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Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14218, 16 February 1914, Page 5

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ACCIDENTS IN MINES AND ON RAILWAYS. Pieea Association—Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 14. During the debate on the Address, MiBrace moved an amendment drawing attention to the increase in the number of accidents in mines and on railways. This led the' Government to emphasise the Rt. Hon. E. McKenna’s promise to introduce a Bill based on the experience of the Cooder disaster. Mr Robertson promised an inquiry into the Railway Employment and Prevention of Accidents Act. CHANCES IN THE.MINISTRY. Received February 10, 8 a-.in. LONDON. February 15. The Hon. E. L. Montagu si. cools the Hon. Mr Mastcrman. FORTHCOMING BY-ELECTIONS. Received February 16, 9.20 a.m. LONDON. February IV The candidates for the Poplar election will be Clerk (Unionist), Yeo (recently mayor. Liberal), and Jones (Labour). The Insurance Act will be prominent in the Bethnal Green election. Mr Masterman has announed a scheme to deal with the grievances of casual labourers. Mr Wilson (the Unionist candidate) proposed a drastic amendment of the Insurance Act. TRAFFIC IN TITLES. LONDON. February 15. Mr Locker Sampson has introduced a Bill to prohibit traffic in recommendations for titles or honours. The n ea.-ure was greeted with ironical laughin'.

In an address before the National League for Clean Government last October Sir George Kekewicb declared that bribery had become part of the Parliamentary system and public life, and that the Corrupt Practices A * was being evaded. In substantiation of his charge Sir George said that there was a regular market for honours. A contribution of ,£SOOO to the party funds would secure a knighthood, £25,000 was sufficient for a baronetcy, and the recognised price for a peerage was £60,000. Referring to the same subject the Sydney Sun’s London correspondent, waiting some month ago, said:—“ The Liberals have for many years been in the habit of placing the finances entirely in the custody of their Chief Whip, who has l>cen accountable to nobody hut his own conscience for what he has*done with the money left in his hands. lam credibly informed that it is not unusual for the Chief Whip to have £250,000 at his credit to fight an election, and he alone determines how this money shall be expended. It is not all made up from voluntary subscriptions by enthusiastic supporters. -A fair proportion of it is drawn from wealthy men who have a consuming hunger. for titles. .Scandalmongers assert that there is a regular tariff for patents of nobility, and it is an undoubted fact that many men who have risen from the honest obscurity of plain ‘Mr’ to the brilliant notoriety of earldoms and marquisates, have bought theij, way by placing their cheque-books at the disposal of party loaders.”