POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8104, 1 September 1904, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

■.'♦ [Fkom Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 1. STOCK LOSSES. Mr Herdman, is to ask the Minister of Lands why the proprietors of leases-in-per-petufty, the proprietors of small grazing runs, and other small landholders, who suf- ! fared., from' the swoowstorms of last year, are not being accorded an opportunity of giving evidence before the Lands Committees, the sittings of which commence- to-morrow ; and why the whole of the evidence which suoh committees will receive is to be confined to that : tendered by the 'holders of large pastoral lease?. A number of runholders are here to give evidence before fhe Lamds Committee regarding losses of sheep, but tiie committed is unable to sit owing to the no-confidenoe debate. OLD AGE PENSIONS. On, bahalf of the Speaker, Mr Millar is to ask tli© Premier: (1) Whether he is aware that under the Old • Age Pensions Amendment Act, 1902, in cases where a. man and his wife are both entitle^, to an, j old age pension, . where the husband has property "and the wife 'has none, and the value of the property exoeeds the limit that a pensioner may hold to entitle him to the full pension, a deduction fromi his pension, is made on the full amount of { j excess so held by him, and that in fixing I the pension for his wife, who holds no property, a deduction is made from her i pension on half the value of the husband's property ; so that in effect a deduction is made from the pension of each pensioner in respect of the same property. (2) If so, does be consider that this is just, and- was it the inteution of the Act; and further, will the Government introduce an amendment to the Act to remedy this injustice? j SUNNYSIDE ASYLUM. The following is #ie text of Mr Taylor's question to the Minister of Lunatic Asylums regarding the Simnyside Asylum episode:—(l) Whether he will immediately inquire into the following matter: In the " Lyttelton Times " of Auguet 26 an. article appeared criticising the hours worked by the baker at tlw Simnyside Asylum. Since its publication the baker (Davis) and Kennedy (a charge attendant) have been sepnrately interrogated by the medical superintendent as to their connection with the correspondence referred to. Although they both deny any knowledge of how the information got into print about the hours of labour, Davis has received a month's notice and Kennedy has been suspended from duty. (2) Whether, if the statements as set forth prove correct, he will at once arrange for a competent^ Commission to inquire into tlw question of administration of Sannyside and other asylums, and set up an independent Board of Appeal for suoh asylums. ALIENATION OF CROWN LANDS. Mr Ell has prepared a petition for ciroulation throughout the colony, asking that a referendum of the electors should be taken upon the two issues (1) tlvat no more Crown lands be sold ; (2) that the freehold of any lands leased from the State be not granted. THE COLE^fOULE BILL. The Stephen Cole-Motile Trustees Empowering Bill, before the Private Bills Committee, to-day, passed unaltered 1 , except that the second half of the title waa struck out as surplusage. . . ■ THE LAND DEBATE. In order that the consideration of tie Estimates raighfc be resumed to-morrow, Friday being the only day on which, supply can "be taken without tibe interception, of an amendment, the Premier and' met Got-i eminent whips have bsect* entreating members to bring the land debate to a close at to-day's sitting, 'but ho many are still anxious to speak tihat it is unlikely that Mr Seddon will get this way. Tffi.? Government majority, when the -division i 3 taken, is expected to bs fifteen. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Hogg: "It is impossible to stop the aggregation of large estates. One might as well attempt to stop the wind from blowing." ■ „-- "T-he members of the Opposition seem to be attentively reading some important despatch ; but they are limning 1 to me all the same," was Mr E. M. Smith's scold at- the otlher side for their pronounced and: aggressive inattention to his .flow of eloquence. ■ "Why do I stand for the leasehold?" asked Mr Hogg, in' impassioned' oratory. "It is because I want to protect the tenant from the accuraxl mon>ey-lender. TJbere (painting to the- leader of th© Opposition) is tie spider that is trying to get the fly [ into its web, and, once there, how its blood I will be drained 1 ; but tharJc God we -have a good big ponderous Mason fly that is more than a match for that spider." | Mr M'Nab is asking for another week's i leave of absence for Mr Tanner on -account jof M-health.