POLITICAL NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 138, 17 July 1914, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES.

STATE ACCIDENT INSURANCE. fFrom our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 17. The annual report of the Government Insurance Department (Accident Branch) was laid on the table of the House to-day. The Commissioner (Mr J. H. Richardson) states thart the gross premium income during 1913 was £28,677, and after deducting reinsurances, £23,277. The claims (including those in course of settlement at the end of the year, amounted to £11,492, as against £12,076 the previous year. The income from interest was £3588, and the total expenses were £7499. The ratio of expenses to premiums was 32.2 per cent., while the ratio to the total income was 27.9 per cent. The funds at the end of the year were £15,322, an increase 6f £7874, while the reserve fund amounted to £39,036. The total assets at the end of the year were £78,002. "It is satisfactory," the Commissioner states at the conclusion of the report, ' ' that the * Department, while maintaining' the rates of premium for an indemnity under the Workers' Compensation Act on a lower scale than is charged in the Australian States, and paying tho more liberal compensation provided by the New Zealand Act, has been able to build up a strong reserve. Although the additional liability imposed by the Workers' Compensation Amendment Act, 1913, together with the revised scale of rates recently adopted, may to a certain extent diminish the income and increase of claims in future, the financial position of the branch may be looked upon fanassailable." '•! * THE NAVAL ADVISER/ The Leader of the Opposition (Sir J. G. Ward) this afternoon asked "the Minister of Defence for partiexilars as to the appointment of Captain HallThompson as naval adviser t5 the Dominion. The Imperial officer, who had.been in command of H.M.S.' Philomel had gone Home, and his place had been taken by Captain Hall-Thompson. Surely the matter was important enough for the House to be informed of the duties, term and engagement, salary, etc., of the naval adviser, with all other particulars pertaining to the appointment.

. The Hon. James Allen said the H.M.S. Philomel had been taken over. by the N,ew Zealand Government on the previous day. Captain Hall-Thompson had hoisted his pennant at 9 a.m., and had taken command- of the vessel. A letter from the Imperial authorities regarding the appointment of the .officers of the vessel had arrived only the previous afternoon, and he had barely time to go through it. He would shortly lay a memorandum before the .House.-.-giving, the whole of the facts. MirfWilford: And the naval adviser's duties? Mr Allen: Yes, and his duties. FAMOUS ALPINE GUIDE ENGAGED i The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes (Minister iu charge of the Tourist Department) \ announced to-day .that'the Department has engagedthe well-known Alpine guide, Conrad Kain, for the coming season in the Mt. Cook district. Mr. Kain, a native ■of Austria, "is the "chief guide of the Alpine Club, and has a splendid climbing.record. He will in the early part of the season be engaged in teaching the younger guides the finer points of alpine work, and will afterwards assist ChiefGuide Graham in the work of highclimbing. The engagement of Mr Kain, siays the Minister, will be of great, assistance to the guiding staff, which was reduced by the disaster to Guides Thomson and Richmond last season.

"TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION. Mr H. Poland (Ohinemuri) gave notice this afternoon to ask the Minister'of Education whether he would amend the Teachers' Superannuation Act so. that teachers in receipt of a pension whose Incomes do not exceed £2OO a year, should not have their pensions reduced. RACING PERMIT GRIEVANCE. In replying to a Taumarunui Racing Club deputation to-day, the Hon. H. D. Bell stated that if Mr Hunter's Bill passed providing for the issue of 17 eV tra totalisator permits, he would ask the country clubs to appoint a few delegates to give him their, help and advice. He intended to take the full responsibility of the fresh permits that might be issued but he,thought a little counsel from those specially interested would be of eervice to him.

AN OAMARU SEAGULL, The House was tickled to-day with a suggestive "simile" from Mr Hiud; marsh. While he was concludingra- speech Mr E. P. Lee was noticed to be very much on the alert4o catch the Speaker's eye. Said Mr Hindmarsh: "I won't keep the hon. member for Oamaru any longer in a state of unrest. He reminds me of a seagull just about to take flight." A SHEAF OF PETITIONS. Half the members of the House had big parcels of papers on their desks when the House met this afternoon, all of which turned out to be the day's addition to the shoals of petitions already presented in protest against the Schools Referendum Bill. There were 28 petitions presented to-day, the signatures ii|s&lling 12,983. The signatures on the aSiilividual petitions ranged from 32 on MrHine's to ISO!! on Mr Glover's, A interesting petition was that presented by the Hon. Dr Pomare, which contained ; the signatures of 59 residents of the Chatham Islands. NOT A HAPPY LIFE.

According to Mr G. J. Anderson (Mataura) the life of a Parliamentarian 1 •is not so happy as is generally imagined, as he always has his hand in his pocket. "It''is said," he remarked last night, 1 ' that it costs a man £3OO to get into Parliament, £3OO for subscriptions, and £3OO to get out." "The last is the best," interrupted Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui). "I dare say," responded Mr Anderson "but we don't look at it in that' way.'' REVENUE FROM LIQUORS. One of the favourite arguments of supporters of the, Trade is to the effect that if national prohibition is. carried the country will lose £BOO,OOO of revenue now derived from the duty on alcoholic li'/uors. An interesting' question was tabled to-day by Mr ,». Bollard (Eden), who proposes to ask the Prime Miuister whether, in view of the proposal to :■©* duce the statutory majority necessary to carry national prohibition, the Government will lay before the- House; prior to any further consideration of the Licensing Amendment Act, some scheme for the readjustment of the country's finances in the event of national prohibition being carried, embodying a general statement of the substitute sources from which the revenue involved would be derived, and, in particular, a statement showing approximately the estimated increase on (a) taxes on land, (b) taxes on income, and (c) Customs duties on necessities of life, SICK PAY FOR TERRITORIALS. Mr J. 0. Thomson (Wallace) is asking

the Minister of Defence whether he will make provision for the payment of sick pay for all Territorials injured while under training, and also provide an invalidity pension where the injury incapacitates him for life. ■METHVEN POST OFFICE. Mr W. J. Dickie (Seiwyn) to-day asked the Postmaster-General when he intends to proceed with tha erection of the post office at Methven, for which an amount was placed on the Estimates last year.