POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 62, 27 October 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL.

NOTES BY THE AY AY.

Iho Hon. Thomas Mackenzie is announced to speak at Kaponga on .Monday, and in the Eltham Town Hall on Tuesday evening. Dates of other meetings to be held by Mr. Mackenzie in other centres of the doctorate are also notified. At the final meeting of the Native Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday morning a resolution was passed expressing appreciation of the ability, coui’tesy, and tact displayed by the chairman (Mr. W. T. Jennings)., “No recommendation to make,” is the report of the committee which dealt with the petition of Mrs. J. J. Meiklo, who asked,for .compensation • on account of loss “sustained'through her husband being wrongfully convicted and - imprisoned.” The Minister of Defence has been asked by Mr. Fisher to state (1) Whether any persons liable for service under the Compulsory training Act who failed to register in accordance with the Act have not been proceeded against; and (2) what action does the Government propose to take in future where failure to register is reported? In support of his query he directs attention to the statement in the “New Zealand Times” of Juno 27th, that there were in the Dominion approximately 41,000 lads between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, hut only 29.665 of those had enrolled at that date. Between eighteen and twentynac there were estimated to be 30.000 lads, and of these 27,717 had enrolled. Thus, of 71,000 youths, 13,618 were not accounted for. Complimentary references to the good work done during a long period of years on the Agricultural and Stock Committee of the House of Representatives by Mr. F. Lawry were made by a number of members in the House yesterday afternoon. On behalf of the committee Mr. AY. C. Buchanan read a letter, which was signed by all the members, expressing very great regret that Air. Lawry was about to retire from Parliamentary life, and testifying to the ability with which lie had conducted the affairs of the committee , during the twenty-one years for which he was its chairman. Mr. Buchanan added an expression of personal regret that Mr. Lawry would no longer sit on the committee, and concluded by moving that the letter be recorded" in the Journals of the House. Other members of the committee joined in testifying to the value of Air. La wry’s long services. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph AVard, acknowledged the worth of what Air. Lawry had done, and said he was glad to find that there was such general goodwill towards him now he was about to retire from Parliamentary life. The motion was carried unanimously, says the AVellington “’Times.”