POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143574, 12 August 1911, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

A GOVERNMENT REVERSE. (By Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 11. Mr. Fowlds bad rather a busy and an anxious time with his Town Planning Bill to-night. Members made a dead set against giving tho power to the Governor-in-Counci! to decide as to the rejection or approval or modification of a town planning scheme eventually. A vote was taken on the point, and the Government suffered a reverse, the principle advocated by them being defeated by 34 votes to, 29. EDUCATION LEASES. The Education Reserves Amendment Bill, introduced in the House of Representatives to-day, gives extended powers to trustees of school reserves., Formerly the terjn of lease was limited to 14 years, without tho right of renewal to the tenant. The extended. powers now proposed, under tho Public Bodies Leases Act, will enable the trustees to adopt the Glasgow lease principle with a right of renewal subject to valuation after each 21 years, Tho question of reserving sites for schools on reserves is to be vested in land boards. Formerly this matter was in the hands of the school committees, who were Hone away with by last year’s Act. ' TENDERS ACCEPTED. The following tender for alterations and additions to tho Court House, Now Plymouth, have been received by the Government: Accepted, Coleman and Sons £960; declined, Boon Bros. £985, W. Howson £1125. Saunders Bros., Wellington, aro the successful tenderers for the manufacture of the steel and iron bridge work for the Stratford-Ongarue Railway, the price being £6195. A PISCATORIAL INTERLUDE. There was au amusing interlude in the House to-day in connection with the discussion of’ Mr. Hordman’s Oivil Service Reform Bill. The Hon. Thos. Mackenzie twitted Mr. Herdman with having once called Cabinet Ministers despotic and with having at another time called them jellyfish. ' Mr. Herdman replied that Ministers were despotic in dealing ivith the civil servants under them, but when they dealt with the public they wore jellyfish of the most pronounced typo. The Hon. H. M Kenzie; Do you apply that to me?—(Much laughter,). No jellyfish when I’m about.—(More laughter.) Mr. Herdman: No, I class the Minister for Public Works rather as a flounder.—(More laughter.)