GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17066, 26 July 1917, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL {Abridgod from Pros* Association Telegram.) rr „ „ WELLINGTON. July 25. ■Uio Council met at 2.30 p.m. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Tho Hon. Mr T. Mac Gibbon was granted a week s leave of absence, and tho Council decided to send him a message of congratulation on tho attainment of the fiftieth anniversary of Ins marriage. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The Hon. Sir FRANCIS BELL announced that the Address-in-reply would bo presented next day to the Governor-Gen-eral. c " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. STATE MEAT SHOPS. The PRIME MINISTER stated that if it was found necessary the Government would be prepared to start Stato butchers' shops as Had been done in Auckland. So far me Board of irade reported that the necessity did no.t exist A LOCAL BILL. Tvfi h ?c- W T ir . oa harbour Board Endowment Bin (fan- John Findlay) was introduced, and read a first time, MINES DEPARTMENT. The MINISTER of MINES laid on the table the annual report of the Mines Do partment, wlncli piovided a lengtliy discussion on mining matters. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In replying to questions, MINISTERS said: inat it was impossible to commandeer all the alien labour in the dominion because many aliens were natives of countries which were our allies or friendly to Britain: that the question whether a certain article recently published in the Tablet is seditious has been referred to the Law Officers of the brown; that, m the event of a general election being held in the country, the necessary legislative provision will be made to enable our soldiers abroad •to record their votesthat the scale on which reinforcements wero sent by New Zealand was exactly that asked lor by the Imperial Government, and was the samp as that stated in the House of Commons last year as proved by experience to be necessary tor the Britisu Army (in J-ranee the rate was 15 per cent, per month tor mlantry and less for other arms); tnat at present it was not possible to return men to New Zealand who had served three years at the front; that last year's final sheep returns showed an increase of 298 942 breeding ewes, as compared with the preceding year. Only the interim sheep returns lor this year had yet been published but it was expected that the final returns would chow a lurther increase m the number of breeding ewes and a substantial increase in the total number of sheep in the dominion as compared with last year Tbe matter of dealing with next season's production of freezmg stock was at present receiving very careiul consideration.