PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15553, 7 September 1912, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

NOTES FROM THE PRESS

GALLERY.

(Fitou Ocit Owx ConnEsroxDEXT.) WELLINGTON. September 6. ( A model capital for New Zoalnnd—Mr i I-aurenson's put scheme—wus once more. | discussed in the lloiiso of Representatives ( when the Estimates were under review. lie I asked for n resolution advising the Government to make inquiry regarding tho pro- j jeet during tho rcce&s. There was some j nttempt to ridicule tho scheme as Utopian, hut it was seriously discussed by most of i those who joined in tho debate, including several new members. .Mr Laurcnson was advised to brine 'I'" matter forward again, and 'endeavour to obtain a resolution from tho House, instead , of ill committee only. Ho agreed to a , suggestion Dv 'he Prime Minister thai he should divido.tho House on tho question when the- next Imprest Dill was brought down. NATIVE MINISTER'S POLICY. Somo indications of his policy regarding Native alfairs were givon by the Hon. \Y. H. Ilerrics in Committee of Supply this afternoon. Ho was asked by Sir dames Carroll whether nn additional judge was to be appointed. The .Minister replied that ho lioped Mr M'Cormick would toon return from the Cook Islands, and in that event there would not bo the same need for extra judges. Ho was considering the possibility of amalgamating the positions of president of tho Maori Land Board and of jmlgo of tho Native Land Court, and until that was decider] ho would defer any new appointments as long as possible. Next session ho believed ho would be able to bring down legislation to facilitate tho work of the boards and the courts. In reply to Mr l'arata. Mr Hemes said tlial, though it was impossible, to do away wlli the Native Department, Tio was considering tho possibility of relieving tho Native Department to n certain extent by giving some of its work to tho Justice Department. DEPARTMENTAL FRICTION. Notwithstanding tho letters read by tlio Hon. Mr Allen in tho Houso yesterday from the Auditor-general and tho Secretary to tho Treasury, I understand that thcro is proof of the statement made by tho Roval Commission that "an officer in tho Defence Department appears to have been sending misleading information as to tho nature of certain expenditure to the Treasury and Audit Departments, und invitinj? these departments to object to the expenditure." No doubt if Mr Allen had made inquiries in tho right quarter he could have ascertained the facts. Tho Royal Commission is now out of existence, but probably the members, individually or collectively, will have something to say in reply to the letters of the officials.

KISSING THE BOOK. Mr Isitl to-day told the. Houso that ho objected to kissing dirty Bibles. He had recently given evidence in a criminal case in C'lmstehureh. and had been handed a filthy, greasy, dirty hook to kiss. Ho hud dodged tho "actual" kissing, but a sergeant with a strong Irish broguo asked him to take the oath properly. It was explained to Mr Isilt that thcro was no necessity for his kissing the hook. " Well, then," ho replied. " tho men who have the conduct ol this thing ought to bo instructed in their business.' „. „ IN OTHER WAYS. " I mav tell the House Hint in my younger days I frequently attended tho courts as a reporter and in other ways.'' said Mr (!. W.'Russoll when talkin" iiboiit a nubile defender in criminal prosecutions. The House laughed loudly over Mr Russell's apparent slip, and ho hastened, amid tho merriment, to add that bv "in other ways" he meant na a spectator. He had not been behind the bars.