POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9910, 27 July 1910, Page 1

POLITICAL NOTES.

[Froji OUP. COERESX'ONDENT.] WELLINGTON, July 26. MINISTERIAL DENIALS. "I want to give the statement that tho Ministry holds Cabinet meetings on Sundays an unqualified contradiction," said the Prime Minister to-day. ",1t... is absolutely contrary; .-to. fact. The Ministry has not- done so since it was formed. We have met as Ministers on Sundays to consider matters of great public interest, .but the Ministry is opposed to Sunday work." . A question was asked in the House to-day as to whether the Prime Minister had -noticed a statement in the "Dominion" of that day to the effect that lie had neglected to present a petition handed to him by two hundred Maori war veterans, asking for pensions. "I read tho paragraph," replied the Prime Minister, "and, as is riot uncommon with references made hv that journal to the Government and its actions, it is absolutely contrary to fact. They deliberately misrepresent the Government and have to swallow their statements so frequently on these matters that 1 am surj>rised the honourable member should have referred to it." Sir Joseph Ward explained that the petition had been handed to him in November, too late to be reported last session, and would come up this session by authority of the House already given. BOOKMAKER AND TOTALISATOR. A variation of the petitions presented to 'tlie House during the last week was handed in by Mr Arnold to-day in tho shape of a petition signed by 2633 persons in Dunedin, praying that bookmakimg should not be declared illegal as long as the totalisator was legalised. Up till now fifty-six petitions have been presented to Parliament, signed by 5332 persons, asking for the abolition of the bookmaker and gambling. EDUCATION BOARDS. The suggestion of Mi' Massey that the local government refonn proposals foreshadowed the abolition of Education Boards received a short shrift at the hands of the Prime Minister this evening. Sir Joseph WaTd said that the Government proposed, not to take away any power from Education Boards, but to improve theii* position. What was suggested was that in connection with the building of schools tho whole of the money should bo handed over- to the local governing bodies. Tho Government had never suggested that it was going to withdraw the whole of the amount now paid for rebuilding and maintenance of echools. STEVEDORES. The president and secretary of eleven unions of waterside workers have signed a petition asking the House to assist stevedores to obtain, a better status as a body by setting up a Royal Commission, to sit in Auckland. PURCHASING ESTATES. " W© have never had an estate offered for closer settlement at anything like a correct value," said the Prime Minister this evening, " and whenever we have approached anyone, I think I am right in saying that we have not had an instance of a property offered at a price that wo could accept." COMPULSORY CONTINUATION CLASSES. Mr T. K. Sidey has introduced an Education Act Amendment Bill, providing for compulsory attendance at continuation classes or boys and girls between the ages of fourteen and oigliten years. The Bill, which Mr Sidey says is the first word in the direction of compulsory continuationclasses, will provide three classes, one for tho,so who, he says, will really go to swell tho ranks of unskilled labour, one for trade training, and one for agricultural training.