PARS ON POLITICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 816, 26 October 1905, Page 26

PARS ON POLITICS.

Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M., sat at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, to hear objections to names being retained on the Auckland West, East, and Central rolls. The first list dealt with was that for Auckland West. There was no appearance of any objector, and accordingly some 280 names were ordered by the Court to be struck off. For Auckland Central there were objections to 800 names, and these were struck off. Mr. McVeagh appeared on behalf of Mr. G. Higgins to oppose an objection raised against his name being retained on the Auckland Central roll. The registrar for Central stated that he had received an objection by W. J. Bell, an elector, lo the name of Mr. Higgins being on the list, as he did not reside in the Central district. The registrar heard the evidence of Mr. Higgins, who explained that he had lived in the Central district for several years. The registrar expressed himself satisfied, and the Court accordingly ordered that the name be retained. On the application of Mr E. H Lyons, 1000 names were struck off the Auckland East list. Any person who was struck off the lists may, ir. he satisfies the registrar that he is eligible to vote in such electorate, have his name put on the supplementary roll.

The chief inspector of machinery, reporting to the Minister for Marine, states that the recent advent of the oil engine, the perfection of the gas engine, and the introduction of the electric motor, have greatly aided to build up small manufacturing works during recent years. Boilers are now being worked in New Zealand at as high a pressure as 3001 b to the square inch. A large number are carrying 1501 b, and very few boilers are carrying less than 1001 b piessure. Fifteen years ago a pressure of 1001 b per square inch on a land boiler was a very rare thing. Greater care has now to be exercised in making annual inspection and surveys than was required in former years, owing to these, higher pressures. In regard to ships and steamers, it is reported that the provisioning of boats, begun last year, has

been completed, so also has the provisioning of rafts. To prevent the ’'emoving of provisions between surveys from the tanks, in which these provisions are kept in the boats and rafts, the lids of all the tanks were sealed up with a light strip of sheet brass, soldered at the ends to the tank, and stamped by a surveyor.

Sir Joseph Ward’s solicitors have served the “New Zealand Times” and the “ Evening Post” with a writ claiming £5OOO damages from each paper for the publication of an advertisement of Mr. Braund, of Colonial Bank fame, calling a meeting, on the ground "that the advertisement contained matter of a defamatory nature.

Mr. J. M. Shera, a candidate for the Parnell electorate, addressed a meeting in St. Mark’s Hall, Remuera, on Tuesday evening. In the course of his remarks Mr. Shera said rhat he a Pp ro J.®s of the increase to 10s a week of the Old Age Pensions. To assure finance fcr the pensions he suggested that the territorial revenue should be set ? side. Speaking of the expenditure on the Mapourika trip, he said that if members had realised the state of the finances they Heald not have gone on that trip, or anowfd the Land Commission to tret around the country. Then there was £20,009 voted for the Christchurch Exhibition, but he believed £40,000 more would yet be voted. About that exhibition there .vas a lust for high society, and they were going to try and get some <f 1 fie Did nobles of England, and even Royalty, to be present, so that there would be more decorations. “ The folly of this thing,’ said Mr. Shera, “ should be put down with a loud voice, and as one man. He did not believe in exhibitions; they were injurious to commerce, and to our industries, and they did no good except to hotel caterers. All that was Riven by the Government to the Auckland Exhibition, including the expenditure on the Rotorua Court, was under £7OO. He then spoke at some length on the Land question, and in conclusion referred to the scandalous way in which the question of the Parnell tunnel had been put aside by the Government. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to Mr. Shera for his address.

Mr, Morgan, the Independent Liberal candidate standing for the Parnell electorate, addressed a meeting in the Newmarket Hall on Tuesday evening. Mr. F. Bennett, the Mayor of Newmarket, opened the meeting. There was a moderate attendance. Mr. Morgan, who received an uninterrupted hearing, spoke for about an hour and a-quarter. He condemned party politics, and said that one thing he wished to see aco dm. pushed was the opening of the political aiei a for the working man. A vote or +hanks and confidence, moved ?t f he conclusion of the meeting, was carried by alternation.

Mr. C. J. Parr addressed a meeting of lady electors on Tuesday afternoon in the Ponsonby Hall, and was given a good hearing, nearly 200 ladies being present. Mrs. Bedford occupied the chair. Mr. Parr said he had been advised to come out as an Independent Liberal, as that would be a good way of catching votes from both sides. He declined the suggestion. So long as the party system existed, a man must take one side or the other. Who ever heard of an independent on a field of battle? The candidate said he was with the side which was fighting to restore to Parliament and the people the control of the country. Fourteen years of absolute power was not good either for Mr. Seddon or the country. Extravagance and abuses were bound to creep in under so long a reign. He instanced numerous cases of extravagant and wasteful expenditure of the public moneys. The money wasted on the Land Commission would have given Auckland an up-to-date technical school, or duplicated the Parnell tunnel. Mr. Parr said a pressing problem for paients was what to do with our boys. He was sorry to see dozens of promising young fellows leaving their native country to seek work in America and alsewhere. This should not be. There must be a screw loose somewhere when Now Zealanders had to go abroad to get employment. The Opposition advocated a live land policy and the developme it of our unrivalled natural resources, which would mean employment for all. Taxation on the necessaries of life should be reduced. The cost of living was higher now than

ever, and it was pressing hardest upon the workers. The question for them was how to get the benefit of any increase of wages in face of high prices. That question Mr. Seddon had declined to tackle. Mr. Parr said, with regard to education, the State should aim at co-ordinating the primary, secondary, and university systems, and making them free to all. He thought there should be uniformity in books, and that the State should provide books for the pupils at cost price. At the conclusion of his address the candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence.

Mr. R. French, who is contesting the Eden seat as an Independent Liberal, addressed a meeting of electors in the Mount Roskill Hall last Tuesday evening. He announced himself as an Independent, Temperance, and Liberal candidate. He criticised the present Administration, and spoke in favour of the increase to Old Age Pensions. He also favoured the abolition of barmaids. A vote of thanks was tendered to him at the conclusion of the meeting.

The railway classification list was laid on the table of the House by the Minister for Railways jusit before the House rose on Saturday. Mr. Massey , reminded the Minister of the promise given early in the session to make a statement regarding the betterment of the condition of the railway service in regard to the hours worked by engine-drivers, firemen, and guards, and the wages paid in the lower grades of the service. He said he thought the Government should make an announcement before the end of the session in regard to their intentions respecting this important matter. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he would probably submit his proposals on this subject when the Supplementary Estimates were brought down.

A return presented to the House the other day showed that the total daily cost of Parliament exclusive of statutory expenses, which do not vary with the length of the session) is about £llO per sitting day. The other statutory an-

nual expenses, including the honorarium of members, is roughly calculated at about £50,000, and, taking 80 sitting days as the average per session, the cost of running the colonial “talking shop” may be putt down roughly at about £7OO per sitting day. *** . * The last lap of the session is always a delicate period—a time for careful handling of members by Ministers—a time when the soft answer is in constant demand, and the smitten must learn the old Bible lesson of turning the other cheek. Unfortunately, menibbrs of Parliament are human beings, consequently they have but little desire to look round for a soft answer when a hard one will do just as well. They were nasty all last week—they have been shipmates too long. It is time the Parliamentary lugger was moored! She is coming up the harbour, They are fetchin’ of her in, And it ain’t a ’appy fo’csle If y’ judge it by the din, Foi’ half the crew is bawling That the work has but begun, While the other half is calling That the job is overdone; And the heavy man a-steerin’ He is swearin’ ’ard and low As the lugger falls to loo’ard With the wind a-droppin’ so Ho, it’s time they got to moorings, For the crew won’t do it’s “graft,” And they’re fighting in the fo’csle, And they’re singing chanties aft— Playing “ Bully in Our Alley” On a whistle and guitar, And a-wearin’ out the steward Handing down the triple star Yes, it’s time we paid ’em off. Paid the lot and signed ’em off, ’Fore the folk along the landings Start to scold and sneer and scoff. “Canterbury Times.”