POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11215, 22 October 1914, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

[Fiiom Otra Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, October 21 NO PENSIONS BY CHEQUE.

11l reply to & suggestion from .Mr Glover that infirm pensioners should be allowed to havo their payments sent by cheque to their homes, the Hon F. M. B. Fisher (Minister in charge of the Pensions Department) states that it is not proposed to make any alteration in the present method of paying pensions. . There are many difficulties surrounding the suggestion to pay instalments by cheque or otherwise, and it would still be necessary for pensioners, if the suggestion were adopted, to attend a bank or post office to cash the cheque. The law provides for tho appointment of an agent where a pensioner is unable to collect in person. , DEFENCE TENDERING METHODS.

Tho attention of tho. Government was called by Mr Buxton to tho fact that a number of firms who were in a position to do so were not given an opportunity of tendering for defence forage supplies. Tho Hon J. Allen (Minister of Defence) replied that.the methods adopted were as follow:—Tender forma were sent to various firms in each military district regarding supplies and forage required within, the dis* trict. No telegrams were sent. Tenders wero not advertised in the pub* He papers as there was no time to do so. THE ELUSIVE SEALER. " Something ought to bo dono to safeguard tho seals which are destroyed on the Auckland Islands," declared Mr Witty when tho Fisheries Bill was under consideration in the House of Representatives. The Minister of Marine replied that tho reason for removing the prohibition upon taking seals was that it was found impossible to carry out the regulation by.preventing persons from sealing. A vessel only went down to the islands once a year, so how could the lawbreakers be caught? Consequently the Government removed tho bar and legalised what it could not prevent. Mr Witty: Make it unlawful and catch them if you can. TIMBER OR CONCRETE. : : ' While the Workers' Dwellings Act Amendment Bill was going through committeo this afternoon, Mr Glovei said that ho had recently been informed in Auckland that workers' dwellings could now be erected, more cheaply in reinforced concrete than in wood. He suggested that if timber wore to be used the timber should be supplied to ' the worker at first cost from the mills and be railed free to tlie site. This, he argued, would reduce the cost to the workmen by at least 25 per cent. If reinforced concrete could be used more cheaply, however, it deserved the Minister's consideration, especially . in view of the fact that the present £350 limit placed the worker at a considerable disadvantage. ; . The Prime Minister: Tho amount lias been increased to £4OO from today. Mr Massey went oh to say that ho' fully agreed with the suggestion to encourage the erection of workers' homes in brick or concrete. "We should then be able to give the workers much longer terms for repayment and the weekly payments would accordingly be very much less."