POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2281, 28 August 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE GOVERNAIENT AND THE SHEEP SHEARER.

[Speciad to “Times.”]

' WELLINGTON, August 27. Mr. .Lewis has given notice of two questions that will make pastoralists throughout the country snide. (1) to ask the Minister of Labor whether lie will endeavor to induce his colleagues, the Minister of Railways and the Minister for Public Works, to provido for tlje co-operative masters and men employed upon the railways the same standard of accommodation as the Shearers Accommodation Bill seeks to provide for shearers, or, in the alternative, will he amend the said Bill in the direction of establishing the standard of accommodation for shearers as the Liberal Government provides, for its employees? (2) To ask the Minister of Labor whothor he will arrango with the Public Health Department and the Government Printing Olfico for the immediate supply of 4302 medicine chests and an equal number of books on First Aid, so that owners of a thousand sheep, or over may be in a position to comply with the provisions of the Shearers Accommodation Bill? (Note, —The matter is of some urgency as shearing will commence in October.)

OBJECTION TO THE QUESTION

[Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, August 27. Mr, Lewis to-day informs me that objection is taken to his question about the supply of medicine chests and first aid books. The question is said to be in opposition to the rule against the inclusion of “ironical, ex? pression” in questions to Ministers. Mr. Lewis says the question may ho sarcastic, but the plain fact is that if the Bill woidd compel at least 4302 owners to place a medicine cliest and book on first aid in each wliare. “Hut if the Bill is serious,” lie adds, “l don’t see how my ouestion can be sarcastic or ironical.” Per contra he point out a return allowed by the ’•.Government to be laid on the table ■by the Right Hon. the Premier of jVew Zealand, and prepared by the Government Department, “that there be laid before this House a return bowing the number of persons who •ere known to have died through tak_ ig Cockles’, Beceham’s, or Dr. Wilams’ pills,” etc.