NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3842, 1 November 1927, Page 27

NOTES FROM PRESS GALLERY.

WELLINGTON, October 26, MR ISITT CALLED TO ORDER. A brief incident in which there was some display of heat occurred shortly before the Legislative Council rose this afternoon. In the course of a discussion ot the Police Offences Bill, Mr A. S. Malcolm had suggested that, in order to ensure absolute protection to the public from motor drivers affected by drink, the state of drunkenness should be defined, as he had noticed a London medical man had defined it, that if any liquor at all were taken it was sufficient, to deprive him of the power of reaction.

Mr W. Earnshaw disputed this contention. “ What sort of man can't stand R nip of whisky, anyway? ” he asked. Mr L. M. Isitt deprecated the sugges tion that if a man was proved to have had one drink he should be adjudged drunk for the purpose of an offence. “ That is the sort of thing that deep our prohibi tion cause a great deal more harm than the talk of all our opponents,” he declared with emphasis. “It is impossible for us to tell whether the minimum quantity of alcohol will so affect a man’s judgment that it may be a contributory cause to some motor car accidenta hicji would not have occurred if he had not had a drink Mr Earnshaw seems to think that the right sort of man is the man who takes a little for his stomach’s sake.”

A number of Councillors immediately rose to a point of order. The Chairman of Committees (Mr J. Barr) said he had given the speaker a good deal of latitude, and he upheld the point of order. Mt Isitt: Yes, from one side only. Loud cries of “ Order.” Mr J. A. Hanan : Sit down. The Chairman : The ruling of the chair must be obeyed. Mr Isitt: I obey your ruling, Mr Chairman, but I maintain that an aspersion has been made. The Chairman: Order; there must be no comment on my ruling. MATERNITY TRAINING. Adverse comment on the attitude which the Nurses and Midwives Registration Board is alleged to have adopted towards some of the hospital boards was made >n the House of Representatives to-day by Mr W. J. Girling (Wairau). The Minister of Health (Mr J. A. Young) is to be asked by Mr Girling if he is aware that the Registration Board is causing considerable dissatisfaction amongst the hospital boards, and that until strong pressure was brought to bear it declined to give any reason to the Wairau Hospital Board for its refusal to reinstate the Wairau Maternity Hospital as a midwifery training school. Mr Girling said that the Registration Board had absolutely refused to receive a deputation from the Wairau Board to allow the latter further to state its case, and that from replies received from other hospital boards practically the same conditions applied throughout the Dominion. He asked if the Minister intended to allow the Registratfon Board to adopt this highhanded attitude not only to the Wairau Board but towards other boards concerned in connection with maternity and midwifery training. MOTOR OFFENCES. The intimation was tnade by Sir Francis Bell in the Legislative Council to-day, when replying to a discussion of the Police Offences Bill, in which the subject of the wrongful conversion of motor cars was raised, that the Government would con sider the question of increasing the penalties prescribed in the Act before tie Bill passed through the House of Representatives. Several speakers referred to the number of cases of conversion of cars that had occurred of late, and urged that H.-c penalties be tightened up. The. question of drunkenness as a contributing factor to accidents was also raised. Sir Robert Stout suggested that instead of licenses being cancelled it would be an effective step to prohibit the offenders from making use of anv machine at all, and compelling them-to walk wherever they went. A Voice: Would you apply that to travel bv rail, too? Sir Robert Stout: Yes, the railways just the same. Mr A.. S. Malcolm asked the Leader of the Council what difficulty there was to the removal of the option of a .fine. Sir Francis Bell, in replv. instanced offences by boys “ for a lark’.” and asked Mr Malcolm if he would compare sreb cases with those in which there was actual wrong-doing and injury to a car. The option must be allowed to stand in order that both cases might be dealt with. The section of the Act under discussion dealt with an offence that was not wicked but wrong. Stealing a ride was ever at any time a criminal offence, but a civil one. There were good reasons rtrainst making a dangerous Act which could not be characterised as wicked the subject of serious imprisonment. The matter ’would be considered by the Government before the Bill (which originated in the Council) parsed the House of Representatives. Replying to other questions Sir Er tn-ps Bell said h e agreed that the penalty for unlicensed driving should be increased in some cases. He did not think the point in regard to theft- had been sufficiently considhred, and magistrates might be •> little more inclined than at present to see that a real theft had been committed. The nature of the offence might be increased in the information, but that was a natter for the police rather than for the Legtsla. lure. So long as you define the offence of conversion as something which is not wicked bt uwrong,” said Sir Francis Bell, you ought not to impose the same penalties as in the case of wicked offences. You won’t get the Legislature to provide heavy penalties for offences which it itself defines as without felonious intent.’’ • • NOXIOUS WEEDS. Tn the House of Representatives early this morning. Mr 0. J. Hawken (Minister of Agriculture), speaking on the subject of noxious weeds, said that on good land noxious wc’sds could and should be cleared ; and on second class land the weeds could be kept in check: and that on third class land it was doubtful whether the value of the land was worth tlje cost of. eradicating the weeds. The Minister said that the officers of the Agricultural Department had no intention of hounding Buy man to clear his land of weeds. Full

warning was always given before firm action was taken against anyone who neglected the warning to clear the weeds, and the object of the clause in the Bill which provided for giving notice through the newspapers that weeds must be cut was simply to provide some means of giving a general preliminary warning. Mi Hawken added that he was not going to be so foolish as to promise that he would take steps to clear weeds from Government land irrespective of its value. A promise of that nature would involve clearing all the river beds of weeds,, - task beyond any man. Strong opposition to the Bill was manifested by Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) and Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames), who contended that its enforcement would press hard on the farmers.

One the suggestion of the Prime Minister, who said he understood some other members who were then absent desired to make further representations with re gard to the Bill, it was decided to nass the short title and the clauses relating to the powers to be given to borough councils and town boards to enforce the clearing of the weeds and then to report progress, leaving the clauses which affect the farmers in abeyance pending a discussion of the difficulties with the Minister of Agriculture. WELLINGTON, October 26. TIN HARE RACING. The evils of tin hare racing are not regarded by the League of .he Legislative Council as of such a serious nature as to warrant immediate restrictive legislation. Sir Francis Bell made’ a reply to this effect following a discussion which occurred on the Police Offences Bill in the Legislative Council to-day. The subject was raised by Mr V. FI. Reed, who asked the Leader of the Council if he thought dog racing should be permitted, without the previous consent o n " the Minister of Internal Affairs, in the same way as horse racing was at present safeguarded. “ From what we read,” he said, “ I am sure we don't want tin hare racing carried on in New Zealand in the same way as in other parts of the British Empire. It is not to the advantage of the country, It will he very hard to check once it is introduced. and now is the time before it is introduced to bring in the safeguards so that it may not take possession of the gambling element as it has done in other parts of the Empire.” He asked the Leader of the Council to consider the question of legislation. Replying to the general ' question, he said that betting was illegal, and certainly tin hare racing would not get a totalisator. “ I think it will be time to legislate,” he continued, “ if we find that dog racing without betting is causing a number of people of undesirable character to gather together as at race meetings or outside the gates of racecourses. However, I don't think there is need for legislation at present. In New South Wales I think they have prohibited betting on dog races, betting being otherwise not illegal in that State. If dog racing is started here, and it is found that people are betting, I don't think there will be the same public sympathy with the bookmaker or the bettor as there is in horse racing. I believe we shall find that the police arc able very quickly to deal with that class of betting just as they are able to deal .very completely with gaming in New Zealand. I won't make any promise and say that there will be any legislation under the Police Offences Act this year to deal with dog racing, but I can say that if dog racing becomes established in the Dominion, in the interests of our rcvciyie we shall have to take drastic measures to stop it, because if money is diverted to dog racing, as it has been in England, it will mean very serious loss of revenue. You will have not only the racing enthusiasts, but also the Minister of Finance up against it, and if the Minister gets to work -you may be sure that the legislation will be drastic.” WELLINGTON, October 28. COAL FOR THE RAILWAYS. “As far as is practicable «'e will use New Zealand coal on the railways, and all I have to be satisfied about is that I am ,not asking the department to do something that is unreasonable or dangerous.” This announcement was made in the House - of Representatives to-day by the Minister of Railways (Mr Coates), when his attention was drawn by Mr W. Lee Martin (Raglan) to the fact that orders for Waikato coal had been reduced by the department. Mr Coates said that during the winter months the Railways Department had been taking about 1100 tons of Waikato coa] a week. The view of the experts was that this coal was dangerous during the summer months, and already a number of fires had been reported, their cause being attributed to the use of lignite coal on the railway engines. When he had discussed the subject with the experts they had advised, that the requirements of Waikato coal during the summer would be about 250 to 300 ton s a week. “ It must be remembered,” added Mr Coates “ that we are carrying out very extensive experiments with regard to the use of lignite coaT and in mixing them with hard coals.” Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) : Have you not cut down the orders for Blackball coal also ? Mr Coates replied that he had no information on that point. » • » POLICY OF THE MEAT BOARD. A declaration made in the House of Representatives to-day by Mr W. Lee Martin (Raglan) that the farmers of the North Island wanted to know why the. chairman of the Meat Board was prepared to sacrifice their interests to Messrs Veste.y Bros, provoked a warm rejoinder

from Mr D. Jones (Ellesmere), who is chairman of the body referred to. Mr Jones stated that no man in the Dominion had done more to protect the farmers against such interests than he had. The Meat Board had on many occasions stepped in and stopped what would have resulted to-day in the entire control of the Dominion’s meat industry. The records showed that the board had followed one line of policy throughout—the policy of absolutely protecting the free way to the London market for the meat of the New Zealand farmer. Everything possible had been done to prevent the operation of trusts, and it would con tinue to be done. WHICH PARTY? . Is the newly-elected member for Raglan (Mr W. Lee Martin), the representative in Parliament of th e Farmers’ Union, the Labour Party, or the Country Party? A question to this effect was asked in .ne House to day durng a rambling debate that had developed on the fertiliser war. Although Mr Martin’s speech had • lot of noise in it he did not show up where he stood in relation to helping the farmers,” commented the Minister of Lands (Mr A. D. M'Leod), who proceeded to predict that Mr Martin would xxperience extreme difficulty in giving expressions to views in the House that would meet the requirements of the two distinct sections in the Raglan constituency. “ 1 am wondering,” added the Minister with a smile, ‘‘ whether he is the representative in this House of the Farmers Union, the Country Party, or the Labour Party.”—(Laughter.) A Government Member: The whole lot. —(Renewed laughter.) The Minister remarked that one would think that Mr Martin was definitely hitch ing his political wagon to the main object of the Labour Party—the socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange—(Labour laughter)—but if that were the case not 10 per cent, of the farmers of the Dominion would stand for it.

Frequent interjections by Mr Martin were rebuked by the Speaker, who enjoined the member for Raglan not to persist. Continuing, the Minister of Lands said that if Mr Martin thought he had been returned on th e farmers’ vot*. of the Dominion he was‘going to have a rude awakening.—(Laughter.) The suggestion that the Farmers’ Union Executive was practically the Country Party was advanced by Mr I). Jones (Ellesmere). Mr Jones said that .he executive, of which the Labour member for Raglan (Mr W. L. Martin) was one of the pillars, had refused to recognise a big dairy company in the northern dis triet as a merchant for the distribution of fertilisers. Because of the fact that members of the Country Party were largely on the directorate of the Farmers’ Fertilisers Company an agreement to the dairy company concerned had been refused. The Country Party was represented by a side-wind in the House—a man classed as a member of the Laboui Party._ In the opinion of Mr -Jones the Farmers’ Union Executive was the Country Party. Mr Martin said that because a man was a member of the Farmers’ Union Executive it did not follow that he was associated with the Country Party, which, he declared, did not have its constitution in the Farmers’ Union Executive. That party was entirelv independent from the Farmers’ Union Executive, and so far as the Auckland Executive was concerned it w-as free from any of the imputations made by Mr Jones. SOLDIERS’ GRAVES. New Zealand is the only country in the Empire which, forbids the placing of private inscriptions on war graves, and a promise to have inquiries made as to why this is so was given in the House of Representatives to-day by the Minister of Defence (Mr F. J. Rolleston). The subject was raises by the presentation of a report from the Defence Committee which recommended to the Government for favourable consideration the petition of Mr N. B. Fryday, of Ngaere, who had asked for the right to have ’ verse from Hoh’ Writ inscribed on the stone above the grave of his son, who is buried in a soldiers’ cemetery. Mr VV. J. Jordan (Manukau) commended the request to the Government, and said that agreement to the prayer of the petition would bring great joy to Mr Fryday. New Zealand was the only country which did not allow private inscriptions to be placed on the headstones over soldiers’ graves, and the position could arise that in the case of two brothers who had served in the forces of different dominions the grave of one could bear the family tribute, while the other would carry simply the official inscription. DUNEDIN’S MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISES. The success of Dunedin's municipal enterprises was held up by Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) in the House tonight as an example of the efficiency of municipal and state trading. “ They didn't call out to private enterprise to come in and give them gas and electricity and a tramway service,” he declared. “They saw a profit in these things, ami they were out after them.” A Voice: They are all good Scotsmen down there. The Postmaster-general (Mr W. Nosworthy) : They haven't got any Labour men. — (Laughter.) Mr Howard: And that is the one weakness of that .very good city.— (Loud laughter.) Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) : But they were not always too successful. They ran over a man with their road roller.

Mi* Howard: And I’ll guarantee it was an efficient roller.

LAND TAX REMISSION SOUGHT. Mr D. Jones (Ellesmere) to-day presented a petition in the House of Representatives from Francis and John Smith, of Springston, who are in occupation of 430 acres of freehold land suitable for fattening and cropping. The land had been bought at £36 an acre, £2677 being found in cash, and a sum of £12,850 remaining on mortgage to various individuals. The unimproved value of the land, the petitioners state, is only £10,860, or £25 5s an acre. They arc indebted to a Canterbury firm of stock and station agents in current account to the extent of £2399. Their losses for the past three seasons have been £5OO per ,annum, and the petitioners state that it is impracticable to borrow further moneys for the purpose of meeting the Land Tax. Proceedings have been taken by the Tax Commissioner with respect to £23 2s lOd. A careful valuation of the petitioners’ affairs shows a state of insolvency, the deficiency being £l2OO. The petitioners therefore request that the proceedings be withdrawn, and that future demands for tax be waived.

Mr Jones also presented a petition from James Milston, of Te Pirita, a farmer and a returned soldier, who bad purchased land for grazing at £8 2s 6d per acre, the purchase money amounting to £18,525. He had received assistance as follows: — Sum written off by vendors £650, written off by mortgagee £338, written off current account in stock agents’ books £480; total, £2OlB. The unimproved valuation is £13,680, and the unpaid purchase money is £15,000. The indebtedness to the stock and station agents is £8965, included in which is £453 borrowed during the past seven years for discharging annual demands for land tax. The petitioner's losses averaged £4OO a year. He asks that proceedings in regard to £7O arrears for land tax be withdrawn and future land tax demands waived. D"* UNION AIR FORCE. In reply to an inquiry concerning the response that was being made to the call for recruits for the New Zealand Air Force, the Minister of Defence (Mr F. J. Rolleston) stated that several hundreds of applications had already come to hand, but there appeared to be a misunderstanding of the position on the part of some of the applicants, who seemed to be under the impression that the employment was of a permanent nature. The Minister emphasised the fact that this was not so, as the enrolment proposed was to be in the New Zealand Air Force, which was a territorial air force and was not to be confused with the New Zealand permanent air force. The position was, briefly, that the 10 trainees proposed to be selected would be required to undergo a 12 weeks’ course of instruction during the present financial veaf (1927-28), and after the completion of that course they would leave the Wigram aerodrome and follow their normal civil avocation until November, 1928. when a similar course of 12 weeks would be carried out. After completion of these two courses trainees who graduated would be posted as second lieutenants to the territorial air force, otherwise known as the New Zealand Air Force, and would annually attend camp for refresher training for a period of approximately 10 days During the succeeding five years trainees and graduates would be paid only for the time they actually were in attendance in courses. IMPORTANT BILLS TO COME. WELLINGTON, October 30. The present week in Parliament promises to be a busy one, especially in the House of Representatives. It is expected that the House will be busy with the Public Works Statement and Estimates on Monday evening. The Licensing Bill is likely to be introduced this week. It is claimed that there is a certain majority in favour of two issues only, at the licensing po]]s. The Rural Intermediate Credits Bill will probably be put through its final stages. The Religious Exercises in Schools Bill is likely to be discussed this week. There is a majority in the House of Representatives in favour of the Bill, but if there is a very determined stonewall against it, there may not be time to pass it through all its stages at this late period of the session. There is still a considerable amount of work for Parliament to do, and the session is not likelv to end before November 19.

Stonewalling tactics are threatened on the liquor and B’bles in schools question.

— Chocolates' which contain real liqueurs may only be sold on licensed premises in England. — Land owners in Hungary are prohibited by old laws from selling a single acre of their estate.