THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1913. SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1913. SUMMARY NOTES.

Parliament.

Tho third session of the present" Parliament was opened by Commission on June 26th, and on the following day the Speech from the Throne was delivered. It was briefer than usual, and contained but little matter calling for comment. It mentioned but few of the measures the Government contemplates introducing this session, among them being the Legislative Council Reform j Bill, providing, for the election of members of that branch of the Legislature, and the second instalment of the Government's land policy was promised, in tho shape of a measure extending the ' right to acquire the freehold conferred last year upon lease-in-perpetuity tenants, to settlers under tho Land for Settlements Acts. The Speech also mentioned Bills for the purpose of | amending the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, Workers' Dwellings Act, and Sfativo land laws, besides a number of other amending measures. After passing the Imprest Supply Bill, both .Houses adjourned until the following ■week as a mark of respect to tho memory of Sir Arthur Guinness, the late Speaker of the House of Representatives. Upon their re-assembling tho Addross-in-Reply was moved in tho I Legislative Council by the Hon J. [.Puthie/ and in the House of Representatives by Mr Wilkinson, member for JEgmont. The debate is still in pro-, gross in the JHouse, while the Council, having adopted the Address, stands adjourned until Tuesday next. The Speakcrship. . Tho first duty of the House of Represontatives upon assembling was that of electing' a Speaker in succession to the late Sir Arthur Guinness, who had held that distinguished posi.tionfor nearly ten years, with credit to himsolf and the general satisfaction of the House. The names of several members had been discussed in connection with the vacancy, but there was only one nomination, that of Mr F. W. Lang, member for Manukau, and Chairman of Committees,* who was proposed on behalf of the Government. Mr A. S- Malcolm, member for.Clutha, has succeeded Mr Lang as Chairman of Committees. : New Legislative Councillors. Tho Government has exercised its right of nomination of members of the Legislative Council, possibly for the last time, by calling fire gentlemen, Sir William Russell, and Messrs John Duthie, C. A. C. Hardy, William Earnshaw, and W. K. Nikora (Nicholls) to sit in that Chamber. Sir William Russell for many years represented Hawko's Bay in the Lower House, and was for a lengthy period.Leader of the Opposition. Mr Hardy was for a number of years member for Selwyn, being doioated at the last general election by Mr Dickie. Mr Duthie sat in several Parliaments as one of the representatives of Wellington City, and Mr Earnshaw was also for some years a member of Parliament, representing Dunedin constituencies in the Labour interest. It is ostensibly as a Labour/ representative that Mr Earnshaw has beon called to the Legislative Council, but as ho has not been actively associated with the movement for severalyears, his appointment is not viewed with satisfaction by a number of prominent Labourites. An Epidemic. A good deal of concern has been occasioned by the outbreak of a diseaso supposed to be smallpox in a very mild form, among Maoris rin several places in the North Island. A very serious epidemic of tho same description has visited Sydney, .having been j introduced from Vancouver, whence it xjs believed tho disease has also 'been j imported into the Dominion. A malady regarded as chickenpox. has, however, | been reported among tho Maoris in i the Auckland- district for some time, j vj&. tho tests applied have not yet en- | abled the medica,! officers of the Health Department to definitely determine that ifcMs really smallpox'they have to de-il with. There is no doubt sibout the'nature of the Sydney epidemic, however, and tho similarity of tho diseaso hero warrants stringent precautions—which are being taken—to confino it as much as possible to tho areas already affected. These liavo beqn virtually isolated, whilo passen-

gers from the North Island to South Island ports aro required" to produce evidence of recent vaccination, or submit to tho operation. The- Health Department is also urging the public generally to take advantage of tho protection afforded by vaccination. Only one European, a schoolmistress in the King Country, is so far reported to be suffering from tho disease. There have been thrco deaths, all Natives, and a number of Natives are under treatment in tho Auckland province. 'I ho position is not regarded as especially alarming, and'it is hoped that tho precautionary; measures already put into operation will suffice to check the progress of tho epidemic. \ H.M.S. New Zealand. The enthusiasm which marked the' arrival of tho Dominion's gift battleship to tho Imperial Navy at these1 shores was maintained till tho departure. After leaving Nelson the battlecruiser visited Picton, where Captain Halsey gavo expression to tho view that Queen Charlotte- Sound was eminently adapted, from a naval man's point of view, for a naval base. The next stay was at Wellington, but not for inspection or entertainment, the ship's company being engaged in coaling and other operations. The circuit of the two islands was then completed by a voyage up the west coast, anchor 'being dropped at Wanganui, New Plymouth, Russell, and Auckland. At the last-named port a four days' stay was made, during which residents^bf the northern city vied with each other to equal the demonstrations of patriotic enthusiasm and hospitality which wero evinced at all the ports of call. On June 25 Lord and Lady Liverpool paid a flying visit to Auckland to bid farewell to Captain Halsey, and were on tho leading boat of tho flotilla which sailed past a large fleet of mercantile vessels decked with bunting, up to tho Waitemata heads to see tho last of the battleship on-its first visit to its home waters. Tho ironclad proceeded to Fiji, then on to Honolulu, where she now is, and whence she will sail for Vancouver on Friday. The visit to Nelson appears to have been productive of a welcome as warm as anywhere else. The citizens and local bodies contributed largely to the entertainment fund, tho sports were well patronised, and the result was that the entertainment committee found itself with a surplus of £103. At a meeting held last Monday ovoning, to consider the disposal oi: this sum, various small complimentary grants were made, and tho residue, amounting j £86, was handed over to the Beautify- : j ing Society. j

Labour and Unity. A conference attended by some 4UU delegate's j representing tho various labour organisations in the Dominion, has just concluded a protracted discussion at Wellington on proposals to mergo all labour bodies in a united organisation. The result of tho deliberations is a. "United Federation of Labour," which, however, is still to all appearances very much in tho air. The conference decided that the federation should have two branches, one dealing with industrial and the other with political activities, the latter to bo known as the Social Democratic Party. The constitutions of both were adopted, but it still remains for the bodies represented at tho conference to affiliate or not with the new organisation, as they think fit, and it is expected several unions will elect to remain outside the federation. From ftie first the conference divided itself into two sections, moderates and extremists, and the latter possessed tho greater voting strength. One of tfte chief differences of opinion was on i«he strike question, the industrial constitution vesting the power of proclaim/ing a general strike in a central esecutivo, without a secret ballot being taken, or the unions concerned being consulted in any way. This and other decisions of a revolutionary character caused the representatives oi' the railway servants to retire from the conference, and they were followed by the Hon G. Fowlds.

Grey Bya-Eloction.

Tho bye-election in the Groy constituency to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sir Arthur Guinness, will take place to-morrow. There are threecandidates, Messrs .H. L. Michel, die Government nominee, M. Hannan, Liberal, and P. C. Webb, Social Democrat. It is expected that the result will be between the two first named, both, of whom have been conducting vigorous campaigns. Both aro very effective -'speakers, but Mr Hannan has tho advantage .of being a resident in the district, where,he possesses much personal popularity, Mr Michel having been brought from tho adjoining electorate of Westland to contest tho seat. Grey has always been n soxindly Liberal constituency, and appearances point to the return of Mr Hannan.

The Indrab^rali.

The re-floating of the Tyser liner Indrabarah, s.aijter lying stranded on the Rangitikei beach-- for 58 da.ys, stands as one of the most striking pieces of salvage work effected on the New- Zealand coast. The vessel's unheralded entry into. Wellington' harbour on July 7th was quite, imlooked for, optimism regarding the recovery-of- the xressel not being shared by many with those engaged in the salvage work. On May 9th, in tho. early morning, and during a westerly gale, the vessel went ashore. Various attempts were made, to drag the ship off the sand, but although on one occasion she pull-, ed herself a quarter of a mile out to sea, tho cables parted, and the effort, like several others, ended in failure. On Sunday, July 6th, a great effortwas made,, and the steamer's powor was exerted on several large mushroom anchors laid by: the tug Terawbiti. At 9.30 at-night the vessel was afloat, and two hours'later she had cut her way with her propellers through tho last obstructing sa-ndbauk. to.the open sea. With her hull apparently, .undamaged' she steamed to Wellington. Hor frozen meats..cargo, quite sound on account of the refrigerating machinery Wing kept

going, will be transferred to tho Star of India, and the Indrabarah will go to Port Chalmers for overhaul. The magisterial inquiry into Ijho stranding of the vessel resulted in a'finding that a strong westerly wind carried the vessel out of her course. Tho Court exonerated the captain and officers of any negligence, but was of opinion that tho master committed an error of judgment in not heading more to westward and in going at a low rate of speed considering tho direction and force of tho wind and the weather conditions then prevailing. All certificates were returned, and no order was made

as to costs