POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16635, 18 January 1922, Page 11

POLITICAL NOTES.

* # [From Ora OonaEfrownrvT.l WELLINGTON, January 7 ' SENTENCES. 'Will the Prime Minister tee that ; criminals such a* the burglar who has been going about Christchurch, get -l sentence comrneimira to with their crime-’’ raked Dr Thacker in the House to-day. He had. he said seen ». Wellington, victim, a worthy citizen, who might have beep killed by an assailant. M What happens in these easeß,” be concluded, “is that they are given probation or some nambypamby business, and are referred to a State club, instead of getting a real good sentence.” Mr Massey ascertained that while the individual to whom Dr Thacker referred had pleaded guilty to never/*! < barges ha hod not teen sentenced. He therefore declined to comment, ex cepft to soy ha eon id not interfere wftJh > ha course of justice. MINISTER AS JOB FINDER. 44 1 ana act praptured, as Minister of AgvfciiKara, kb flpd work for every individual who wanta it, but I can give ap indication where to look for it, 5 ’ was the final retort of the Hon W. Noa worthy when asked by Labour members if he oould find employment for certain men who had written to them since tha Minister made the ■ tateroe-nt that there was work to be had by those genuinely looking for it. Replying to Mr Parry, who load a letter from man in Auckland, the Minister explained that he bad not eaid that there vu ample work in Wellington, but generally in tho Dominion. Ha promised to look into the circumstances of this case, and also another from a Huntly resident, mentioned by Mr Fraswr. A GARDENING JOB Labour tnombers hare frequently stressed the unemployment problem, and by way of retort the Minister of immigration recently quoted on instance where a Christchurch employer offered gardening work to an unemployed man, but met wifh an emphatic refusal to take loss than 2is daily. Mr M’Combg revived the question today, as the incident had been said to have occurred in Lyttelton electorate He had. he said, been given details by Mr Isitt, who was guilty of making the statement originally. This enabled him to nscertaiu from tho lady who was said to have required a gardener that the incident never occurred, and she wished Mr Isitt to refrain from mentioning her name. Mr M’Combs, in view of this statement, asked the Minister of Agriculture to abstain from accepting uncorroborated statements against Labour. The Hon W. Nosworthy replied that he baxl not mentioned names and had quoted 225, not *24s, as the man’s demand. Mr M’Combs : Neither statement is ny ht. AlrN osworthy replied that lie would | accept any statement from Mr Isitt as a fact, and if the House liked to know the other point of view he could leave it to Mr Isitt, who knew ruore about th© member for Lyttelton than ho did. Mr Isitt: Hear, hear. You are absolutely correct.

GERALDINE COUNTY RIVER DISTRICT. A Bill introduced to-day, in charge of the Hon W. Downie Stewart, as a Government measure, proposes to set no a Geraldine County River District, comprising tho present Oeraldijne County, which is also constituted a river district, the River Board to bo the members for the time being of the County Council. Tfc will have power, with the consent of the Minister of } Public Works, to construct river protective works outside its own district, including the banks of tho Rangitata Kivei within Ashburton County. No other local body will have power to construct river works in this area. All the revenue from reserves for river protection purposes contained in the schedule of the Bill is to be appropriated to tho rivers board. Power is given the Governor-General to make regulations providing for hydrological and other records to bo kept by the board, and generally regulating the const ruction Jf protective works. The Bill provides for the abolition of the Upper Orari. Houth Orari and Ranjptata. Island river districts, constituted under th© River Boards Act, 1908. All property of such boards is vested in th© Geraldine County River Board and all liabilities and engagements of such boards shall become liabilities and engagements of th© Geraldine Board.