POLITICAL NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 523, 13 October 1915, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

JOTTINGS FROM PARLIAMENT. THS APPROPRIATION BILL. [From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 12. The Appropriation Bill, passed in the House of Bepresentatives yesterday, provided a sum of £8,100,226 from the Consolidated Fund (including appro- 1 priations made earlier by means of Imprest Supply Bills) for the various State services. The. Bill, which deals also with the Public Works Fund and the separate accounts, covers, the usual period ending March 31 next. Among its special clauses is one providing that, notwithstanding anything in the Public Service Act of 1912, payments may be made to any officers of the Government Life Insurance Department, the State Fire Insurance Office, or the National Provident Fund Office, of any sums by way of commission or bonus, which have been provided by the House of Representatives. A BAD DEBT. Among the items on the Supplementary. Estimates was a vote of "£14,031 'to cover the writing off of an old Public Works Department debt to the Waitara; Harbour. Board. Replying to a question on the subject in the House of Representatives yesterday the Prime Minister said that' the debt wasa very old one. - The board was unable to pay interest on sinking fund or principal, and. he understood the late Mr Seddou had promised to write off the debt. • >..-. ', Mr Okey (Taranaki):'He said they would not be troubled with, it. '■"" Mr Massey added that the Government realised the matter should be fixed up in order that the Harbour Board might be able to borrow money for improvement works. ' It would be better to let Waitara start level again. INJUSTICE TO SOLDIERS. Two cases 6f apparent injustice to returned'soldiers were mentioned in the House of Representatives to-day. - Mr H, J..Okey (Taranaki) asked if it was just that,a man who had been through the fighting at the Dardanelles, and had been invalided home, should be required now to take his discharge from the forces without first being medically examined as regarded.-, his fitness for work in a civilian capacity. The Defence' Minister said that he would be glad to receive details of the rase. ■'. -

Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) mentioned a woldicr who had been refused-a-pen-sion, although disablwd, on the ground that hia condition wan due to an apoplectic Htroke, and not to the conditions of service. The Mi muter said' that the man had two courses opeu to him. He could either apply for a pension under the Amending Pensions A*;t, just panned, or he could put hia claim before his laeal patriotic society. BOARD OF TRADE.

Replying to a question., the Minister of Finance (Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward) stated that applications would .be iu-. vitcd publicly for the three seata on the Board of Traded The Government would consider the .applications and make the best selection possible.