In and Out of Parliament.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 5, 29 July 1908, Page 10

In and Out of Parliament.

Notes on Public Men and Affairs.

1 A Model By-laws Bill is to be introduced by the Government. J« Jt The Legislative Councillors enjoyed a few days’ rest from their arduous labours (During the Financial Debate. J* J» Mr Isaac Green, Mayor of North east Valley, is definitely anounced as a candidate for Dunedin North. J« JU Mr Meredith Soule, of Ilikurangi, has announced his intention of standing for Marsden as a Prohibitionist candidate. J* ,!» What next in the way of restrictive legislation? Mu. Hlewis wants a law passed to compel country settlers to chain up their dogs o’ nights! Jt Muddled metaphor by Mr, Jennings: — “ I hope before long that we may see the grand old ship of New Zealand at the top of the tree.” & Jt Mr. Hardy, on the Hon. James McGowan, Minister of Mines and Justice:— “Ho is not a weak-kneed Minister, but he is amongst them.” Jt jt Ministers do not see their way to increase the amount annually voted in aid of the social work done by the Salvation Anny in the Dominion. Jt jt Was it a “ Witty ” retort?—“ I will admit,” said Mr. Ell, “that Wellington has the cheapest tramway system in New Zealand.” “ And the most noisy," interjected Mr. Witty. Ji Jt Ministers state that in an amendment of the Electoral Act, provision will be made for a new form of ballot-paper with one black corner in order to ensure greater secrecy of the ballot. Jt J* " He nailed his colours to the mast, but he pulled them down,” said Mr. Hardy in referring to the Minister for Lands and his Land Bill of 1006. “I am not sure that he did! not tear the nail holes, but at any rate they came dlown.” Jt Jt Mr. Ell stated in the House the other day that there could be no question that a timber ring existed, which was forcing up prices and boycotting some mills. The only remedy was for the State to go into the milling industry. JS Jt Mr. Hardy, in the course of his speech during the Financial Debate, regretted that there were many powerful rings and trusts here doing incalculable harm, and the tariff, had, he said, facilitated) their operations. Jt jt Referring to the native question, Mr. Jennings said it was wrong to say the Maori was lazy. The Maoris worked as hard as Europeans. They should be treated as men, and given equal opportunity with ourselves. Jt Jt It is understood that the only native land legislation to bo brought down this eeesion will be to give effect to the suggestion of the Native Land Commiseion, so as to make land available for occupation as early m possible.

While there is a strong agitation for the increase of the duty on imported timl>er, so as to exclude Oregon pine, Mr. Barber thinks it is high time the duty on imported timber was removed. The high price of timber is, in his opinion, responsible for high rents. Jt Jt “ There is nothing but old fossils at the heads of Departments,” said Mr. Symes M.P., “end they not only run their Departments, but the Ministers as well. The sooner - they are pensioned off the better.” Jt jt Mr. Frank I-a wry has been elected to the position of Chairman of the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of the House for the eighteenth year in succession. Jt -Jt In the course of the Financial Debate Mr. Remington protested against Mr. Massey claiming credit for keeping the flag of the freehold flying. There were eighteen members on the Government side of the House who had l helped to do that. Jt Jt Mr. Arnold, in the House the other day, assorted that it was literally true to say that coalition hadi been discussed betw’een the Opposition and some members of the Government parly, and the reason for that was that it was felt that coalition would enable them to better resist the Labour party. The result was that the Labour people were forced into a position which a few years ago they had no desire to take up. Ji Jt Sir W. J. Steward has pointed out that the amount raised last year by indirect taxation was almost exactly four times the amount raised by direct taxation. Indirect taxation fell heavily upon the working classes. The sugar duty should not have been abolished. It was not burdensome, and would have paid for loading the back blocks. The same view was expressed by Mr. Major. Jt Jt On Thursday, referring to the timber question, Mr. Hogan said the present timber asset of the Dominion was between thirty-five and thirty-six thousand million feet, but the supply was rapidly diminishing. It was absurd to say the sawmillers were affected seriously by the importation of Oregon pine. Only one-twenty-third of the timber sold in Wellington was Oregon pine. Moreover, the prices of riinu were in all cases considerably lower than those of Oregon pine. JJ Jt The rise of a Farmers’ Party in politics is confidently predicted. “ I am as certain as it is possible to be certain about anything,” says a leading member of the Opposition party, “ that the next Parliament will find a strong Country party within the House. The Farmers’ Union are going to play a big part in the coming elections. The result will be that the next Parliament will most assuredly includlo a strong Country party. Another point worth making is that those who are desirous of seeing the formation of such a party are the small farmers, and not the large landowners.” Jt Jt i 7 THE DUTY ON FLOUR. Another attempt is to be made this session to secure the abolition of the duty upon flour. A bill has been circulated in the name of Mr. Hogg, member for Masterton, which aims at the removal of the duty levied on flour imported into New Zealand under the Tariff Act of 1907, and provides that on and after the coming into operation of this Act the duty shall wholly cease to be levied and collected.

THE ARBITRATION LAW. The Labour Bills Committee is hard at work on the Hon. Mr. Millar’s Arbitration Act Amendment proposals, and it has been found necessary to take a considerable amount of new evidence. The following extract from a leading article in the Wellington “Post” will be read with interest by those who do not favour the lessening of the powers of the Arbitration Court by the establishment of Conciliation Councils: “If it be asked, seeing that Conciliation Boards and Councils of Conciliation are equally condemned, what we would propose to put in their place, we answer ‘Nothing. Nothing at all.’ We would maintain the Arbitration Court as a Court of compulsion, a Court of first and last resort, and have no other authoritative Court or board or council whatever. If compulsion is to be exercised the sooner the disputes reach it the better. If conciliation is to be applied, then conciliation must depend for its efficacy on the good will and good sense and good faith of the parties. We would give disputants every chance to develop and exercise those qualities simply by holding the Court of Arbitration over their heads in terror.” Jt Ji THE MAORI CONGRESS. * On July 21 a deputation from the Maori Congress submitted a petition to the Prime Minister, praying that it be enacted that either the supply of liquor be absolutely prohibited both to Maoris and also to half-castes living in Maori settlements amongst Maoris, or else that power be given to the Maori people to express an opinion and! to vote upon the question whether or not liquor should be supplied to Maoris either within the existing Maori electoral areas or within the Maori Council districts. Sir Joseph Ward promised that this question would receive the fullest and most careful consideration. He was in full sympathy with the request. He certainly thought the Maoris should have the power, as they had the right to vote on the liquor question, which was an important one, affecting themselves and their descendants. Whether this could be done this session he doubted however. Ji Jt THE UNEMPLOYED. The Prime Minister objects to the criticisms made on the proposed expenditure in entertaining the American Fleet, and especially to those who associate it with the present lack of employment in some occupations. The money voted by the Government only amounts to 3Jd. per head of the population, while at least lid. per head of the population will be returned through the extra use of the public services of the Dominion. He did not believe that the great mass of our working people were so forgetful of our obligations as to suppose that when the fleet was going to Samoa and Fiji, as at first announced, and afterwards to Australia, that it was for us to have said that we did not want it here. If we had said that we should not have shown proper recognition of our duty to the Empire and to ourselves. Unhappily, they found the cry raised that the small amount of money that was to be spent would interfere with the employment of the people. The Government had sufficient resource to do its duty in welcoming the fleet, and also to do what was right in the way of employment for the people. Jt Jt CIGARS AND IMPERIALISM. “I’m no speaker—-J’m a worker,” said Mr. C. A. C. Hardy in the House tonight, and from the spirit of levity in which the utterances of the member for Selwyn were taken, it was evident that members were not inelined to dispute the assertion. Mr. Hardy followed by stating that Sir Joseph Ward was no Britisher. To substantiate this allegation, he produced a brown paper parcel from the depths of which he hauled forth several boxes of cigars. On opening these up the member for Selwyin waved them to and fro, displaying on the lid of each a portrait of the Prime Minister. “Look at these,” he continued, “every one containing a photo of our Prime Minister, and every one bearing the imprint “Made in Hamburg.” Sir Joseph Ward: “I don’t import those cigars. 1 '

Mr. Hardy: “No, but Fm a member the House Committee, and I’m going to raise Cain. I know that the Prime Minister is a half-bred Irishman, like myself; but what’s his photo doing inside • box of cigars made in Hamburg?” The uproarious laughter of the House drowned Mr. Hardy’s final denouement. THE OFFICERS. ’ The Government Commissioners have received a cutting from the Honolulu “Daily Advertiser” of June 26, 1908, giving the following lists of the divisions and commanders of the battleships:— First Division (Rear-Admiral C. S. Sperry, commander-in-chief, commanding) —Connecticut, flagship, Captain H. Osterhaus; Kansas, Captain C. E. Vreeland; Vermont, Captain W. P. Potter; Minnesota, Captain J. Hubbard. Second Division (Rear-Admiral R. Wainwright, commanding) — Georgia, flagship, Captain E. F. Qualtrough; Nebraska, Captain R. F. Nicholson; New Jersey, Captain W. H. H. Southerland; Rhode Island, Captain J. B. Murdock. Third Division (Rear-Admiral W. H. Emory, commanding)—.Louisiana, flagship, Captain K. Niles; Virginia, Captain A. Sharp; Ohio, Captain C. W. Bartlett; Missouri, Captain G. A. Merriam. Fourth Division (Rear-Admiral S. Schroeder, commanding) — Wisconsin, flagship, Captain H. Morrell; Illinois, Captain J. M. Bowyer; Kearsarge, Captain H. Hutchins; Kentucky, Captain W. C. Cowles. Auxiliaries—Culgoa, Lieutenant-Com-mander J B. Patton; Panther, Commander V. S. Nelson; Glacier, Commander W. S. Hogg; Yankton, Lieutenant-Com-mander C. B. McVay; Relief (hospital ship), Surgeon C. F. Stokes. ’XV THE DRUG HABIT. Mr. T. M. Wilford, who is moving in Parliament to restrict the sale of chlorodyne, has received a letter from a Napier resident, in which the writer expresses the hope that everything will be done to wipe this curse out of New Zealand. His case, he said, was that of many others. H»s wife was addicted to the drug, and as a result, after 30 years spent in getting a home together, he had bcem involved in trouble, and had had to mortgage his property. He had tried every remedy under the sun. The victims of the drug suffered all sorts of imaginings. “My wife,” he concludes, “lies in front of me almost a t death’s door. I don’t know the minute she may pass away. In God’s name do your utmost for the sake of humanity.” Jt Jt RAILWAYS IN THE NORTEL. An important deputation waited upon the Hon. Hall-Jones, and urged the speedy construction of the Waiuku railway. The deputation included Messrs. Massey, Alison, Kidd, I.a wry, Poland, Greenslade, Bollard, Heke, Mander, and the delegates from Waiuku, Messrs. Makgill, Barker, and Chalmers. Mr. Massey said he hoped the authorisation bill would be brought down this session. The Waiuku line presented no engineering difficulties if only extended 12 miles, which could be built for £ 50,000. Other speakers pointed out that the line :vas recommended by Royal Commission 30 years ago. Mr. Hal! Jones replied that no one was more delighted at the progress of Auckland than he was, and he realised that the North must have more railways. They would be pleased to know that the Main Trunk line was now nearing completion, and when it was finished it would enable branch lines to be taken up. Other lines must be gone on with. Ons that he was determined to push through was that from Whangarei to Kawakawa. He promised that the Waiuku line would not be forgotten, but he did not believo it could be constructed for less than £6OOO a mile, or a total of £75,000. Ha was satisfied that a fair case had been made out for favourable consideration. An authorisation bill would probably be put through this session, and he promised that the Waiuku extension would then be considered.