NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1928, Page 13

NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

HALF THE LOAF. URBAN SUMMER TIME. {From Our Own Correspondent)'. Wellington, Aug. 30. Though Mr. Sidey’s Local SummerTime Bill was given its second reading in the House of Representatives last night and referred to a select committee that may be expected to look favourably upon most of its provisions, its appearance on the Statute Book this session is by no means assured. The Railway Department and the Post and Telegraph Department still have to be consulted on the matter, and they both may raise difficulties in regard to the half loaf which may seriously jeopardise its. further progress. That the Sum-mer-Time Act of last year was not reenacted this year was largely due to the assumption of many of its supporters that its passage was inevitable. These people now are taking only a languid interest in the Local Bill, fearing that it would tend rather to obstruct than to help the permanent reinstatement of the measure-they allowed to slip from their hands earlier in the session. It also is well known that in many of the urban districts there are big interests much more strongly opposed to “daylight saving” than are the great majority of the farmers.

LAW MAKING. Among the many Bills that remain to be presented to Parliament during the present session is the Auctioneers Act 1928 which contains many curious clauses for the delectation of the casual reader. There is one that will particularly interest the purveyors of fish, fruit and vegetables. “At any auction sale of fish, shell-fish, fruit or vegetables,” it runs, “every lot shall be sold to the highest bidder, and it shall not be lawful for any auctioneer to refuse to accept a bid from any person present at the sale who is willing, or who states that he is willing, to pay cash for the goods on the fall of the hammer, and any condition or stipulation in conditions of sale in any manner violating this provision shall be void and of no effect.” Among the curious things about this clause is that it has stood on the Statute Book for many years without any record of a buyer getting away with prime apples at a penny a ease or fresh fish at sixpence the hundred weight. FOR THE PRIME MINISTER.

In these days the Prime Minister receives fewer bouquets from his independent critics than are his due, and this fact lends additional grace to an appreciation by the Post of his bearing towards the Industrial Conference. “If members will maintain the high tone taken by the Prime Minister in his statement,” the evening journal states, “they will avoid the risk of setting the parties at loggerheads. Mr. Coates’ summary of the difficulties and the issues before the conference was judicial and fair' to all concerned. In it there was no phase or word which could be regarded as provocative. It is not asking too much of other speakers to urge that they also should endeavour to avoid bias and, as far as possible, unreasonable partisanship. Of course members will take sides. That is only to be expected; but they can do so with a due allowance for the opposite point of view.” The compliment was so well deserved that it will bear iteration. Whatever his other disabilities may be, Mr. Coates at least knows how to play the game, . ■ ■

A REPENTANT KNIGHT. Mr. Peter Fraser is not the most arresting speaker on the Labour benches in the House of Representatives, but following upon an appeal from Sir John Luke for higher wages for members of the Civil Service he excelled himself. Hailing Sir John as a Daniel come to judgment, and welcoming him to the stool of repentence, he expressed a hope that the member for Wellington Suburbs (the Hon. R. A. Wright, the Minister Education) would be the next to exp ss repentence, and to join with Sir John in confessing they had done wrong with other members of the Reform Party in 1921-22 when without any justification they had reduced the wages and standard of living of the public servants and other people of the Dominion. Finally the member for Wellington Central, amidst much laughter, urged Sir John to move that in the opinion of the House the salaries of the public sen-ants generally should be restored at least to the minimum of 1920. He would be ready, in the circumstances, to act as teller with the worthy knight.