POLITICAL NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 145, 25 July 1914, Page 12

POLITICAL NOTES.

fFrom our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WOMEN POLICE. Dr A. K. Newman (Wellington East) is asking the Attorney-General whether it is the intention of the Government to appoint women to the police force'?, RAKAIA RAILWAY STATION.

Mr W. J. Dickie (Selwyn) has given notice to ask the Minister of Railways whether he will give instructions for improvements to be put in hand at ciu-e at the Rakaia railway station? In a note to his question, Mr Dickie says that tTie accommodation is not nearly sufficient to cope with the work, as often there are four and sometimes five trains at the station at the same time, and if immediate alterations are not made there is a likelihood of serious accidents happening. SLOT TELEPHONES FOR CHRISTCHURCH. Mr H. G. Ell (Christchurch North) is asking the Postmaster-General whether, with a view to supplying people who cannot afford the luxury of telephones in their homes, he will have slot telephones installed at the following points in the Christchurch South district: Corner of Moorhouse Avenue and Windmill Road, corner of Strickland Street and Redruth Avenue, corner of Collins Street and Ward Street, corner of Somerfield Street and Ward Street, corner of Somerfield Street and Wilderness Road, corner of Milton Street and Selwyn Street, corner of Sandyford Street and Colombo Street, corner of Montrose Street, corner of Gibbon Street, corner of Battersea Street and Harper Street, corner of Selwyn Street and Harman Street? BIBLE PETITIONS.

Although the tide- of petitions on the subject of the introduction of Bible-reading into the State schools has somewhat abated, they still flow in. To-day there were eight petitions praying that the Referendum Bill be not passed, the signatures totalling 931. One petition, signed by 50 persons, asked that the proposal be carried. The grand total of signatures to the various petitions to date is, against 59.256, for 1040. IS THE FARMER OVERTAXED? Considering half the farmers pay no taxation, and the other half pay less than £3, can it be said that they are over-taxed?" This was a question put by Mr Hindmarsh in the House last night. He quoted some interesting figures. There are 46,922 owners of land of more than' five acres in New Zealand, and of them only 20,540 pay land tax. Of these 1000 pay under £3 and 19,000 pay under £2O a year. "Yet we are told," said the member for Wellington South, "the farmer is crushed by taxation, that is the fav-ourite-tale at the farmers' conferences. I noticed they -condemned the small navy policy at the meeting of the Union the other day. The extra revenue required for defence will have to come out of the land anyhow, there ; s no other source available." MR HERRIES INDISPOSED.

The Hon. W. 11. Herries, Minister of Railway s$ who has been suffering from quinsy, was last evening ordered to bed by his medical adviser. Mr Herries will be confined to his room for some days.