneers should take the highest bid for cash in even- instance. Under the present system the people were prevented from obtaining cheap fruit, and' fruit often went to waste through bids- bein!; refused because the .bidders were not in the ring, RAILWAY DINING CABS. . The quality of the meals served on the dining cars on the South Island railways was again referred to by Mr Anderson, Mtf\ for Mateura, to-day. He «tid tile

breakfast, dinner, and tea were not as they should bo, but he was not in a position to comment on the afternoon tea. It was his opinion that the meals could be greatly improved without extra coc-t. Replying to his question on the subject, the Minister of Railways had mentioned, inter alia, that the cais did not pay. He would like to ask Mr Millar how he could expect them to pay so long as' travellers were treated as at present. Good, plain food was all that was neeessarv, but it should be served in a cleanly manner. Visitors from other parts had frequently been heard to complain both as to the quality of the food and the dirt in the carriages. What was more, he had heard it stated thai at times the meat and fish were not so wholesome as they might, be. The meals, on the South Island lines should at once be brought up to the level of thoso served on the North Island lines. CALCIUM NITRATE, Dissatisfaction was expressed by Mr ' G. M. Thomson yesterday with the reply given to his question as to -whether tlio Minister of Agriculture would take into consideration the advisability of granting a bonus for the production of calcium nitrate in New Zealand. The Hon. T. Mackenzie had, it will be remembered, declared that if such a factory were estab lifihed' the bulk of the output would have to be exported. Mr Thomson pointed out that nitrogenous manure was not necessary in connection with new soil in New Zealand, but it was of the greatest value when used in connection with the older worked soils and the lighter soils in the North Island. Within recent years great progress had' been- made in the production of nitrogenous manures from gases of the atmosphere.. Chili at present exported 4,000,000 tons of calcium nitrate every year. Three of the largest, syndicates using the process in Europe ha dinfon.icd him that they w«re prepared to establish manufactories in New Zealand if encouragement were given them by the Govemment. With the water power available in this 'country the manufacture of the manure could be undertaken profitably here. He did not know that it would be a bad thing if New Zealand could establish an export trade in connection with it. Tliere was aij enormous future before such a manufacture in New Zealand l .

OLD SOLDIERS' CLAIMS. The Petitions Committee, in reporting to-day on some old soldiers' claims, recommended that the Government be asked to institute an inquiry into the olaims of all old soldiers. GRAND JURIES. i\lr T. E. Taylor has given notice to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the alleged frequent and apparently improper interference with the course of justice, by grand juries, and the fact that persons constituting such juries are largely drawn fiom only one class in the community, he will bring in legislation &t an early date abolishing grand juries as being class institutions antagonistic to every right of a democracy.

A MOTOR CAR QUESTION. Mr Fisher is asking the Prime Minister ■Aether he will bring down legislation this session which will, in the interests of the public, empower judges or magistrates to deprive persons of the privileges ol driving motor care or • riding motor bicycles in oases where it is clear that such persons arc a menace to the public, and should effectually be prevented from endangering the lives of the people. THE LIBEL LAW. Mr Arnold has .given notice to ask the Government wheiher it will early next session bring in an amendment to the Libel Act, with the view of giving the press of this Dominion the same immunity from prosecution as enjoyed' by the press of England, and if not, why not?