POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12735, 3 September 1919, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

GOSSIP FROM THE GALLERY ' [From Our Correspondent.] EXPENSIVE RETURNS. WELLINGTON, September 3. The session usually opens with a long list of demands from members for returns containing tabulated information on a wide variety of subjects. The request is generally couched in such a way as to enable the member’s particular object to be secured, and some favourite contention borne out on official •authority. The practice is not favoured hy Mr Isitt, who regards these returns as expensive methods of scoring political points. They have to he prepared at gome cost, and, once laid before Parliament. they must be printed in large quantities, so that every member may secure a copy whether he needs it or not, and to ensure that every record of Parliament includes one also. In the hope of lessening the practice, ho has moved for a different variety of return —one showing the cost of preparing and printing all these returns, and the members who have asked for them. In cidentally, Mr Isitt at the same time joined forces with those who want returns. His objective was the bringing up to date certain facts relating to the licensing question, just a s other mem hers, with equal justification, follow up The problem of the distribution of land and incomes by means of parliamentary returns. But the system is abused and Mr Isitt thinks that if the tSkpayL er knew what it costs there would he a slump in the demand, and money would bo saved. THE RICOARTON SEAT. Ii is interesting to parliamentarians to note that cm© of the candidates nominated hy the Labour Party to run tlic gauntlet of the selection ballot for -Rmcarton seat is a former Labour mem- , Mr J- P°hertson, who represented Otaki m the 1011-14 Parliament, and was prominent in his condemnation of the thee Minister of Justice for using the police in connection wth the Waihi n obel 1 so . n was a member of tne. Royal Commission on the Cost ot Living, which made a lengthy report and many recommendations in 1912 to stir rncJtoi Governments to senous action on the Lines it suggested.