POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 56, 20 October 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

NOTES BY THE WAY

At this stage of the session there docs not appear to bo any reasonable opportunity of sotting apart a time for members to discuss the plans of the new Parliamentary Buildings, says the Prime Minister, Increases of salary for mental hospital attendants will appear on the supplementary estimates. The shorter hours will bo instituted at the beginning of next year, time being necessary ‘to make adjustments. .In answer to a question by Mr Field, the Minister of Commerce has promised to secure a report upon the statement that hides are bought in New Zealand at a cheap rate, sent to England and tanned, and returned to this country in the form of leather, which is sold at an enormous profit, and that thus the price of boots manufactured in New Zealand is rendered unnecessarily high. Mr Field wishes tlie Government to devise some method of improving such a condition of things. The Hon. D. Buddo states that under advice from tho Crown Law Office the value of the poles and wires (where these are on the public street) of the Hawera Electric Company lias been excluded from the capital value, and tho valuation roll was amended in May last. It now appears that tho company requires a revaluation of the whole of its property, and instructions have been given to have a revaluation made.

The Postmaster-General intimated yesterday that he would be pleased ports of the Dominion for attaching telephones to large steamers immediately on their arrival at the wharves. Ho says that any application from a steamship company for any of its steamers to become subscribers to tho telephone exchange will receive prompt attention. The Government is considering the question of legislating to meet the difficulty which arises when, after the alteration of the electoral boundaries, an area containing a licensed public-house is placed within a nolicensc district.

The Prime Minister stated yesterday that the Government would be only too glad to have an expression of opinion from members of Parliament respecting the plans of the new Parliament House. He pointed out, however, that in practice considerable difficulties exist, and the responsibilities for the final selection must devolve upon the Government. It was suggested .recently by Mr Herdman that certain officers who have reached the age of sixty-five years and over, and who are entitled to superannuation, have not been retired from the public service. The Prime Minister stated yesterday that as a general principle officers arc not kept beyond tho age mentioned, but there are exceptions where in the interests of the country an officer may he retained beyond the retiring ago. There is nothing in the law that makes it mandatory that this may not be done.

The Government is not prepared to legislate on the appointment of Arbitration Court this session, as it is proposed to go into the whole question of the constitution of tho Court of Arbitration during tho next recess. This announcement was made in answer to a question by Mr Hunan, who suggests limiting tho appointment to live years. The member for Chalmers suggested yesterday that tho Prime Minister should introduce a Bill to give teachers thq right of , appeal against

transfers. The Prime Minister replied that tho matter was being carefully considered, but it raised a big question, because be did not believe, that the right could be given to one branch and not to another, and that would lead to the dislocation of business, particularly in the railway service, where quick transfers wore necessary to meet sudden exigencies. The same difficulty would ocur in other cservices, and although he did not say he was opposed to the proposal, it could not be legislated on this session.—“N.Z. Times.”