POLITICAL NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 14959, 10 July 1923, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

CONDEMNED CATTLE. A return presented to Parliament yesterday shows that during the year -£he total, amount paid in compensation cattle condemned by the Agricultu--Department inspectors was £12,987. this sum £12,972 was paid as half .and £ls as full value. . £ MB 'WITTY'S VOTE. The fact that Mr G. Witty has voted .ngainst the Liberals was pointedly referred to by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr T. M. Wilford, in the House yesterday afternoon. Mr Wilford read through the names of one of the committees that had been set up, and then commented: “The only member of that . committee we claim as belonging to our party is Mr Forbes, who votes with us on all no-confidence motion.” The names of the members of the committee included that of Mr Witty.

“PREFERENCE TO WEALTHY.”

In referring to the amendment to the State Advances'Act in the House yesterday, -Mr E. A. Ransom (Pahiatua) asked why preference should be j<ivon to the man who had not a mortgage on his property. That man should not get preference over the unfortunate individual who had had to pay a high rate of interest during the slump. This was only another instance showing that the Reform administration gave preference to the wealthy.

Mr Massey: I am certainly not going to give it to speculators. Mr Ransom said that was the effect which would be- secured.

MAORIS AND STATE LENDING.

An interesting observation on the Sending of money to natives was made 3n the House of Representatives last night by the Hon. A. T. Ngata. Mr Ngata expressed the opinion that the time had arrived for the creation of a special department which should have as its main care the better expenditure of money that is lent to natives. He said he thought it was a weakness pf the Advances to' Settlers legislation of last year that it w T as decided to lend .money on stock when the State had no

machinery to see that the money was properly expended. In lending money ity&as not necessary to consider the se-rit-y only. The lending department Should also take into consideration the personal element, the character of the native, particularly the character for ‘ shrift and industry. Unless there was -machinery in the district by which the personal equation could be assessed, -’the lending to the Maoris must be a very risky business. WOMEN JURORS WANTED. In ttye House yesterday, Mr T. M. Wilford said that when the Juries Amendment Bill was in committee he would move some amendments in the •direction of making the jury system of the Dominion more progressive, _ He proposed to move to add in section 3 ■orthe principal Act the words “and •women,” in-order to give women the Tight to- sit on juries in this country. He recognised that women were more .inclined to be hard on women than men were; but he held that there were many' -cases in which the special knowledge .of women on domestic and otheT matters would be most useful. He had .had some knowledge of women in other •countries sitting on juries with men. The system had proved itself a' success ■elsewhere, and there was no reason why women should not sit on .fffs. Mr Wilford declared that the -right of the Crown in criminal cases to -challenge as many jurors as it liked, whereas the prisoner could only challenge six, was wrong and unjust. If -the crown had the right to challenge 12 jurymen that would be ample, but under the present system the Grown had the power, with the authority of Parliament, to pack a jury. He knew what he was talking about. THE JURY SYSTEM. . Speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, the Minis,ter of Justice said that he was not going to deny that there was dissatisfaction with the jury system to-dav. But the dissatisfaction was not because inmocent pe.ople were found guilty, but •because those who were Clearly guilty were acquitted. There was scarcely .one of the judges of modern times who Aad not referred in scathing terms to -the perversity—the wilful perversity—•of juries in acquitting prisoners in certain cases. He denied that Crown Prosecutors in New Zealand were guilty -offee practice of jury-packing. _ In ■>eWmia] eases the Crown had the right -to any number of challenges, but only -“for cause.” The juror, too, or the -party, had the rigflt to demand when a juror was “ stood down,” the reason whv; and it was for the judge to say whether the challenge was justifiable logically they had he very much of the ce n tire be made that j’’ ‘/‘yyKt >• likely to £*' V : jPamendment. mMSmSSiSF'- the State AdBill was moved by in the House yesd that under the new maximum that might be increased to £1250. It was not likely that many workers would be able to take full advantage of -that maximum. Up to 95 per cent of the valuer of a house and section '.would be advanced. The provision for Settlers included an increase of from 60 -,io 7ifee r cent in advance. The increase of from £3500i was importaStHe did not consider there was .-any risk in this, and added that the Interests of the State would be watched by a very competent board. The department, was already doing considerable business,, and repayments of interest and sinking funds totalled nearly £1,000,000 per year. Under the Advances to Workers, Act, 1885, applications were received last year, and £783,312 was paid over. Local authorities were indebted to th e department to the extent of £2,573,971. He had said the capital of the Advances Department could be increased to £20,000,000. - Mr Wilford: That means £5,000,000 more. ■Mr Massey: Yes. And I have £4,00Q,■OOO besides. Mr Massey said he intended to ask ■the House to give him borrowing powers in case it became necessary. Personally he did not think it would be -.necessary.