POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12086, 15 August 1917, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

[FkOII OtTR CORKEBPONDEWTB,] WELLINGTON, August 14. FEEDING TPIE SPARROWS. Mr Isitl- drew the attention of the Minister of Justice to-day to a statement made by a member of the House on a public platform, 'that _an old inmate of Lytielton gaol received an additional sentence of three montlis for giving his crumbs to sparrows. The Hon J- A. Hanan replied that he preferred 'that any charges made by a member against prison management should bs made in the House. If charges were properly formulated and laid in the House, then he could reply to them, but he was not going to act merely on a statement made outside. He wanted someone to father such a statement, and he would wait, therefore, till the gentleman repeated hia critical remarks in the House. RIVER BOARDS. Upon the introduction of the Rivers Boards Act Amendment Bill "to-day the Minister of Publio Works explained, in the absence of the Hon G. W. Russell, Minister in charge of the measure, that it proposed to deal with cases in which river boards had not done their duty. It gave power to the Minister of Internal Affairs to set L a Commission to inquire and recommend the Government what oueht to be done to carry out neces- ££• work. It would also have the same power as river boards to levy rttes on a district. The BUI, said t e Minister, was very necessary because difficulties had cropped up in several parts of the Dominion. MALCOLM ROSS, CENSOR. In reply to several questions recently raised regarding New Zealand's war correspondent, Mr Malcolm Ross, acting as military censor, the Minister of Defence to-day read the High Commissioner's cable stating that Mr Ross only acted as censor on one occasion so as to avoid delay to letters, no other censor being available. He had not acted since, and a full explanation .is being sent to New Zealand. SOLDIERS' GRAVES. The Defence Minister this afternoon read an extract from a letter received from the High Commissioner in reference to the burial in Britain of New Zealand soldiers. The letter stated that, all Dominion officers who died at Home were buried in tingle graves, and the Imperial authorities especially desired to bear the cost of any land required for our soldiers' proves. The Minister explained that he and tho Minister of Public Health were now ai ranging for some uniform design for permanent headstones to be placed over the graves of New Zealand soldiers. CHEAP BUTTER OFFER. When the member foi Wairarapa informed the House to-night that thousands of pounds of first-class factory butter in bulk were available in Wellington at a shilling per pound Mr Massev interjected "The Government will take the lot." Mr Brown: Why didn't you do it before? Mr Hornsby: Right, I shall endeavour to have that bargain closed tomorrow. Mr Massoy: T make the offer, and I expect you to stand by it. Hon J. A. Hanan: Hear, hear. Knock it down. (Laughter.) Mr Hornsby's final remark was that though all this butter was available wholesale at a shilling it was retailed at Is Bd.